On December 6, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by his ‘Roblox gamer tag’, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, emerged from the shadows to grant an interview to CNN. Unprecedented from most rebel leaders, he diverged from the typical face coverings and nom de guerres of his predecessors and offered an all-access view to the makings of his revolution. With this historic shift characterizing the new epoch of revolutionaries, al-Sharaa effectively conveyed the role he would play in the birth of a new Syria. However, this journey to power was anything but clean - it was full of collusion, conniving, and convincing, and there will likely be many more consequences to the fall of Assad. Needless to say, heads rolled.
To delve into the rise of al-Sharaa, it is necessary to gain a fundamental understanding of his life itself. As is typical of most jihadists, his nom de guerre - Abu Mohammed al-Julani - holds a particular significance to him. Al-Julani, meaning the Golan Heights, is not only the area he and his family were expelled from in the aftermath of the Six Days War, but it is also a representation of the feelings of displacement and longing shared by Arab nationalists for their homelands. Inheriting these ideals from his father, al-Sharaa has dedicated himself to overcoming Western intrusions and Israel's sphere of influence and restoring Arab dominance in the Middle East. For the sake of achieving this goal, he joined the so-called Islamic State and began engaging in combat against US-backed troops. These activities eventually etched his name onto the Jihadist Hall of Fame - the US Most Wanted Terrorists List. Though his violent background makes foreign governments wary of his leadership intentions, it has paradoxically served as a source of credibility among the Syrian opposition.
To delve into the merits of al-Sharaa’s rise, it is necessary to examine the fall of his predecessor as head of state: Bashar al-Assad. The Assad family was notorious on the international scale for its rampant human rights abuses. However, what separated this family from the established dynasties of the Husseins, Gaddafis, and Sauds was the fact that they did not have a genuine claim to represent the vast majority of their citizens. Setting themselves apart from the Sunni-majority population of Syria, the Assad family belonged to the Alawite minority. As this religious group only constitutes 10% of the nation, this ruling family faced a major legitimacy crisis among religious hardliners. Upon this 10% failing to sufficiently represent the 100% of Syrian people, the religious identity of the political family became a rallying cry for the Islamist opposition forces.
Thus came al-Sharaa.
Utilizing the religious aspects of the Syrian Civil War, al-Sharaa was able to establish his own paramilitary group, the al-Nusra Front. Acting in coordination but with a degree of independence from ISIS and al-Qaeda, the existence of the group alone exemplified the unique nature of al-Sharaa that distinguished him from his political opponents - the ability to maintain appeal with religious extremists yet offer a breath of fresh air for citizens exhausted from sectarian conflict. Working within a group that had brutality as a brand, he rose through the ranks as a voice of reason, at least relative to his fanatical comrades. Calculatingly cultivating this dynamic public image, al-Sharaa effectively portrayed himself as a viable opposition figure, and far more likable than the Assad family.
Up until recently, it appeared that the Assad family was like gum stuck under your desk at school - no matter how hard you try, you can’t get rid of it. Similarly, more on the diplomatic side of things, interaction with the Assad family was akin to accidentally brushing your hand on the desk gum - it was met with great aversion and general disgust. The notoriously awkward, unsociable Bashar, accompanied by his vaguely psychotic brother Maher, severely isolated potential foreign allies. Nevertheless, Syria was able to forge powerful ties with Russia and Iran that provided them with political control throughout the civil war. Despite this, the Assads were unable to adapt to the changing international environment, while al-Sharaa effectively capitalized on it.
The geopolitical ramifications of the overthrow of the Assad regime are incredibly vast. As Russia was distracted by robust resistance in Ukraine that has unexpectedly prolonged their ongoing invasion, they had to divert their resources away from their Middle Eastern sphere of influence. Further compounding logistical issues for the Syrian defense, Iran suffered devastating blows to their Hezbollah leadership amidst their conflict with Israel. With the revolutionary climate in Syria just right, al-Sharaa effortlessly blazed through the countryside. Now, the alleged terrorist is the de facto ruler of a country still reeling from his revolution.
Portraying himself as a champion of reversing historical trends of sectarianism, al-Sharaa has vowed to end religious discrimination and fundamentally transform the republic. For the betterment of the Middle East as a whole, the United States, as always, should just stay out of it and let it play out. Al-Sharaa has made a great effort to not provoke the United States, and any intervention conducted by the West will be viewed as yet another example of imperialism. Despite his abominable past and presently controversial persona, al-Sharaa truly is the best the opposition has to offer.
Photo Credit: Omar Haj Kadour | AFP via Getty ImagesImages.
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