The US Administration has escalated its three-year-long war for regime change in Syria by launching air attacks, not authorized by the Syrian government or the UN Security Council, on ISIL positions in Syria; by increasing funding and training of “moderate rebels” in Syria to the tune of $500 million; and by enlisting the support of other countries in a new “coalition of the willing” to do its dirty work. The Syria Solidarity Movement believes that these belligerent US actions amount to a further attempt at regime change in Syria through the back door. We believe that the USA will, in fact, go on to bomb Syrian government positions. In response, the SSM urges peace-loving people in every country to do everything possible to RESIST and STOP this drive toward increased aggression against the people of Syria and Iraq.
The irony is that the USA, along with others in the so-called “Friends of Syria” Group of countries (FSG), created the Frankensteinian monster known as ISIL. They organized a covert war to topple the legitimate government of Syria using jihadist mercenaries. Inside Syria, the jihadist mercenaries executed (sometimes by beheading) priests, journalists, and prisoners of war; terrorized and laid waste to whole cities; and shamelessly posted videos of themselves committing crimes against humanity. All this without a word of criticism from President Obama.
However, when ISIL, an offshoot of al Qaeda jihadists in Syria funded by the FSG, invaded Iraq, pursued Yezidis up a mountain, and beheaded two US journalists, Obama suddenly appeared concerned. In our opinion, his real concern was to use ISIL barbarism as a pretext for an eventual back-door assault on Syria’s government.
There are many problems with Obama’s air strikes against ISIL in Iraq and Syria and increased funding for “moderate rebels”. First, air strikes against Syria, without the consent of its government, are a violation of its sovereignty and of international law. So is arming mercenaries to overthrow its government.
Secondly, the notion there are indeed any “moderate Syrian rebels” has been repeatedly disproved. Even mainstream media outlets such as the New York Times discount the very idea of their existence.
Thirdly, after the disastrous 2003 Anglo-American invasion and occupation of Iraq, the world simply shouldn’t accept the return to Iraq of foreign governments guilty of major war crimes: partly using craven lies about weapons of mass destruction and partly under the guise of a “humanitarian” intervention, the previous “coalition of the willing” was responsible for at least a half million Iraqi deaths, the creation of millions of internal and external refugees, the effective division of the country into three parts, and the destruction of its economy and infrastructure.
Finally, unauthorized US air strikes, especially in Syria, may lead to military confrontation with Syria’s allies – Russia, China, and Iran – provoking a wider regional and/or world war.
If the US really wants to stop ISIL, it should cooperate with the Syrian government and people who’ve been the main victims of. and fighters against. ISIL. The USA could compel its client states, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, to stop funding terrorist mercenaries. It could pressure Turkey and Jordan to close their borders to the terrorists. Finally, it could disband the FSG, which has coordinated the covert war of aggression against Syria and imposed illegal economic sanctions against it.
After the disasters and mayhem caused by the US/NATO invasions against Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, American and world public is rightly skeptical of Obama’s motives in trying to defeat ISIL now. All three of the above-mentioned countries now lie in ruins as failed states, with millions of people having perished and millions more turned into refugees as a result of western “humanitarian” interventions.
It’s up to the people of Syria to modify or change their government, not for the US or Saudi Arabia or NATO. And, in the recent presidential election of 2014 which saw massive voter turnout, they recently voted overwhelmingly to re-elect President Al-Assad.
Left on their own, the people of Iraq and Syria can deal with the problem of ISIS and terrorism. Continued US interference and aggression will makes things worse not better.
Please mobilize your colleagues, friends and families to oppose US aggression against Syria. Let your elected representatives know how you feel. Write letters to the editor and posts on social media.
USA: HANDS OFF SYRIA! HANDS OFF IRAQ!