i cant really figure out if ahmed al-sharaa is a dyed-in-the-wool jihadist, subtly progressive, or just willing to do or say anything for power. having followed his rise in realtime over the last decade, i feel a sort of weird attachment to him and his quiet intellectualism, even knowing the extremely reprehensible things committed under his command (torture, murder, suppression). i still think he will be a better ruler than assad. it's been funny to watch the united states go from grouping him in with bin laden and al-baghdadi to having friendly luncheons in doha.