I don't get this. What is the play?

Trump confirms meeting with Syrias Jolani tomorrow.

I never imagined I’d see an al-Qaeda leader meet with a U.S. president in my lifetime.

Interesting times. pic.twitter.com/s9o51ZrQMC

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 13, 2025

Why not? It's a shame we "have to" have enemies- Cuba, Korea, China….

And more markets for US

Rebel Yell said:

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I predict a ton of Ford Ranger sales.

Sell your Toyota stock now gentlemen.

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That's where the Piece of sh**ts should be.

It was Niki Haley and co who spread terrorist propaganda about Assad chem bombing his people. They were homemade chlorine barrel bomb false flags. Just one more example of gaslighting regime change. They almost always end up worse.

2023NCAggies said:

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flashplayer said:

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Probably to get everyone in the middle east to row the same direction and bring them out of the stone ages.

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How do people not see this? Blinded by hatred of Trump I guess

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Only problem with that assertion is that Jolani is still a hardcore Islamist and his thugs are instilling a Syrian version of Talibanic style rule at the bidding and direction of Turkey.

He's not a good dude in any sense of the word. Just as MBS and the Saudi gov't aren't the best either, etc., etc.

We can try to slowly bring them in from the cold but arbitrarily removing all sanctions and greeting him like this is just…odd and puzzling.

Were all sanctions removed?

jja79 said:

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Were all sanctions removed?

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Look at any news source…

Take your pick if you don't like Reuters. Notice how this came about after urging from Saudi and Turkey. Both Sunni countries who have contributed their fare share of fundamental Salafist/Wahhabi terrorist scum.

The only logical play is that Syria is being turned away from Shia Iran and into what seems to be a growing "Gulf State Alliance" of Saudi, other Arab countries and Turkey (yes I know Turkey isn't a Gulf State - just came up with that term) with the hopes they all normalize relations with Israel and jointly confront Iran.

The Israelis are really unhappy with this arbitrary recognition of Jolani. Strange bedfellows all around…

https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-will-remove-us-sanctions-syria-2025-05-13/

Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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syria gwoegrqphically allows israel to fly very close to iran before entering enemy airspace. assuming syria is friendly. just a guess but it seems trump is building alliances to squeeze iran.

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Yep - the line up against Iran is the only thing that makes sense.

Except Israel doesn't need them to be overtly friendly…the Israelis already destroyed all of Syria's remaining air defenses.

The Lebanese have also been making some "legitimate" moves against Hez. Iran hasn't been in a weaker position for quite some time.

Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

bkag9824 said:

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2023NCAggies said:

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flashplayer said:

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Probably to get everyone in the middle east to row the same direction and bring them out of the stone ages.

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How do people not see this? Blinded by hatred of Trump I guess

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Only problem with that assertion is that Jolani is still a hardcore Islamist and his thugs are instilling a Syrian version of Talibanic style rule at the bidding and direction of Turkey.

He's not a good dude in any sense of the word. Just as MBS and the Saudi gov't aren't the best either, etc., etc.

We can try to slowly bring them in from the cold but arbitrarily removing all sanctions and greeting him like this is just…odd and puzzling.

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have to try. I commend Trump for that. Only way to price Gaza back together .

He's not Al Qaeda. He is former Al Qaeda. He rebranded. HTS rounded up and killed Al Qaeda in Syria.

Isolate Iran.

AtticusMatlock said:

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He's not Al Qaeda. He is former Al Qaeda. He rebranded. HTS rounded up and killed Al Qaeda in Syria.

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And HTS is a fundamental Islamist organization that is no different than the Taliban aside from the suit he wears and the lack of a turban. HTS is not moderate, full stop.

Regardless, the political moves on this trip, specifically these efforts to bring Syria under our influence in concert with increasingly Islamist Turkey, signal how Trump is stopping the GWOT modalities.

In short, stop blowing stuff up and start building by commerce and economic development while concurrently isolating Iran. Will be fascinating to see if the new strategy is effective in ultimately curbing Islamic terrorism and overthrowing the Iranian regime.

Man, being married to Brad Pitt really took a toll on Angelina.

What's better for US? Syria under the influence of Iran and Russia? Or under the US influence?

If this reporting is correct, it's a great move by Trump.

According with Lebanese Druze politician Wiam Wahhab, Trump's conditions for the lifting of sanctions and the Jolani meet were:
1- Forget about the Golan;
2- Make peace with Israel;
3- Protect minorities;
4- Expel all Shiite militias;
5- Prevent Iran's return to Syria.

— Carlos Abadi (@NewSamawal) May 13, 2025

According to the White House, President Trump has outlined the following demands for Syrian President (Jolani) Ahmed al-Sharaa:

1. Join the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with Israel

2. Expel all foreign terror groups from Syrian territory

3. Remove Palestinian… https://t.co/8q6rDhHdTO pic.twitter.com/c2qCElNcsi

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 14, 2025

I don't have any problem with the meeting. We know Trump won't give an inch but will probably get something from him.

Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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just a guess but it seems trump is building alliances to squeeze iran.

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This is the correct answer.

Pulling Syria into a more formal relationship with the US and Saudi pulls them away from Iran and vis-a-vis China.

Two other macro dynamics at play are:

• US assets are being reallocated from Europe at the ME into the Pacific theater. Hence the dramatic push to resolve the Ukrainian and Palestinian conflicts, as well as soliciting a new relationship with Iran. Also dovetails with forcing European NATO partners to actively engage in their own defense rather than rely on the US.
• Reforging and strengthening the relationship with Saudi by tying together regional economic interests and investment, recasting the role of the petro dollar and laying groundwork conditions for economic rebalancing with China via commodities (oil, gold).

javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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He wants one desperately. All his foreign policy actions are geared towards that end.

In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

Even he does end the Russo-Ukrainian war and gets all the ME onboard with the Abraham Accords, he will never get the Nobel peace prize though. That institution hates him with every fiber of their liberal being.

rgag12 said:

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javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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He wants one desperately. All his foreign policy actions are geared towards that end.

In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

Even he does end the Russo-Ukrainian war and gets all the ME onboard with the Abraham Accords, he will never get the Nobel peace prize though. That institution hates him with every fiber of their liberal being.

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Of course he does. He's a YUGE narcissist. Bigly.

But, he's also anti-war. Totally. Has been for a long while. And, I think, that's a big driving factor here, too.

If he can stop any potential violence, to that end, it's a win for him (and everyone else).

rgag12 said:

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javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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He wants one desperately. All his foreign policy actions are geared towards that end.

In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

Even he does end the Russo-Ukrainian war and gets all the ME onboard with the Abraham Accords, he will never get the Nobel peace prize though. That institution hates him with every fiber of their liberal being.

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It became painfully obvious and finally public when the Nobel Committee awarded Obama the Peace Prize before he even took office that this is 100% a political award and nothing else.

Quote:

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In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

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Total BS. Most recent presidents are grifters.

I know what your saying but JBP says if you want new friends meet with and make amends with your enemies.

bkag9824 said:

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Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:

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syria gwoegrqphically allows israel to fly very close to iran before entering enemy airspace. assuming syria is friendly. just a guess but it seems trump is building alliances to squeeze iran.

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Yep - the line up against Iran is the only thing that makes sense.

Except Israel doesn't need them to be overtly friendly…the Israelis already destroyed all of Syria's remaining air defenses.

The Lebanese have also been making some "legitimate" moves against Hez. Iran hasn't been in a weaker position for quite some time.

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Liberals are too stupid to "see the forest through the trees" due to their TDS.

BigRobSA said:

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rgag12 said:

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javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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He wants one desperately. All his foreign policy actions are geared towards that end.

In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

Even he does end the Russo-Ukrainian war and gets all the ME onboard with the Abraham Accords, he will never get the Nobel peace prize though. That institution hates him with every fiber of their liberal being.

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Of course he does. He's a YUGE narcissist. Bigly.

But, he's also anti-war. Totally. Has been for a long while. And, I think, that's a big driving factor here, too.

If he can stop any potential violence, to that end, it's a win for him (and everyone else).

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He has deserved one on several occasions.

javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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Doesn't he already have a couple?

Quote:

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What's better for US? Syria under the influence of Iran and Russia? Or under the US influence?

If this reporting is correct, it's a great move by Trump.

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I was going to say something similar.

I'm confused by the criticism. Why wouldn't he meet with him? Why wouldnt we want cooperation, instead of conflict...especially given his past.

BlackGold said:

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BigRobSA said:

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rgag12 said:

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javajaws said:

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Is it just me or does anyone else think Trump wants a Nobel Peace prize?

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He wants one desperately. All his foreign policy actions are geared towards that end.

In general Trump wants to build a legacy that will put him in history books as a president who did something rather than a president that was just a good steward. Most presidents are just good stewards.

Even he does end the Russo-Ukrainian war and gets all the ME onboard with the Abraham Accords, he will never get the Nobel peace prize though. That institution hates him with every fiber of their liberal being.

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Of course he does. He's a YUGE narcissist. Bigly.

But, he's also anti-war. Totally. Has been for a long while. And, I think, that's a big driving factor here, too.

If he can stop any potential violence, to that end, it's a win for him (and everyone else).

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He has deserved one on several occasions.

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I agree.

But, that "R" behind his name on TV is a boat anchor.