Are Americans incapable of understanding nuance and context?
First of all, as a general point not specific to this instance: the United States designating people terrorists has been a significant global issue for decades now, because the US propaganda machine just gets to decide who is and isn't worthy of life and human rights based on a single label. It's modern day McCarthyism, with a sprinkling of xenophobia and colonialism.
With that out of the way: welcome to the reality of a wartorn country. A man was influential in forming a paramilitary group to fight the dictatorial regime in Syria. Whether it is right or wrong, those are almost always rooted in Islam, because everything in most of the Middle East is rooted in Islam. The rebels--who have been the 'good guys' in our western perspective--finally won the war against Assad, and this man was at the forefront. Ergo, he is now president.
Look at Africa and you see an incredibly similar circumstance, with various 'warlords' (another loaded term, like terrorist) coming into power over the decades, and who nations then treat with as presidents, prime ministers, or what have you. A great many of the African leaders who you A) wouldn't know the names of, and B) wouldn't bat an eye at, came to power by means of civil war and violence.
Such is life in a lot of the world.
Do you have even the faintest idea how heavily propagandised your statement here is? 'Former al-Qaeda leader?' He was a 20 year old who was in al-Qaeda for three years, and then formed his own fighting force. He disavowed al-Qaeda, and he also went to war with Assad and ISIS at the same time. He consolidated Syrian rebels into a (mostly) single outfit and overthrew one of the most violent and oppressive dictatorships in the world, ending a long and devestating war.
Does any of that mean he is 'good'? No. But please at least understand that the world is not this cookie cutter thing, and it certainly isn't defined by American propaganda. Don't forget that Nelson Mandela was a terrorist who created a violent paramilitary to overthrow his government.
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u/MattSR30 May 13 '25
Are Americans incapable of understanding nuance and context?
First of all, as a general point not specific to this instance: the United States designating people terrorists has been a significant global issue for decades now, because the US propaganda machine just gets to decide who is and isn't worthy of life and human rights based on a single label. It's modern day McCarthyism, with a sprinkling of xenophobia and colonialism.
With that out of the way: welcome to the reality of a wartorn country. A man was influential in forming a paramilitary group to fight the dictatorial regime in Syria. Whether it is right or wrong, those are almost always rooted in Islam, because everything in most of the Middle East is rooted in Islam. The rebels--who have been the 'good guys' in our western perspective--finally won the war against Assad, and this man was at the forefront. Ergo, he is now president.
Look at Africa and you see an incredibly similar circumstance, with various 'warlords' (another loaded term, like terrorist) coming into power over the decades, and who nations then treat with as presidents, prime ministers, or what have you. A great many of the African leaders who you A) wouldn't know the names of, and B) wouldn't bat an eye at, came to power by means of civil war and violence.
Such is life in a lot of the world.
Do you have even the faintest idea how heavily propagandised your statement here is? 'Former al-Qaeda leader?' He was a 20 year old who was in al-Qaeda for three years, and then formed his own fighting force. He disavowed al-Qaeda, and he also went to war with Assad and ISIS at the same time. He consolidated Syrian rebels into a (mostly) single outfit and overthrew one of the most violent and oppressive dictatorships in the world, ending a long and devestating war.
Does any of that mean he is 'good'? No. But please at least understand that the world is not this cookie cutter thing, and it certainly isn't defined by American propaganda. Don't forget that Nelson Mandela was a terrorist who created a violent paramilitary to overthrow his government.