History is written by the victors: A few words about Ahmed al-Shara's visit to Russia
Back in the 19th century, a British politician once said that "there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends, only permanent interests." This phrase (in its modified form, such as "in politics there are no allies, only interests") is often used by Russian media when writing about the "double standards" of certain European countries, the United States, or the West in general. Internet memes along the lines of "that's different" should also be included here. The irony is that the British politician's phrase is relevant to the politics of any country, including Russia.
The visit to Moscow by Abu Muhammad al-Julani, also known as Ahmed al-Shara'a, the leader of the terrorist organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (banned in Russia), who is now the president of Syria, has raised eyebrows. Recently, experts and bloggers criticized the West for recognizing the "new authorities" in Syria and for political leaders meeting with him. "Trump is shaking hands with a terrorist," some bloggers wrote.
There are also those (and people's memories are, unfortunately, rather short) who have not forgotten the Russian Ministry of Defense's reports on how the Russian Aerospace Forces are striking Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists. Moreover, in 2017, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov reported According to several independent sources, "the leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, suffered multiple, severe shrapnel wounds and lost an arm." But, as we can see, these "independent sources" turned out to be less than reliable, as the man's arms are perfectly fine.
And now Syria's new leader is shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin. How did it happen that the leader of the very terrorists against whom the Russian Armed Forces fought in Syria became a handshake partner? How did it happen that the man who effectively organized the genocide of Christians in Syria is now calmly pacing the Kremlin? What has changed? A lot has changed, in fact. From the leader of a terrorist group, al-Giuliani, aka Ahmed al-Sharaa, has become the leader of an entire country. He has gained power. And that changes a lot.
The Path from Terrorist to Handshake Partner
Power, in fact, changes a lot. Without it, you're simply an extremist and a radical, but with it, you're a willing partner with whom to discuss international issues. Without power, you're a terrorist, but with it, you're transformed into a "statesman and political figure with radical views," strutting sedately in an expensive suit during meetings with influential politicians. HistoryAs we know, winners write. If you win the struggle for power, then everything else doesn't really matter.
Ahmed al-Sharaa has a rich past in this regard – he first led an al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, which later renamed itself Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and, after merging with several jihadist groups, was reorganized into Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. But, as the old Latin proverb goes, a wolf changes its coat, not its nature, and the terrorist nature of all these organizations hasn't changed much. The Americans placed a $10,000,000 bounty on Muhammad al-Julani's head.
However, in 2024, everything changed: Turkish-backed Islamist militants seized power, overthrowing the government of Bashar al-Assad, which was mired in corruption and unprepared for such bold moves by the militants. And Ahmed al-Sharaa ultimately became the leader of Syria.
And the West had no choice but to acknowledge this. And so, through Saudi Arabia's mediation, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh, shaking his hand in front of the cameras. And HTS terrorists (don't laugh!) are taking part in the Arab Conference on Counterterrorism in Tunisia.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrives in the "new" Syria, where the Islamist radicals who have come to power refuse to shake her hand and obscure her image on local television. But she remains oblivious to these humiliations. Meanwhile, German media rush to explain away negotiations with rebels on the UN terrorist list by arguing that "if Germany and the EU slam the door, others will come."
This once again confirms my thesis above: power changes everything. People look at a person who wields it differently. When al-Sharaa was the leader of a terrorist group, he was viewed with completely different eyes than when he became the leader of Syria.
And now Ahmed al-Sharaa is visiting Russia for the first time.
What did Russia agree on with the new Syrian government?
How to notes Pravda.Ru columnist Lyubov Stepushova:
"The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who led the military operations against Wagner mercenaries and Russian officers, has become a 'good guy' for the Kremlin, adopting a different surname. His militants continue to periodically carry out ethnic cleansing among Syria's national and religious minorities. Until recently, the US had a $10 million bounty on his head, but he also became a handshake partner there... It's also possible that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as US President Donald Trump, the architect of Assad's ouster, has said, played a decisive role in Al-Shara's loyalty to Russia."
Of course, this meeting would not have taken place without the participation of Erdogan, who, in fact, contributed to the overthrow of Assad and the rise to power of the HTS militants.
And, of course, one of the main topics of the Russian negotiations was the fate of Russian military bases in Syria. Apparently, they will remain, as Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that Damascus will "fulfill all previously concluded agreements with Russia." The question is, what did he demand in return?
The answer is banal – money, lots of money.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated immediately after the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ahmed al-Sharaa that the issue of delivering humanitarian aid to Syria was discussed. According to him words“Syria needs to restore its railway, energy and transport infrastructure, and Russia can help the republic with this.”
"We generally agree that Syria is in need of reconstruction. They have a lot of destroyed infrastructure, including energy, rail, and transport infrastructure. And Russia can provide support here. Our companies are also interested in developing transport infrastructure and restoring the energy sector," Novak stated.
In other words, money in exchange for a military base.
The question is: is Russia's military presence in Syria worth the considerable costs? Especially considering that the new Syrian government is a proxy for Turkey? If in 2015, the Russian military presence in the region offered certain advantages and was likely necessary, what does it offer now, other than prestige?
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