The ride is far from over

y that they may seek to foment unrest among non-Sunni supporters of the former regime against the new rulers.

But any notion that the revival of the fortunes of Sunni Islamism represents a net gain for the West and its allies should be dismissed.

The advance of Turkey and its clients raises an alternative banner for political Islam in the region, one with in many ways greater capacity and sophistication than Iran.

It introduces a third focus of power, in addition to the Iran-led bloc, and the loose alliance of US-aligned states centred on Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

2025 will see competition between these three blocs, with the stance of the US, and the extent of its involvement, perhaps the key element that will determine the course of events. Buckle up – the ride is far from over.

As regards the new Syrian rulers – the new acceptable face of Jihad with the turbans and blood-chilling rhetoric abandoned from the old Al-Qaeda/IS days – they're making all the right noises to reassure the international community, but of course it's inevitable that suspicions remain. The 2015 video of the new Syrian Justice Minister Shadi Al-Waisi overseeing the execution of a woman for adultery is absolutely chilling (this MEMRI clip thankfully stops before the actual gunshot to the back of the head), however much he may claim that this stuff is now all behind him.

And what of the Syrian Kurds? Erdogan wants them destroyed, but they've always been allies to Israel and the West. Could they be the spark that sets off a war between Turkey and Israel?