https://www.mnnonline.org/news/skepticism-rises-as-syria-joins-coalition-against-isis/
"By their fruits you shall know them." — Matthew
AI GENERATED SUMMARY
Yes. The group he led carried out terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, and violence that harmed civilians and religious minorities, including Christians, not just battlefield fighting.
Details, plainly stated
Ahmed al-Sharaa, under his former name Abu Mohammad al-Julani, led Jabhat al-Nusra, which was officially al-Qaeda's branch in Syria. That group did far more than conventional civil-war combat.
• Suicide bombings: Jabhat al-Nusra carried out multiple suicide bombings in Syrian cities (including Damascus and Aleppo), especially in the 2012–2016 period. These attacks killed civilians alongside military and government targets.
• Terror tactics: The group used tactics internationally recognized as terrorism, which is why the U.S., UN, and EU designated it a terrorist organization.
• Targeting minorities: While Christians were not always the primary target, Christians, Druze, Alawites, and other minorities were attacked, intimidated, displaced, or killed in areas under Nusra or allied control. Churches were threatened, Christian villages were overrun, and civilians were kidnapped or executed.
• Command responsibility: There is no public court judgment proving al-Sharaa personally pulled a trigger or strapped on a bomb, but as the leader, he commanded forces that committed these acts, which under international law carries responsibility.
Why this matters now
This is why Syrian Christians are skeptical today. They are not reacting to rumors or Western media spin; they remember who controlled checkpoints, who issued threats, and who enforced Islamist rule on the ground. Public promises of tolerance contrast sharply with lived experience under these groups.
Bottom line
He rose to power from a movement that used terrorism, suicide bombings, and sectarian violence, including harm to innocent civilians and Christian communities. That history is real, documented, and the reason trust remains extremely fragile.
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Applied to Trump and Syria
Realpolitik says:
"Is this man in charge now? Can he help suppress ISIS? Will engagement reduce chaos or limit rivals' influence?"
If the answer is yes, you talk to him—even if his past is ugly.
What realpolitik is NOT:
It is not moral approval
It is not forgiveness
It is not trust
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It's transactional and conditional.
One-line definition
Realpolitik = choosing the least bad option in a messy world to protect your own interests.
