Syria has been in war for over a decade. The U.S. continues to punish the Syrian people for their leaders’ sins. Washington officials are in a rage as Syria’s neighbours reconcile with the government of President Bashar al Assad. They want Arab countries to continue America’s cruel but ineffective sanctions.
Syria is a tragedy of epic proportions, and the biggest disappointment in the Arab Spring that was ultimately so disastrous. Syria was devastated by civil war, jihadist attacks, and Turkish aggression. The Assad regime violently suppressed peaceful demonstrations. A radical jihadist-dominated armed insurgency arose. The Islamic State wanted to establish an Islamist Caliphate. The U.S. and Europe intervened in different ways, as did Gulf states, Iran, Russia, and the Gulf states.
Washington did not have any serious security concerns, but instead advanced a complex and exotic agenda. The successive administrations tried to oust Assad while also defeating the Islamic State and expelling Iranian and Russian forces. The U.S. supported radical insurgents, including Al Qaeda’s local affiliate and acquiesced Gulf aid to jihadist forces. It also supported Syrian Kurds, while Ankara sided with the Islamic State, attacking Washington’s Kurdish allies. This policy muddle extended the multi-faceted civil war. The civil war in Syria was a catastrophe.
The U.S. achieved one notable victory: it supported local militias to defeat ISIS. has lost its last territorial stronghold by 2019. The U.S.’s policies have been a failure. Assad regained most of the control in the country. Turkey took control of a small area controlled by by Islamist Extremist. Ankara has also invaded Kurdish land and threatened American troops. Another round is now possible. The U.S. continues to illegally occupy one third of Syria. This includes the main oil fields. They are constantly challenged by Russian-backed and Iranian-backed forces. drones recently attacked a U.S. military base, killing a contractor . Washington’s retaliatory strike triggered another attack.
Jeffrey and other officials blatantly lied to Trump about the U.S. troop presence in Syria. Jeffrey and other officials lied to the president to thwart Trump’s plans to withdraw from Syria. They also played on Trump’s desire to loot Syrian Oil. was imposed by Congress in the form of Caesar sanctions, which came into effect in 2020. Jeffrey and Joel Rayburn, another Trump envoy praised the measure for further impoverishing Syria’s already poor population.
This was a strategy that was inhumane as well as maladroit. Jeffrey treated the Syrians as a tool to achieve his goal, which was to turn Syria into a “quagmire”. Rayburn felt the same satisfaction in punishing the Syrians, seeing their continued hardships after more than 10 years of civil war as an important victory.
According to the World Food Programme, “after 12 years of war, an economy crippled with runaway inflation and a currency which has fallen to a new record low, 12,000,000 people don’t know where they will get their next meal.” Another 2.9 millions people are in danger of going hungry, which means that 70 percent of the population could soon find themselves unable to feed their families.
This policy’s stated objective is to promote reform. How does the impoverishment of the Syrian population promote democracy? Sanctions advocates care little for the human costs. Washington’s Syria policy mimics that of the late Madeleine Albright. The death of half a million Iraqi kids due to economic sanctions is dismissed: “We believe the price is worthwhile.”
Maybe recognizing the P.R. Jeffrey recently played the Ukraine card. He complained again, ignoring the plight and suffering of the Syrians: “In the second year of Russian aggression in Ukraine – aided and abetted by Iran – to not care about a Russian and Iranian strategic victory in the Middle East – that’s what I can’t f***ing understand, man.” In fact, Russia and Iran were the winners when Assad survived. The Syrian people cannot be targeted to reverse this result.
But President Joe Biden insists he is “absolutely committed” to the occupation of Syria. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced: “We are not going to be in the business of normalizing relations with Assad and with that regime.” Alas, the president and his aides haven’t explained how they plan to remove Assad.
In contrast, America’s Mideast partners and allies are now moving forward. Syria’s collapse has increased Iranian influence, facilitated drug trafficking and sent refugees to other countries. Saudi Arabia, United Emirates, Jordan and Egypt have all reestablished diplomatic relations with Damascus in response. Led Riyadh by the Arab League, Syria was recently re-instated. Assad was warmly welcomed by the Arab League, despite some of its members’ discomfort, including Qatar.
Russia is also encouraging negotiations between Ankara and Damascus . This could lead to a Turkish retreat and Syria regaining its control over its borders. The Syrian Kurds have been talking more about a mode vivendi with the Assad government in order to reunite Syria, maintain a degree Kurdish autonomy and reduce Damascus’s reliance on Tehran. The Turkish presidential election slowed down the diplomatic process. However, newly elected President Recep T. Erdogan is expected move forward.
Assad is not a person anyone wants to reward, but the majority of his neighbors – including all U.S. Allies are equally brutal dictatorships who care little for human rights. Sanctions aren’t working unless they aim to impoverish Syrians. Syria’s neighbours are tired of America’s constant failure after more than a century.
The architects of today’s failed policies are in a frenzy as a result. The Biden administration was contacted by forty members of the capital, including Jeffrey Rayburn and Rayburn. They demanded that be taken to stop the normalization. Josh Rogin, Washington Post, also weighed-in. “This is a renunciation of the 12 years that U.S. has committed to holding Assad accountable for mass atrocities.” The failure to enforce U.S. laws requiring sanctions against those who assist the Syrian dictator is another.
Why do these people think that preventing Syrians’ economic recovery will force Assad out? Rogin wrote, supposedly a serious reporter: “Exerting Pressure on those Funding Assad may be the only way to stop them from helping Assad build until he frees the thousands of Syrians who are tortured in his dungeons, and stops the massacre of those Syrians outside his forces control.”
Seriously? Assad has survived a civil conflict that killed thousands of people . Since years, Assad has been subject to harsh sanctions. His country is in ruins. He is still in power. Rogin, does he expect Assad to feel shame for his people and give up power to fly to The Hague to be tried? The Caesar sanctions, despite their sanctimonious rhetoric, are a costly placebo designed to make U.S. officials and activists feel that they are doing something.
Rogin claimed that the “Caesar Act” had never been used properly. But this is the excuse given by every supporter of any sanctions. If we had been serious about sanctions against Syria, Cuba, Venezuela and other countries, including North Korea, Iran, North Korea and Russia, they would have already bowed down, signed surrender agreements and become loyal American Protectorates who obey Washington’s orders. Human rights would be a dominant force in the world, and democracy would thrive. They would sing Kumbaya with American politicians. We are still waiting on the promised victories. Sanctions, which have not been strong enough to make other governments do what we desire are unlikely to be effective in forcing Syria to comply with our demands.
Assad’s rehabilitation is a source of frustration for many Syrians, particularly those who fled their country during war. Washington’s humanitarian concerns are a political show. Uncle Sam is always willing to kill in order to pursue its own interests.
Subscribe Now
Receive weekly emails to your inbox
Officials from the United States worked in Syria with Al Qaeda’s local affiliate, whose 9/11 terrorist attacks sparked both the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions. The United States continues to support Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their war against Yemen that resulted in thousands of deaths. The invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States left hundreds of thousands of dead. U.S. campaigns in other countries have killed tens or thousands.
The U.S. government has repeatedly shown that it does not know how to bring peace, stability or democracy to other countries, including Syria. It would be wise for American policymakers begin to reduce military intervention in Syria. Washington should restore diplomatic relations with Damascus. The U.S. has already established communication with many other hostile regimes such as Saudi Arabia. If sanctions are not being used to target oppressive institutions, they should be removed.
Economic sanctions hurt the most those who have the least. Washington should let the Syrians, and their neighbors, begin to work towards a better future.
