How is supporting terrorists – who rule Syria and threaten Christians – in our national interest?
In March, the Trump administration laid out conditions for ending sanctions on Syria.
The new Islamic terrorist regime led by a former Al Qaeda terrorist that had taken over Syria was warned to “exclude foreign terrorist fighters from any official roles”, difficult to imagine considering that the country was being run by domestic and foreign terrorists, “and ensure the security and freedoms of Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities”. Especially Christians.
“Any adjustment to U.S. policy towards Syria’s interim authorities will be contingent on all of those steps being taken,” the terrorist regime was warned.
This position was reaffirmed by the Trump administration in April at the UN Security Council.
Syria’s Jihadi government not only refused to expel its foreign Jihadi allies, but gave members of Al Qaeda and ISIS linked terrorists ranks in its new ‘military’. Syria not only harbors terrorist networks from as far away as China and Albania, but also Muslim terrorists from Western nations like Omar Diaby, listed by the United States as linked to Al Qaeda, who was “responsible for recruiting 80% of the French-speaking jihadists who went to Syria or Iraq” and who are at high risk of carrying out terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States.
With Al-Qaeda and ISIS Jihadis in control of Syria, the country’s Christians live in fear.
The new terrorist regime was supposed to protect Syria’s Christians as a precondition to dropping sanctions. And while Al-Jolani has made all sorts of assurances, Islamic terrorists remain in control of some Christian property seized during the war (many other churches were destroyed) and Christians have been warned to become Muslims or face the consequences.
Leaflets bearing the message “death to the pork eaters” and other threats against Christians continue to circulate. Selective curfews were imposed on Christians who defended themselves against Muslim violence and they were disarmed in at least one community.
Syria’s Christians are expected to entrust their security to the Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists who massacred their families, took nuns hostage and destroyed churches. They’re terrified of what the future holds and they have every reason to be in a country run by terrorists whose religion commands the oppression, enslavement and or killing of everyone who isn’t a Sunni Muslim.
While the sanctions were imposed on the previous Assad regime, the Trump administration had tried to use them as leverage to convince the Al-Jolani regime to expel foreign Jihadis and protect Christians. Instead the towel was thrown in at the infamous meeting in Saudi Arabia.
And what is the United States getting in return for lifting sanctions and losing its leverage?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that the sanctions had to be lifted because of an urgent need to get aid into Syria. This argument, already deployed everywhere from Gaza to Yemen to Afghanistan to drop restrictions on delivering aid to terrorists has only made terrorism worse.
Sending aid to Syria, an enemy nation whose governments have been terrorists of one kind or another, is not a vital national interest. Ending the use of Syria by Islamic terrorist groups, some of whom pose a threat to the United States, is. And protecting Christians is a cultural interest.
Rubio also argued in the Senate that sanctions needed to be dropped because Syria was weeks or months “away from potential collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions, basically the country splitting up.” Why this would be any worse than the current state of affairs in which Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists run the country was not made clear.
“We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region,” he argued.
Do we really want terrorists to succeed in ruling Syria? Is that in our national interest?
Why is keeping Syria united under Turkish, Al Qaeda and ISIS rule preferable to letting the various ethnic and religious groups forced at gunpoint to pretend they’re part of one country get their independence? Syria’s Christians would be more likely to benefit from independence than rule by an Islamic terrorist coalition with a history of committing atrocities against Christians.
It’s obvious why Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other participants in the coalition of state sponsors of terror, including 9/11, and who helped engineer the Arab Spring, and the Jihadi takeover of Syria would want to keep the power they seized. And we know all too well why Republican globalists like McCain adopted those same positions and got the United States into the business of backing the Syrian ‘rebels’ no matter how often they showed their true Jihadi colors.
But why is the Trump administration adopting this rebooted Arab Spring?
The biggest evidence that dropping sanctions on the Al Qaeda regime and the $10 million reward for its leader, Al-Jolani, was a grave error was that it was immediately adopted by the EU.
“Today, we took the decision to lift our economic sanctions on Syria. We want to help the Syrian people rebuild a new, inclusive and peaceful Syria,” European Commission VP Kaja Kalla tweeted. Followed by her declaration that “Sanctions are working. They hit Russia’s economy hard and hamper its capacity to wage war.”
Why do sanctions work in Russia but not in Syria? Because the EU and globalist forces support the Al Qaeda takeover of Syria. And that’s already a good reason for us not to join them.
But from the Iran negotiations to a concern about “humanitarian aid” for Gaza, our foreign policy is starting to resemble Europe’s foreign policy and that of the Obama administration. What’s missing is any sense of why this is in our national interest. Obama and the EU reject the idea that national interests matter, only an amorphous concept of “values” that favors our enemies.
We should be able to do better than this 99 cent store globalism.
The best Rubio could do was to assert some sort of domino theory, arguing that, “When Syria is unstable, the region becomes unstable.” It’s hard to see what could destabilize the region more than Al Qaeda terrorists in charge of a country, but even taken at face value, that commits the Trump administration to perpetually maintaining stability across the Middle East by propping up any government, no matter how awful, and then watching the whole thing spin out of control anyway, and recapitulating the worst days of the Clinton, Bush and Obama years. Again.
The Trump era was supposed to restore foreign policy based on national interests and an end to the United States playing the world’s policeman. Cutting a deal with Al-Jolani just showcases the foreign policy disasters that led us into allying with Islamic terrorists in Syria a decade ago in the name of such vague concepts as international law, human rights and regional stability.
Democrats and Republicans got played by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey and other Islamic states into embracing the Arab Spring. Now we’re being roped into supporting Jhadis taking over Syria all over again. And then where to next? Libya? Gaza? America?
We dropped sanctions on Syria in order to keep it in the hands of Al Qaeda while abandoning our best leverage for protecting Syria’s Christians and keeping terrorist groups from using Syria as a base. After Qatar stabbed us in the back in Afghanistan, we’re back to trusting it in Syria and Gaza. And we’ve forgotten that making deals with Islamic Jihadis only ends one way.
The same way it did for us in Afghanistan…with dead Americans and American hostages.
Billy says
President Trump is not competently recognizing Islam’s threat to America, Israel, and all Non-Muslims because he is supporting Syria and Allah’s Muslims against Israel, America, and Non-Muslims.
Allah’s Islam, a Terrorist-Criminal Enterprise and a Murderous Cult, and its predatory believers continually fund, promote, and practice ideological subversion, propaganda, bigotry, discrimination, deceit, supremacy, segregation, hatred, violence, genocide, and terrorism as taught in Islamic Law and in Islam’s Quran. Muslim actions should be legally challenged with a multi-faceted force of Western Laws like Muslims wield against Americans and Westerners(eg. Tax Exempt Organizations, Media and Hollywood, Foreign Funding, etc.) because Islam violates Western Laws(Quran 9:5,29, 111; 49:15; 60:4 and more).
Like a Foreign Terrorist Organization(FTO) designated by the USA Secretary of State, Islam functions as a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION(MTO) fighting against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL religion under Western Law because Islam funds, teaches, and promotes Terrorist Criminal Organizations with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah(Quran 9:5,29, 111; 49:15 and more).
Under Islam and Islamic Law, Islam’s Mafia, Muslims have the Legal Right and the Quranic Duty to terrorize Non-Muslims because neglecting this QURANIC DUTY is a Crime against tyrannical Allah. Jihad means warfare against Non-Muslims to ESTABLISH ISLAM’S RELIGION(Quran 3:115, 151; 9:5, 29, 111; Muslim Law Manual: “Reliance of the Traveller”, o9.0 and more).
More specifically, Islam, a terroristic-totalitarian way of life, is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Murderous, Criminal Enterprise of: intolerance, continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, propaganda, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran(Quran 2:208,216; 4:65, 89,95, 115; 5:14,64; 8:12,39,60, 74; 9:5,21,29,36, 41,49, 73,88, 111,123; 21:92; 49:15; 60:4; 61:9-11; 62:6; 89:14 and more).
BTeboe says
100% right on
Sam Tawadrous says
I raise my hat to greet you for your wonderful article because you have more real knowledge about the religion of terrorism (Islam) than many Christians in my beloved Egypt. I 100% agree with every word contained in your article 🙏 🙏
LR says
Well, isn’t the MB illegal in Egypt?
The U.S. hasn’t even kicked out the MB, or made them “illegal”.
Unfortunately, people like Greenfield are rare in the U.S.
Those with knowledge of Jihad are often dismissed as “right wing” extremists, or simply dismissed.
A lot of people in the West like to be Ostriches and keep their heads in the sand.
Our education system stopped teaching the history of Christiandom a long time ago.
Very unfortunate.
Jupiter 00 says
As a Gentile Christian I myself have studied the Quran for acquiring knowledge so I can’t be fooled. Seems as though many western leaders need to do the same. Sad days are coming for us infidels if we don’t open our eyes sooner rather than later!
somehistory says
Just as the Christians in all parts of Africa are being slaughtered and no one in power gives a hoot, no hoots for the Christians in Syria, either.
mealy mouths. “They are all alike corrupt,” the Bible says. “There is no one doing good; not even one.”
It’s like giving obl the weapons to use against the Russians and then, he turned them on Americans.
Just because a terrorist manages to take over a land and set up his own kind of governing, doesn’t take the lust for terrorizing from his heart.
‘You can take the name of a terrorist and throw it to the wind; but you can’t make him not be a terrorist by giving him another name.’
Tim gallagher says
I hope that someday no one will give Muslims anything and Islam will be banned from all non Muslim countries which is what it deserves. I thought that Trump said, a few years back, that he thought Muslims hated us, and he was right so why is he being friendly towards Muslims now.
Jupiter 00 says
I thought I heard the same statement coming from Trump! I’m very surprised at his language now and Rubio is no different. They need some real education about what we will soon face! Ignorance is no excuse.
Wellington says
I have many times wondered just how much President Trump knows about Islam. He did say back in March of 2016, “I think Islam hates us,” which was an eminently true statement. But what about now? Yes, what about now?
Not sure.
Tim gallagher says
I remember seeing Trump saying I think they hate us, Wellington, but I didn’t know it was way back in 2016. I always take note of people who are awake to Islam’s evil nature whether it be Wilders, the le pens or Trump. To me, the Hungarians and the poles look like geniuses with their slamming the door shut the pile evil filth that is islam.
James Lincoln says
Wellington,
Pres. Trump – urgently – needs to bring into his administration top level counter-jihadists:
Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, Frank Gaffney, Brigitte Gabriel, John Guandolo, etc.
Gamzu says
I think he has one. Sebastian Gorka.
James Lincoln says
Gamzu,
Yes, you are correct.
But, judging by the recent decisions by Pres. Trump, I think that he needs more help.
Daniel Triplett says
Gorka uses a lot of words like “radical” Islam and “Islamists.”
Gorka said that the struggle against terrorism is “a war within Islam,” a “war for the heart of Islam,” and “not a war with Islam.”
So, he appears to me to not really get it. Not the best choice to be chief of counterterrorism policy.
Jupiter 00 says
Amen!
Lady of the lake says
Like it or not it appears to be working fairly well in that there is no continuous wholesale slaughter. Its holding pretty steady. I think the current US effort is something to be proud of. No other country is holding back the Syria bloodbath like this. President Trump is truly a brave SOB goin over there and trying to deal with these sick homicidal monsters. Be proud and supportive.
gravenimage says
Lady of the Lake, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 1,614 civilians were killed by armed militias supporting the Syrian government between March 6 and March 12, 2025. The idea that if this horrifying rate of slaughtr holds steady that all is well is–with respect–just appalling. I just don’t think that supporting this mass murder is a good thing.
rubiconcrest says
+1
By removing sanctions the USA is rewarding Syria if they stop killing Christians etc… All they have to do is follow the Islamic playbook. Impose sharia. Stop the killing but accomplish the same thing at a slower pace.
How is that an improvement Mr. President? One answer might be, ‘Well we’re getting a lot of money from the ME.’ At least they’re paying us to look the other way.
gravenimage says
America Props Up An Al Qaeda Terror State
…………………………….
I understand the initial hope that al-Sharaa would be less brutal than was Assad, but at this point this is clearly not the case. Just denial to fund this savagery.
Burnaby Lad says
hot lips knows suicide is painless
terry says
Trump is either being played by the dark, criminal forces of Globalism, Marxism, and Islam; a cabal of shady and crooked organized crime; or he is in on it. At this point there is rapidly becoming no inbetween. If he is in on it, then he is leading in the rise of the System of the Beast. By the end of Summer, start of Fall we will all know! But what IS certain is the Democrat party embraces the spirit of antichrist- of that we are sure.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
While I’m not thrilled by the policy of rapprochement towards Syria, it’s actually not as bad as Trump having words of praise for the rulers of Qatar and Turkey, forcing Israel to not attack Iran or pressurizing India to prematurely end its war w/ Pakistan
So factoring all those in, this rapprochement w/ Syria is the 5th worst foreign policy move that Trump has recently made
Daniel Triplett says
Accepting the quid pro quo Qatari 747 AF1 is a really bad idea too. He doesn’t seem to want to learn truth of Islam. To my knowledge, he hasn’t rescinded the 2011 Obama/Brennan era censorship across the Federal executive department for speaking, writing, or training anything derogatory about Islam, Jihad, or Muslims.
LR says
Yeah, taking that plane makes me ill.
I have no idea, but it seems Prez T just likes making deals, whether good, bad, fair whatever.
It makes him look good (at least in his eyes).
Gorka was picked in the first T administration because of his knowledge the Jihadi threat…What the F is going on now?
Arasu says
Trump is trying to bring Saudi Arabia and Syria into the Abraham Accords. If he succeeds, he will take credit for being a peacemaker, and it will be part of his legacy. That is what drives him. It appears that he may have folded to Arab pressure, flattery and gifts in Riyadh. Not only has he thrown Christians, Druze, Kurds, and Alawites under the bus, but the Arabs have a further demand in the form of the creation of a Palestinian state before they will sign the Abraham Accords. i feel this may mean that for the remainder of his term Trump is going to pressure Israel into accepting a two state solution. And to top it all, with the wink to Al-Jolani, the US has tacitly approved Turkish hegemony in Syria, and this poses a huge strategic threat to Israel. Through all this, Rubio has toed the Trump line, because he knows that any opposition from him would make his position in Trump’s cabinet untenable.
Stive says
The great deal maker will cause massive destruction by his calls of peace just as the bible said he would do. many will be shocked as they realize compulsive deal makers can be bought and thus are unstable and dangerous. He knows exactly what he does and the wake up is when many finally admit it is so. It waxes worse and worse, not a respite or an improvement but worse and worse says the bible. I’m so sad that the chance to undo Sykes picot is here but the gold head man won’t allow the make believe Syria to disappear as it should. Assyria was a nation which should be an independent Kurdistan now but Syria is a make believe nation. The Druze should get independence as should the Kurds, the alawites and christians in Lebanon. Israel should enlarge a little and to pull it off without a huge war turkey will have to get an agreed small amount of the sunnis. Damascus will have to ruled somehow by Israel, christians, Druse and other groups. It’s the hardest part to solve as can’t have sunni nor turk rule there.
It’s saddening as peace and freedom is possible if the gold head man would back Israel and the minorities. We know from his first term he doesn’t give a hoot about the Kurds, that with 40 million people can’t have their own nation in even part of their land divided 4 ways. The bible explains it all to those that actually comprehend the verses correctly, so we cannot make it come out right but we need at least be aware so we don’t blindly back evil.
LR says
Looks like you understand the situation pretty good.
I was hoping maybe, maybe Prez T would be a bit better at dealing with the ME situation, and Israel would be able to go in and defeat Hamas, etc.
Maybe T is being even worse than Biden, don’t know.
Infidel lives matter says
McCain is smiling in his grave.
truth says
“The Trump era was supposed to restore foreign policy based on national interests.”
Unfortunately that’s what trump thinks he is doing…He’s a populist trying to play to what he thinks is the popular decision.. . I don’t think people realize how many americans on the right and left are becoming Isolationist..A lot of big voices also..Those people have sway because not everyone has the capacity or time to keep up with everything..
In some ways i think the isolationists are correct, we shouldn’t involve ourselves in every war but this isn’t one of those times..
jerry glenn says
USA surges in the international Islamopandering derby.
Hank says
“We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region,” he argued.” They keep kidding themselves or it’s a good excuse. Only a full return to Christian Syria will restore it to sanity
“Today, we took the decision to lift our economic sanctions on Syria. We want to help the Syrian people rebuild a new, inclusive and peaceful Syria,” European Commission VP Kaja Kalla tweeted”
They keep kidding themselves. A kiss from Mr. Goldfinger does wonders.
“Democrats and Republicans got played by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey and other Islamic states into embracing the Arab Spring. Now we’re being roped into supporting Jhadis taking over Syria all over again. And then where to next? Libya? Gaza? America?” When you get the kiss of death from Mr. Goldfinger the poison quickly spreads to the brain.
“Because the EU and globalist forces support the Al Qaeda takeover of Syria.” They also were kissed by Mr. Goldfinger. When they visit the petrol-rich Muslim countries they are all overwhelmed by all the glitter and gold. Eventually they get a kiss from Mr. Goldfinger there and their concience, a sound mind and integrity gets seared.
What is hard to understand is that Israel who is going to be the next-door neighbor allowed it to happen. They should at least have supported a move toward a Judeo-Christian or Hellenistic government which it was before being invaded by Muslims in the past. Now they face a next-door ISIS jihadist neighbor probably worst than Iran.
The lyrics of the James Bond 1964 movie are very appropriate for todays elites who visit these petrol-rich Islamic states and get the kiss.
Goldfinger
He’s the man
The man with the Midas touch
A spider’s touch
Such a cold finger
Beckons you to enter his web of sin
But don’t go in
Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can’t disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he’s kissed her
It’s the kiss of death from Mr. Goldfinger
Pretty girl, beware of his heart of gold
This heart is cold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold
OLD GUY says
Question were the sanctions working to stop the murder of Christians and others when they were in place. Probably not, so maybe Trump is trying a new approach ? It may not work but neither was the old one.
Personal opinion, only the death of Islam will stop the killing of Christians, Jews and other non islamic people around the world. That means you have to cut the head of the snake off, its islamic leadership.
Jupiter 00 says
There are very few infidels who studied Islam yet they are in leadership positions making decisions without understanding the religion and what they all believe whether this sect or that sect. They never turn on each other when their common enemies are Jews and Christians. Someone needs to educate those in leadership positions in the West and the US.