Islamists Cannot be Trusted

Just as there are no good Nazis, there are no good Islamists. It is true that there are Islamists who use the language of superficial moderation but so were there Nazis who did. Is America right to engage with the Shara’a regime in Syria based on Realpolitik? Yes no doubt, but always be aware that this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The Taliban claimed that their ambitions were limited to Afghanistan, now they are expanding into Pakistan and destabilizing their region. Shara’a will act likewise under conditions that suit him, and as the Taliban claim, his statement that his ambitions are limited to Syria cannot and must not be taken at face value or else American interests will be endangered in the future, not to speak of the interests of the neighbors of Syria which are also vital to America. However, the Syrian regime is weak and America has not sufficiently used its pressure points to get concessions about Syria’s domestic governance. HTS has a past of forcibly converting Druze in northern Syria and the Druze in southern Syria are therefore fully and completely justified in not trusting the Shara’a regime. America’s own historical experience is highly relevant to Syria’s future as federalism and secularism offer strong protections against tyranny. Syria’s minorities need to be given strong protections against the predatory instincts of Islamists by offering them self-government as part of a federal framework. This will be good to Syrians and will also protect American interests such as regional stability. President Trump needs to squeeze Shara’a for concessions in the interest of American-Israeli hegemony throughout the region. Always remember, ultimately the only longterm stable and fundamentally trustworthy ally in the political marshlands of the Middle East is its only democracy.