Was Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa Groomed by the West? Ex-MI6 Chief Responds

In this One Decision In Brief episode, Christina Ruffini and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove examine the rise of Ahmed al Sharaa, formerly Abu Mohammed al-Julani, an ex-al Qaeda fighter once held in Abu Ghraib, and how he emerged as Syria’s leader in December 2024. Sir Richard Dearlove argues al-Sharaa’s ascent didn’t come from nowhere, pointing to longstanding Turkish backing and what he describes as possible Western intelligence contacts.

"I've got a feeling that there was a sort of process of conversion and grooming in which the US must have been involved, in which the UK was certainly involved."

Christina Ruffini notes the shock in Washington after the overthrow of the Assad regime. Less than a year later, the current Syrian President visited the White House to meet President Donald Trump, in what many see as a historic reset in U.S.-Syria relations.

The meeting helped prompt the partial suspension of U.S. sanctions and signalled a broader realignment in Syria’s international standing. Watch the full episode for the complete breakdown - the behind-the-scenes intelligence links surrounding al-Sharaa’s rise, Israel’s aid, the U.K.’s involvement, what the U.S. actually knew as events unfolded - and whether Syria’s new president can survive the political, ethnic and religious tightrope ahead.