A US official explained that the Joe Biden administration was hoping Syria could hold elections “as soon as possible” following the ouster of long-time president Bashar al-Assad. The de facto ruler in Damascus, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, said elections could take place in four years.
In an interview published on Sunday, Julani said elections could happen in four years and a new constitution installed in three. “The process of writing the constitution may take about three years, and we look forward to a constitution that lasts for the longest possible period, and this is a difficult and lengthy task,” Julani, the former leader of al-Qaeda in Syria, told Al-Arabiya. “Organizing elections may take four years; any valid elections will require a comprehensive population census.”
A US official responding to those remarks told The National on Monday that Syria’s elections “should be free and fair, and carried out in a transparent and inclusive manner. We hope these conditions will be in place as soon as feasibly possible.” They added, “Ultimately, we would like to see a Syria that is inclusive and protects the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Syrians, including women and minority groups.”
Julani swept to power in Syria at the beginning of December after more than a decade of violent American intervention in the country. Washington backed Al Qaeda-linked terrorist organizations against Assad while imposing crippling sanctions which devastated the Syrian economy.
The result of the policy is that Julani, a veteran of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and leader of a militia designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department, is now the ruler of Syria.
The Biden administration claims Julani has broken from his al-Qaeda roots and is committed to establishing an inclusive government in Damascus that protects minority sects.
However, Julani has already staffed his government with the al-Qaeda-linked fighters that helped him to overthrow Assad, including foreign jihadists.
The White House may be starting to recognize that the jihadists it helped in Damascus have no interest in supporting liberal values. On Tuesday, a State Department official was dispatched to Syria to discuss attacks on minority groups.
