Syria's President Seeks to Turn Global Sympathy into Concrete Progress at Home.
Since taking office in January 2025, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has been on a whirlwind tour of international diplomacy, undertaking 21 public trips to 13 countries and garnering unprecedented global support for his embattled nation. His UN General Assembly appearance, climate change conference in Brazil, and numerous Arab summits have showcased the goodwill that's being directed towards Syria's rebirth.
However, translating this sympathy into tangible results on the ground remains a daunting task for Sharaa. Critics argue that foreign aid, worth over $6 billion from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Gulf states, is contingent upon significant domestic reforms and an end to extremist threats emanating from his country. The question now is whether Sharaa can successfully balance internal reconciliation and trust-building with the demands of external actors seeking stability in Syria.
Sharaa's ties with former US President Donald Trump have played a pivotal role in this regard. Their unlikely friendship has earned Trump's endorsement for Sharaa, with the former president assuring that the United States will support his efforts to establish a stable Syria. "We'll do everything we can to make Syria successful," Trump said, echoing his oft-stated goal of achieving peace in the Middle East.
Yet critics argue that Sharaa's troubled past – including time spent as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group with an al-Qaida lineage – raises serious questions about his ability to govern effectively. When asked about their shared history by General David Petraeus during a September interview, Sharaa deftly sidestepped the issue, saying that past experiences shouldn't dictate how one approaches governance today.
Sharaa's efforts to integrate Kurdish forces into Syria's national army have stalled, however. Turkey has long viewed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a security threat and is pushing for their disarmament or integration into the Syrian military under Ankara's terms. The SDF fears that such a move could leave its fighters vulnerable to attacks from extremist groups.
As Sharaa navigates this treacherous landscape, it remains to be seen whether his efforts will ultimately translate into tangible progress for the Syrian people and cement Syria's place in the region as a stable, prosperous nation – or if external pressures continue to hamper his ambitions.
Since taking office in January 2025, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has been on a whirlwind tour of international diplomacy, undertaking 21 public trips to 13 countries and garnering unprecedented global support for his embattled nation. His UN General Assembly appearance, climate change conference in Brazil, and numerous Arab summits have showcased the goodwill that's being directed towards Syria's rebirth.
However, translating this sympathy into tangible results on the ground remains a daunting task for Sharaa. Critics argue that foreign aid, worth over $6 billion from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Gulf states, is contingent upon significant domestic reforms and an end to extremist threats emanating from his country. The question now is whether Sharaa can successfully balance internal reconciliation and trust-building with the demands of external actors seeking stability in Syria.
Sharaa's ties with former US President Donald Trump have played a pivotal role in this regard. Their unlikely friendship has earned Trump's endorsement for Sharaa, with the former president assuring that the United States will support his efforts to establish a stable Syria. "We'll do everything we can to make Syria successful," Trump said, echoing his oft-stated goal of achieving peace in the Middle East.
Yet critics argue that Sharaa's troubled past – including time spent as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group with an al-Qaida lineage – raises serious questions about his ability to govern effectively. When asked about their shared history by General David Petraeus during a September interview, Sharaa deftly sidestepped the issue, saying that past experiences shouldn't dictate how one approaches governance today.
Sharaa's efforts to integrate Kurdish forces into Syria's national army have stalled, however. Turkey has long viewed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a security threat and is pushing for their disarmament or integration into the Syrian military under Ankara's terms. The SDF fears that such a move could leave its fighters vulnerable to attacks from extremist groups.
As Sharaa navigates this treacherous landscape, it remains to be seen whether his efforts will ultimately translate into tangible progress for the Syrian people and cement Syria's place in the region as a stable, prosperous nation – or if external pressures continue to hamper his ambitions.
and how he's got everyone's attention 
. Problem is, goodwill can only go so far 
. Needs to show some real change at home 
. Can't just take money from friends 
and expect everything to fix itself 
. Sharaa needs to clean up his act 
and prove he's got the skills to run a country 
. Ties with Trump don't necessarily mean stability 
, especially considering his past 
. Need to see some real progress on the ground 
before we start celebrating 
.
. And don't even get me started on the fact that he was part of that group - it's like he's trying to rewrite history 
. And what about his handling of the SDF situation? It feels like Turkey's just using that as an excuse to exert its influence over Syria again 
. I wish he'd be more transparent about his history and how it might impact his governance style today. And what's up with this whole "past experiences shouldn't dictate governance" thing? It seems like a pretty dodgy excuse to me 
.
. He's got some big shoes to fill considering all the aid and support he's gotten from other countries, but at the same time, he can't just ignore his past and expect everyone to trust him right away 
.
. They're basically playing hardball with the SDF and it's gonna be tough for Sharaa to figure out how to integrate them without alienating his own people or Turkey 
. I'm rooting for him, but I'm also keeping my expectations low 
... I mean, I guess it's better than being stuck in Damascus with no one to talk to 
. But seriously, $6 billion from Saudi Arabia? That's like me borrowing money from my grandma and promising to pay her back by doing some chores 
. Easy peasy, right? 
It's like he's trying to say, "Hey, I know all about being a bit of a wild card, Ahmed!" 
. Meanwhile, General Petraeus is over here like, "Uh, dude, shouldn't we be focusing on actual governance skills instead of shared bad habits?" 
. It's a real Syria-palooza over here! 
. It's not like he can just waltz in here with a bunch of foreign aid and expect everything to magically fall into place 
.
. Meanwhile, if he stands firm, he risks alienating his allies and leaving himself vulnerable to extremist groups.
And with Turkey pushing for the SDF's disarmament or integration under Ankara's terms, it's like he's got external forces holding his hand too much 
. But seriously though, it's gonna be tough balancing all these external pressures with keeping the Syrian people happy at home. It's like trying to juggle 12 chainsaws while riding a unicycle – not impossible, but pretty darn tricky 
.
I mean, who wouldn't want to be backed by a former US President? But what does that really say about Sharaa's qualifications or intentions? Is he just playing the "US-backed hero" card to get some international legitimacy?
, huh? But let's be real, it's like when your aunt sends you a super nice gift for your birthday, but you're still gonna have to deal with doing all the dishes afterwards 
. i get why sharaa needs support from international community, but at the same time, we gotta think about the ppl on ground too. they're still dealing with so much trauma & uncertainty. i'm not sure if just throwing money & guns at the problem will solve everything... maybe there needs to be more focus on building bridges between different groups in syria? like, sharaa's talking about reconciliation & trust-building, but how are we gonna make that happen when there's still so much mistrust? 
. and another thing, what's up with turkey not backing down on the kurdish forces? doesn't that just sound like a recipe for disaster? 
we need some real progress in syria ASAP or else all this goodwill is just gonna be for nothing 