Yaroslav Trofimov
Appearances
Apple News Today
Why Harvard is leading the higher-ed fight against Trump
If you looked at the initial slew of tariffs that were imposed by President Trump, they made no distinction between longtime friends and allies that have fought side by side with the U.S. in all the recent wars, like nations in the European Union and South Korea, and outright enemies or rivals, like, for example, Iran, which received a lower tariff, let alone China.
Apple News Today
Why Harvard is leading the higher-ed fight against Trump
And so in the beginning, this seemed to be like a trade war against the entire world.
Apple News Today
Why Harvard is leading the higher-ed fight against Trump
Some politicians are asking themselves, well, if the U.S. is no longer our ally, if we're going to trust the U.S., if the U.S. maybe seeks to divide Europe together with Russia, well, China is our only salvation, no matter how much we realize the nature of the Chinese regime not being a fellow democracy.
Apple News Today
Why Harvard is leading the higher-ed fight against Trump
It's not just the American intentions that aren't clear, but also the entire decision-making process is so haphazard with decisions made and reversed and changed in a very unpredictable fashion. That makes it very hard for nations to place their trust in the United States being a part and an ally in the long run.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
What about for average Syrians? What does this change in power mean for the people in Syria who've seen years of war and oppression?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
That's all for today, Monday, December 9th. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Additional reporting in this episode from Isabel Coles, Stephen Kalin, Jared Molson, and Summer Saeed. Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Jessica Mendoza. It's Monday, December 9th. Coming up on the show, a historic moment for Syria and a realignment of power in the Middle East. The largest of the rebel groups that stormed the Syrian capital over the weekend is called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, also known as HTS. The group's leader is Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Yesterday, in Syria, after nearly 13 years of civil war, rebel forces took control of the capital, Damascus. For decades, the country had been under the dictatorship of the Assad family. Here's our chief foreign affairs correspondent, Yaroslav Trofimov.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
When did you first encounter the name Abu Muhammad al-Jolani?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Jolani later returned to his homeland, Syria, with the blessing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Jolani's mission was to establish ISIS there.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Got it. So just to make sure we have the timeline clear, he started out with Islamic State. He broke with them and then joined al-Qaeda. And then he broke with al-Qaeda as well. Correct. And the reason for that is because he just became increasingly moderate in his politics? Yes.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
During the civil war that started in 2011, Jolani's group fought against ISIS and al-Qaeda. But it's unclear if Jolani's turn to moderation is genuine, or if he's trying to appease other Syrians in the West as he pursues power. Jolani remains on a U.S. terrorist list, along with his organization, HTS. The militant leader has said his focus was Syria and fighting the Assad regime.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Since 2016, the civil war had been at a standstill, with Assad's government holding onto power, mainly through the support of two key allies, Russia and Iran. Syria holds strategic value. It's a land bridge that links Iran to Hezbollah, the militant group in Lebanon. And Russia has important military bases in Syria, which gives it access to the region.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
But recently, both Russia and Iran have been embroiled in other conflicts.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
So basically, Assad's biggest international backers, Iran and Russia, are distracted. They have wars that they have to deal with elsewhere.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
So how did Jolani and the rebels take advantage of that?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
In a matter of days, the rebels took Aleppo. Then they turned south, taking more territory, the city of Hama, then Homs. And finally, they marched on the capital, Damascus.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Wow. Why didn't Assad have the military might to hold off the rebels on his own? I mean, he'd been in power for so long.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Even as it became clear that his forces were getting hollowed out, Assad stood firm. He announced he would give an address to the nation on Saturday. But it never happened.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Footage showed Syrians celebrating in the streets, prisoners walking out of confinement, and residents standing on a toppled statue of Assad's father. At the same time, it remains unknown how the fall of Assad could reverberate across the Middle East and the world. What are the big questions you have today about the future of Syria?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
And now, Assad's fall has created a new power dynamic in the Middle East, with winners and losers. That's next.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Over the weekend, a group of rebels appeared on Syrian state television.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Can the alliance between the rebel groups hold now that Assad is gone?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
So I want to talk more about those outside powers. I kind of want to do a winners and losers in geopolitics with you, like a lightning round. So Russia, winner or loser in this and why?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
What about Turkey? Turkey is a supporter of Jalani and the HTS. Is Turkey a winner or a loser?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
And then there's Israel. So in the last 24 hours, Israel pushed into the Golan Heights, which is the demilitarized zone on their border with Syria. What's at stake for Israel?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
The U.S. says it will continue to support the Syrian people. The military keeps a force of around 900 troops in southeast Syria to defend against ISIS fighters. And on Sunday, President Biden launched airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria. He said they were intended to ensure that ISIS does not take advantage of the power vacuum.
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
Over the weekend, President-elect Trump posted on social media, quote, this is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved. And so in broad terms, how does the fall of Assad change the map of power globally?
The Journal.
Assad's Regime Falls. What's Next For Syria?
So what are the best and the worst case scenarios for Syria going forward?