Trump and Al-Shaar's Face-to-Face: "Badass Bro" Trump Raves Over Syria's Prez
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Trump commends Syria's Leader: Trump's Praise for Bashar al-Assad - Trump shows persistent interest in the Syrian leader
After locking horns with Syria's interim head honcho Ahmed al-Shaar, the colossal figurehead of the USA, Donald Trump, couldn't help but heap praises on the former jihadist with a penchant for punching. Trump described their Wednesday encounter as a rip-roaring show and deemed al-Shaar a "young, chiseled stud" with a "tough as nails" attitude.
This was the first personal powwow between the capos of the United States and Syria in a quarter-century. Back in the day, another president, Bill Clinton, had chin-wagged with a Syrian leader (daddy dearest of the current Syrian boss, Bashar al-Assad) way back in 2000. Guess who was shown the door in December? Yup, ol' Bashar.
Syrian Side on Shindig: "History in the Making!"
Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs being the official whisperer of the regime pulled no punches, terming the half-hour huddle between Trump and al-Shaar in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as "history in the making." The day before, Trump had made a bombastic announcement about the lifting of long-standing sanctions against Syria.
Jumping aboard Air Force One later that day, Trump continued painting the interim prez of Syria's Islamist government as a "tough son of a gun" with a "harrowing background."
The HTS militia, headed by al-Shaar and his cronies, ousted the Assad fella following over a dozen years of civil war chaos in December. TheHTS was once a branch of Al-Qaeda, but these days, it's disowned the terror network that carried out the 9/11 attacks in the US. Since ascending to the top spot as interim pres, al-Shaar's been trying to keep things on the moderate side.
Trump Demands Syria to Play Ball with Israel
According to the White House, Trump made a stirring case to al-Shaar about normalizing Syria's relations with Israel during their clandestine chat. He also suggested Syrian bosses ship out Palestinian "terrorists" and take control of detention camps in northeastern Syria, currently managed by Kurdish fighters.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and unofficial leader, Mohammed bin Salman, also made an appearance at the confab, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan popped in via video link, as per the official Turkish news agency Anadolu.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed the discussion between Trump and al-Shaar revolved around "strengthening the Syrian-American partnership in counter-terrorism efforts." However, the ministry remained mum on the question of normalizing relations with Israel.
Trump confirmed that al-Shaar was on board with normalizing relations with Israel, just like other Arab nations. But he admitted Syria still had some homework left to finish up before that could happen.
The lifting of US sanctions Trump unveiled on Tuesday elicited wild celebrations in Syria, with folks busting out the party hats and streamers in the streets. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called it a "game-changer" for the Syrian people as they navigated their journey toward stability, economic growth, and thorough reconstruction post-war.
Trump shared his thoughts post-chitchat with Gulf leaders, stating this move would set Syria on a stable trajectory for rebuilding, albeit an uphill task.
Ever since Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been calling for a thaw in US-Syria relations since Assad's ousting, the latest developments have bucked Israel's serious concerns about the new Syrian crew.
Way back in late February, the EU had already eased some of its sanctions against Syria, expecting, among other reforms, the protection of minorities as a precursor for sanction relief from the new Syrian regime.
The new Syrian regime has been vocal about its intentions to protect minorities. However, fighters linked to the Syrian government recently targeted members of the Alawite and Druze religious minorities, resulting in a series of casualties.
Meanwhile, Trump's Middle East trip is all about scoring economic wins. To kick things off, the USA and Saudi Arabia inked a defense deal worth a staggering $142 billion (€127.4 billion) on Tuesday. The Saudi Kingdom is set to receive top-drawer military equipment from the USA, per the White House announcement.
In Qatar, Trump then announced that Qatar Airways had placed a massive $200 billion (€178 billion) order for aircraft from US aircraft manufacturer Boeing, bathing Trump in glory. "That's pretty darn good," he beamed.
However, Trump faces criticism at home for potential conflicts of interest, as he's eyeing a luxury jet bestowed upon him by Qatar for his new Air Force One.
Data Insights
- US Sanctions on Syria: The United States imposed severe sanctions on Syria, crippling its economy and international relations.
- Pressure for Change: Trump's decision to lift these sanctions was fueled by pressure from allies like Saudi Arabia and Turkey, pushing for a reassessment of Syria's status.
- New Leadership in Syria: The meeting with Trump marked a significant shift as al-Shaar, a former jihadist, is the new leadership in Syria.
- Implications of the Meeting: The political, economic, and regional implications of this meeting are extensive, possibly impacting Syria's relations with Israel and Iran, as well as regional security dynamics.
- Donald Trump's meeting with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Shaar, described as "history in the making" by Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has raised questions about future policy-and-legislation regarding war-and-conflicts, particularly in relation to Syria's relationship with Israel.
- The lifting of US sanctions on Syria, which Trump announced before the meeting in Saudi Arabia, has stirred general-news interest and could significantly impact policy-and-legislation, potentially leading to the normalization of relations between Syria and Israel, as Trump suggested during the meeting.
