Syria, the scene of inter-imperialist contradictions
An event of political importance, both in the Middle East region and in the world, is the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, who had been at the head of the government since the death of his father in 2000.
The dictatorship of the Assad family was a despotic, authoritarian regime that violated human rights. To sustain itself in government, it made a significant social investment, while mobilizing the army and intelligence agencies to repress the people. Prisons, such as Saydnaya, were full of political prisoners, many of whom were tortured. It subjugated the Kurdish people and other ethnic minorities with blood and fire. All these reasons explain why there was jubilation in several Syrian towns and cities when al-Assad fled the country.
For more than a decade, Syria has been the scene of military operations by jihadist Islamic groups, U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, and other political-military groups, which rose up against the regime in a 13-year civil war. In the most difficult moments of the internal conflict, Russia's military intervention was evident, carrying out bombings against forces of the Islamic State and supporting Bashar's regime; Turkey and groups such as the "Syrian National Army" sought to overthrow him, but at the same time fought the Kurdish forces. The United States and its allies supporting the "Syrian Democratic Forces" that were fighting the government, but, at the same time, confronting the Islamic State and supporting the Kurdish forces; Iran sent troops and military advisers to back the Syrian government and support militias such as Hezbollah and Hamas. In short, Syria became the scene of an internal armed conflict in which, at the same time, the interests of the main imperialist forces and other powers in the area were at stake.
The fall of Bashar's regime is a setback for Russian imperialism and the Iranian theocracy. With these events, the Turks and the government of Israel acquired an important advantage since the former gain an ally to confront the Kurds and the latter take advantage of the scenario to increase their territory, creating a buffer in the event of a military attack and isolating Gaza and the West Bank from military support in the region. The U.S. is taking advantage of this situation to reposition its forces in the region, since its two main rivals have been hit, to the point that one of them, Russia, could lose its only naval base in warm waters, since its military bases in Latakia and Khmeimim could be vacated if an agreement is not reached with the forces that are currently in the Syrian government.
The events in Syria have led to the fall of an authoritarian,
anti-democratic regime, but whoever replaces it is not far from
having the same violent practices to impose its force. Abu
Mohammed Al Jolan, who was a member of Al Qaida in 2003 and
today leader of the fundamentalist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham
(HTS, Organization for the Liberation of the Levant), is
Bashar's replacement. Nothing good will be brought by this
government to the workers and peoples of Syria, who will
continue to struggle against the yoke and oppression of
reactionary forces in power.
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