current thoughts?

didn't the Taliban briefly make similar noises when they too Afghanistan?
HTS seem to be the Omicron to Al Quada's Delta and IS's Alpha.
Maybe not full Taliban, but I don't see them being good for women and non Sunni - also the possibility of reprisal killings of Alawite seems a real danger

I think this was the deal that Turkey struck when helping coordinate this overthrow. Another tragic outcome IMO

The IDF have also admitted that they armed the armed gunmen they want to protect themselves from

Do you know much about the configuration of the rebels and what sort of post Assad government is likely to form? Secular or fundamentalist sectarian?
How are the interference from Turkey and Israel's ongoing expansionism going to affect things?
More instability and Balkanisation?

A new subset of conspiracy theories will abound.

maybe be less reliant on selling addictive and harmful drugs for your profit margin?

Direct action works

- and the SA zone starting as an Ocalan/Kurdish project- is it really realistic to expect such a decoupling? Or is this just Atlantic Council wishful thinking to maintain a partnership with the SA zone without annoying a key, if somewhat odious, NATO partner in Turkey?