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Tags: david petraeus | syria | caution | ahmad al-sharaa

Former CIA Chief Urges Caution With New Syrian Leader

President Donald Trump greets Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House on Nov. 10. (AP)

By    |   Friday, 21 November 2025 06:13 AM EST

Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus argued Tuesday at the National Conference on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C., that the United States must adopt a "trust but verify" posture toward Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Shara'a.

Petraeus faced widespread criticism in September for offering effusive praise to the self-proclaimed Syrian leader during a conversation at the Concordia Summit in New York. As a moderator, Petraeus declined to press al-Shara'a on his past association with al-Qaida.

John Rossomando

John Rossomando is an experienced national security and counterterrorism analyst and researcher who writes for Newsmax and has been featured in numerous publications and has been consulted by numerous U.S. government agencies.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus argued Tuesday at the National Conference on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C., that the United States must adopt a "trust but verify" posture toward Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Shara'a. Petraeus faced widespread criticism...
david petraeus, syria, caution, ahmad al-sharaa
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2025-13-21
Friday, 21 November 2025 06:13 AM
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