Michael Weiss

evolved in the sense that he understands the way to win hearts and minds in Syria and to do the kind of state building enterprise that bin Laden and Baghdadi could never achieve because they were too brutal or backward, requires a softer touch. So I would say that what HTS is like is the Taliban, right?

evolved in the sense that he understands the way to win hearts and minds in Syria and to do the kind of state building enterprise that bin Laden and Baghdadi could never achieve because they were too brutal or backward, requires a softer touch. So I would say that what HTS is like is the Taliban, right?

evolved in the sense that he understands the way to win hearts and minds in Syria and to do the kind of state building enterprise that bin Laden and Baghdadi could never achieve because they were too brutal or backward, requires a softer touch. So I would say that what HTS is like is the Taliban, right?

They are an authoritarian, Salafist organization, but they legitimately want to govern and they want to have an administrative capacity. So Jolani has seen Assad's

They are an authoritarian, Salafist organization, but they legitimately want to govern and they want to have an administrative capacity. So Jolani has seen Assad's

They are an authoritarian, Salafist organization, but they legitimately want to govern and they want to have an administrative capacity. So Jolani has seen Assad's

hollow shell of a regime over the last several years and been champing at the bit to go on the offensive and to take him on because of events in the Levant, particularly, as I mentioned earlier, the weakening of Iran's strategic project because of Russia being distracted.

hollow shell of a regime over the last several years and been champing at the bit to go on the offensive and to take him on because of events in the Levant, particularly, as I mentioned earlier, the weakening of Iran's strategic project because of Russia being distracted.

hollow shell of a regime over the last several years and been champing at the bit to go on the offensive and to take him on because of events in the Levant, particularly, as I mentioned earlier, the weakening of Iran's strategic project because of Russia being distracted.

They still have plenty of military assets in place in Syria, but Putin isn't all in in Syria anymore because he's got bigger fish to fry in Ukraine. Jelani sensed an opportunity. Turkey, for several months, kept him at bay. Don't go on the offensive. Why? In the midst of all of this, Turkey and Syria have been engaged in a kind of pas de deux of reconciliation talks.

They still have plenty of military assets in place in Syria, but Putin isn't all in in Syria anymore because he's got bigger fish to fry in Ukraine. Jelani sensed an opportunity. Turkey, for several months, kept him at bay. Don't go on the offensive. Why? In the midst of all of this, Turkey and Syria have been engaged in a kind of pas de deux of reconciliation talks.

They still have plenty of military assets in place in Syria, but Putin isn't all in in Syria anymore because he's got bigger fish to fry in Ukraine. Jelani sensed an opportunity. Turkey, for several months, kept him at bay. Don't go on the offensive. Why? In the midst of all of this, Turkey and Syria have been engaged in a kind of pas de deux of reconciliation talks.

Turkey wants to make a deal with Assad, whereby Assad and Turkey jointly, but really Turkey leading the charge, eliminate the PKK as a threat to the Turkish border region, right? And for several months, actually several years, since about 2017, the Russians have brokered negotiations.

Turkey wants to make a deal with Assad, whereby Assad and Turkey jointly, but really Turkey leading the charge, eliminate the PKK as a threat to the Turkish border region, right? And for several months, actually several years, since about 2017, the Russians have brokered negotiations.

Turkey wants to make a deal with Assad, whereby Assad and Turkey jointly, but really Turkey leading the charge, eliminate the PKK as a threat to the Turkish border region, right? And for several months, actually several years, since about 2017, the Russians have brokered negotiations.

The Russians would love nothing better than to see Turkey welcome Assad in from the cold because that's a preliminary for sanctions relief and also the international recognition of Assad. He's made deals, he's been normalized with all of the Gulf Arab states, but Turkey is the holdout. And again, it all comes down to the Kurdish question with the Turks.

The Russians would love nothing better than to see Turkey welcome Assad in from the cold because that's a preliminary for sanctions relief and also the international recognition of Assad. He's made deals, he's been normalized with all of the Gulf Arab states, but Turkey is the holdout. And again, it all comes down to the Kurdish question with the Turks.

The Russians would love nothing better than to see Turkey welcome Assad in from the cold because that's a preliminary for sanctions relief and also the international recognition of Assad. He's made deals, he's been normalized with all of the Gulf Arab states, but Turkey is the holdout. And again, it all comes down to the Kurdish question with the Turks.

Finally, in the last month, MBS, the Saudi crown prince, tried to organize a face-to-face meeting between Erdogan and Assad, and Assad snubbed him.

Finally, in the last month, MBS, the Saudi crown prince, tried to organize a face-to-face meeting between Erdogan and Assad, and Assad snubbed him.