When I was a kid, I often recited a rhyme in Bangla, “Pipra pipra koyta bou, saatta aatta noyta bou” (Ant, ant, how many wives; seven, eight, nine, wives.) The rhyme came to mind when Syrian President Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa went to meet President Donald Trump at the White House. During their first meeting, Trump gave him a perfume and not only that, he also sprayed it on Sharaa. He said to Sharaa, “This is the best perfume, this one is for you, the other one is for your wife.” After a short pause, he asked Sharaa, “How many wives do you have?” Sharaa replied with a smile, “One.” The entire conference room erupted in laughter.
President Trump probably assumed that since Sharaa was a Muslim and the leader of an Islamic group, it was natural for him to have multiple wives. Whatever he was, it was fun. But the surprising thing is that this Sharaa was once an al-Qaeda commander and Washington had put a price of $10 million on his head! That same Sharaa stood by Trump last Monday (November 10). And this is the first time a Syrian president has visited the White House since gaining independence in 1946. This proves once again that there are no permanent enemies or friends in politics, the same is true in world politics.
The perfume moment was not just funny; it was symbolic. America has this strange habit of spraying perfume on old enemies before hugging them tight. One day it’s “you’re a dictator, we’ll bomb you,” and the next it’s “welcome to Washington, here’s some Dior.” The history of US-Syria relations could easily be mistaken for a badly written soap opera; full of betrayals, reconciliations, and random plot twists that make no sense but keep the audience hooked.
Let’s rewind a little. In the early 2000s, Syria was a pariah, accused of harboring terrorists and violating every human right imaginable. The US sanctions were heavy, the rhetoric was fiery, and every White House statement sounded like a breakup letter written in anger. Fast forward to now, and the same Washington is calling Sharaa ‘a partner for stability’. The transformation is so dramatic that even Hollywood would call it unrealistic.
What changed? Not Syria, that’s for sure. The only thing that seems to have changed is the direction of American interests. When it comes to geopolitics, Washington treats its alliances like seasonal fashion; if it fits the trend, wear it; if not, throw it in the closet and pretend it never existed.
Sharaa, once portrayed as a ‘monster of the Middle East’, now walks the White House lawn, smiling for cameras, while journalists shout questions about ‘regional peace’. Trump, of course, handled it in his usual style; half salesman, half showman. At one point, he reportedly told aides that “Sharaa’s handshake was firm, like a businessman.” It’s hard to tell whether that was meant as praise or a potential trade offer.
Analysts are calling this meeting a ‘turning point’ in US-Syria relations. Maybe it is. Or maybe it’s just another episode in the long-running series called ‘America’s Frenemies’. Remember when Saddam was a friend, then a villain, then a ghost story? Or when Gaddafi went from ‘rogue’ to ‘reformed’ to ‘removed’? The script rarely changes. The cast does.
Syria, of course, is playing the game just as smartly. Sharaa knows that shaking hands with Washington opens a lot more doors than shaking fists at it. He also knows that a little perfume diplomacy doesn’t hurt. The moment he accepted Trump’s gift with that knowing smile, he probably realized he’d won half the battle; not on the battlefield, but in the optics war.
For ordinary Syrians, though, the scene must have felt surreal. Their country, battered by years of conflict, poverty, and foreign meddling, now sees its leader embraced by the very power that once vowed to isolate him. For many, it’s hard to cheer for this new friendship. But in the world of realpolitik, moral consistency is a luxury few can afford.
The photo of Trump and Sharaa, grinning beside each other, will probably end up in history books one day. Students will read the caption and wonder how a man once hunted by the CIA ended up laughing with an American president about perfume. The answer, of course, lies in that timeless rule of international politics: yesterday’s terrorist can be today’s strategic partner, as long as the deal smells right.
So perhaps Trump was onto something with that perfume after all. In diplomacy, a good fragrance covers a lot, including the scent of hypocrisy.
The writer is a Senior Assistant Editor, Daily Times of Bangladesh
