Search a title or topic

Over 20 million podcasts, powered by 

Player FM logo
Artwork

Content provided by FDD and Cliff May. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by FDD and Cliff May or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!

The Courtship of Ahmad al-Sharaa

55:24
 
Share
 

Manage episode 508766904 series 3493047
Content provided by FDD and Cliff May. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by FDD and Cliff May or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Born into a well-educated and well-off Syrian family, Ahmad al-Sharaa – also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani – joined Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's organization, al-Qaeda in Iraq, after the U.S. invasion of that country in 2003. Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, he established al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria: Jabhat al-Nusra. In 2016, he severed ties with al-Qaeda, and al-Nusra evolved into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — the force that in 2024 toppled Bashar al-Assad’s Tehran-backed regime.

Today, the former terrorist is the interim president of Syria. With the U.S. bounty on his head gone, he last week became the first ex-al-Qaeda member to address the UN General Assembly – in a suit and tie, no less.

The U.S., the Turks, the Saudis, the Qataris, the Israelis, and others want to influence him. FDD’s David Adesnik and Ahmad Sharawi join host Cliff May to discuss.

  continue reading

291 episodes

Artwork

The Courtship of Ahmad al-Sharaa

FDD's Foreign Podicy

58 subscribers

published

iconShare
 
Manage episode 508766904 series 3493047
Content provided by FDD and Cliff May. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by FDD and Cliff May or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Born into a well-educated and well-off Syrian family, Ahmad al-Sharaa – also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani – joined Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's organization, al-Qaeda in Iraq, after the U.S. invasion of that country in 2003. Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, he established al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria: Jabhat al-Nusra. In 2016, he severed ties with al-Qaeda, and al-Nusra evolved into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS — the force that in 2024 toppled Bashar al-Assad’s Tehran-backed regime.

Today, the former terrorist is the interim president of Syria. With the U.S. bounty on his head gone, he last week became the first ex-al-Qaeda member to address the UN General Assembly – in a suit and tie, no less.

The U.S., the Turks, the Saudis, the Qataris, the Israelis, and others want to influence him. FDD’s David Adesnik and Ahmad Sharawi join host Cliff May to discuss.

  continue reading

291 episodes

All episodes

×
 
Loading …

Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

 

Copyright 2025 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | | Copyright
Listen to this show while you explore
Play