President Trump has set the stage for what could mean freedom and protection for millions of religious minorities who face daily violence at the hands of government-backed fighters. That is, if he chooses to hold Syria’s new transitional government accountable for the protection and inclusion of the country’s historic ethno-religious communities, including Christians, Alawites, Kurds and Druze.
Mr. Trump is set to welcome Syria’s new leader, President Ahmad al-Sharaa, to the White House today, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s fragile transition. The meeting could open the door to genuine inclusion and protection for all Syrians — if the administration continues to pressure Mr. al-Sharaa to fulfill his commitments to democracy and pluralism.
Syria stands at a critical crossroads. The people have risen up and demanded better leadership, leading to the ouster of President Bashar Assad, whose regime ruled with an iron fist and allegedly was responsible for many war crimes. The United States and much of the international community have welcomed Syria’s transitional government and its new leader, who was received the United Nations General Assembly this year as a symbol of cautious optimism.
For years, the U.S. enforced the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. These sanctions were designed to cripple the Assad regime’s war economy and pressure Damascus toward reform. Those sanctions, combined with the determination of the Syrian people, eventually forced the regime’s collapse, giving Syrians fresh hope for a representative government that reflects the nation’s rich tapestry of ethnic and religious identities, from the historically Christian and Kurdish areas in the north and the Alawite communities of Homs to the Druze strongholds around Sweida and the pluralistic neighborhoods of Damascus where freedom of worship once thrived.
Yet with this new opportunity comes a familiar challenge. Syria is not yet realizing the fruits of its valiant uprising.
Continue reading at The Washington Times here.
Morhaf Ibrahim is president of the Alawites Association of the United States. Richard Ghazal is executive director of In Defense of Christians, a Washington-based advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Christianity in the Middle East.
Comment by Glenn Wheeler on November 10, 2025 at 3:50 pm
Funny how we’re so selective about the nations whose leaders should be held accountable. Don’t think the world doesn’t notice.
Comment by Corvus Corax on November 10, 2025 at 6:38 pm
“Mr. al-Sharaa’s past is well known,” the author curtly intones. Indeed.
So the American government worked to overthrew Assad—who for all his flaws protected Syrian minorities from Sunni fundamentalism—in favor of an Al Qaeda warlord who fought against the US in Iraq. Now we are in the position of begging him not to do what he dedicated his life’s work to doing, ie ruthlessly imposing extremist Islam.
This is how our government behaves at every turn. Is anyone surprised that Americans increasingly doubt the fundamental honesty and integrity of its institutions?
Comment by Wilson R. on November 11, 2025 at 12:58 pm
True that the Assads, who were part of the Alawite minority, protected their own and other religious minorities. Also true that the Assads slaughter of so many Syrians meant the world could no longer stand by and tolerate it just for the sake of the minorities.
But the US today has a better lever than pressure and threats. The new regime badly craves international acceptance as a legitimate government. Even more, it needs international assistance to rebuild what Assad and the Russians destroyed. The US can help provide that and get others to join, conditioned upon protection of minorities. Carrots here work better than sticks.
Comment by Td on November 16, 2025 at 4:48 pm
“Trump must…”
That must be the most tired line in media for the past 12 years. There is no such thing as “trump must”; he has shown again and again that he can achieve goals without following what the pundit class says.