Aleppo has fallen, and our discussion this week showed that some Canadians think we should do more to help Syrians, while others think we've done enough.

Several of our callers took the discussion a step further by asking this question: Why are Western countries like the U.S. and Canada against the Bashar al-Assad regime in the first place?

Mohamed Ellahi from Montreal was one of those callers. He told host Duncan McCue the West should be supporting governments like Assad's because it is openly secular.

Listen to his discussion with Checkup host Duncan McCue:

Duncan McCue: Mohamed Ellahi is calling from Montreal. Welcome to Cross Country Checkup. Why is it so difficult to find a way forward in Syria?

Mohamed Ellahi: I'm not an expert in these things. I have been following this conflict. And for me, my problem with the whole thing is a massive disconnect — specifically in the media — in that the people doing the heavy lifting on the side of the so-called rebels are actually Al-Qaeda or ISIS. They're always changing their names or changing affiliations. At the end of the day, it's the adherence of an extreme [form of] Wahhabism, Sunni religion or a way of thinking.

I'm a moderate Sunni. But, these are the same people who did 9/11. They're the same people [who are responsible for] how many Canadians have died in Afghanistan. They're the same people who the U.S. is trying to liberate Mosul from. They're the same people who have occupied Rakka. But now somehow, because they're in Syria fighting a regime that perhaps the U.S. isn't crazy about, they are rebels and they are heroes. I don't understand that.

What I also find incredible is that we keep talking about civilian casualties. Nobody talks about the fact that the people who live in the Assad regime-controlled areas, they're free to wander around wherever they want. They can leave the country. They can do whatever they want. That's not the same for the ones who are with the terrorists as the 20,000 people who are now leaving east Aleppo are saying.

So, what I find stunning is the kind of hypocrisy that the West is having in terms of supporting Al-Qaeda in Syria and yet, fighting them elsewhere.

The allies of these so-called rebels - meaning Saudi Arabia or Qatar- they're not exactly great democracies either. In fact, I would say that the Assad regime - which is not a democracy - at least is a secular one that recognizes women's rights, has women in their parliament and recognizes the rights of Christians and other minorities. [It] is orders of magnitude better than the regime in Saudi Arabia.

DM: You're concerned about the disconnect Mohamed. What do you think should be done then?

ME: Frankly, I think the U.S. and the Western governments should be supporting governments that are openly secular. They should ally themselves with whoever is fighting the terrorists everywhere and to stamp out this scourge. As I mentioned, I am a moderate Sunni. I believe in the rights of all people. I believe in the freedom to worship, as we will. These are not the beliefs of these people. They are very one track-minded.