Zelin appears to be a 'think-tanker' par excellence. All of the institutions he's associated with are ostensibly opposed to jihadis but in reality are probably more geared to identifying how western regimes can best exploit these incredibly violent individuals to achieve policy objectives.

Nothing changes - the Afghanistani mujadeen were supported by the US decades ago because they were fighting a Soviet-backed government - probably the only progressive government that benighted land has ever known. US officials didn't give two hoots about the kind of society these violent groups would create once they took power. No Syrian should fall for the idea that western officials care about their lives, the societies they live in and their futures.