The main correspondents in Syria for the BBC, NPR, and PBS speak as if they are PR staff of the "rebels." At the end of the week NPR was repeating Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Syrian "government" briefings and hearsay about 'Assad loyalists' carrying out attacks, including false flag attacks. NPR pointed out the tie between the Alawite religious minority and the former government. They had about two reports, during the holiday season, when people here might not be listening so much, on fears of religious minorities and NPR might have mentioned that "rebels" used Sunni chauvinist language. Its like NPR is preparing to justify violence against the Alawites as group. I'm not sure if NPR has even mentioned the "rebel" offensive against the US-backed Kurdish force, or proxy, though the BBC has. For a while I've wondered if it is a situation where NPR had a Taiwan independence activist reporting from China and then Taiwan (now she is suddenly reporting from Tel Aviv), a western Ukrainian nationalist reporting from western Ukraine, etc. For the 'peaceful' Christmas holiday Bryan Mann (spelling?) talked about going to a hidden command center and watching a drone blow up a single Russian soldier advancing, on the ground, in the snow at night (?). US personnel got PTSD assassinating people overseas by drone during the "War on Terror." Other times drones have killed people trapped in buildings and pipes. NPR makes sure to have staunchly anti-Venezuelan/anti-Socialist correspondents like John Otis reporting on that country (they brought him out during the holiday too, to talk about and in some cases condemn the many elections held worldwide in 2024), maybe even more than the BBC, which isn't a friend of the Maduro administration. The BBC correspondent in Syria left or fled during the civil war, and now seems to be their main reporter there [Lina Sinjab?]. A PBS correspondent also seems to have great personal animus about Syria. The BBC is going on about 'the pro-Russian party' in the Republic of Georgia again tonight – who is Rayhan Dmitri (spelling?)?
More typical was the report December 26th or 27th on NPR about how people couldn't go to the great Damascus market for years – because they were "rebels," their supporters, or trapped in a "rebel"-held area. One of the people visiting that day was a senior "rebel" leader, maybe from one of the groups brought in by Turkey. Shopkeepers were so optimistic with the Islamists in charge, as was a teacher the BBC interviewed weeks ago; the roads are now going to be paved with gold and everything will be rosy. The students and other people will suddenly, literally, be able to follow their dreams now that Assad is gone. Yet one NPR correspondent admitted to wanting to study Arabic in Syria, because it had a top university program, but her father refused. In another report NPR staff interviewed a newly-appointed governor, close to the national Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham leadership, on how well disposed the "government" is towards Israel, as it bombs their country and advances further in from the old ceasefire line. At least one protesting Syrian farmer has been shot, though I think he lived. Israel does whatever, but it is fine, and Trump isn't even in office yet. People claimed that Biden can be persuaded and isn't as bad as Trump. The "governor" did not shake hands with the women in the NPR delegation. NPR and the BBC are bending over to portray the "rebels" in a positive light, unlike how they harp about the similarly Islamist Taliban, never called "rebels" or the "opposition," though the BBC might be harder on Venezuela than they are on Afghanistan – Syria in 2024 might be an indication of how they would cover a seizure of power by the Venezuelan right, probably followed by more bloodshed.
On the other hand Simplicius (on SubStack) noted "rebel" support (posters) for Iraqi Ba'athist Saddam Hussein.
A few links:
[Google translation of a January 10th article: "SYRIA. Declaration of resistance to the terrorist government supported by US and EU imperialism" – diario-octubre.com/2025/01/10/siria-declaracion-de-la-resistencia-al-gobierno-terrorista-apoyado-por-el-imperialismo-de-ee-uu-y-la-u-e/ ]
november8ph.ca/2024/12/we-cannot-be-an-opponent-to-israel-new-damascus-governor-says/
november8ph.ca/2024/12/the-release-of-women-from-sednaya-prison-an-investigation-exposes-the-false-narrative/
The RCP, USA on Syria – "murderous tyrant Bashar al-Assad fled the country and his regime collapsed. As soon as this became clear, Israel launched a massive military onslaught into Syria." – revcom.us/en/syrias-assad-falls-israel-pounces-bombs-tanks-and-troops-us-talks-syrian-rights-then-backs-israels
[From Liberation Road – Solidarity with the Syrian People's Victory – liberationroad.substack.com/p/solidarity-with-the-syrian-peoples
Reposted by Solidarity's Against the Current – Celebrate the Syrian People’s Victory! A Ukraine Solidarity Network Statement – againstthecurrent.org/celebrate-the-syrian-peoples-victory/
ANovember 26th article by Gilbert Achcar, from Al-Quds al-Arabi: againstthecurrent.org/lebanons-ceasefire-is-no-divine-victory/ ]
[ davidrovics.substack.com/p/lao-tzu-the-syrian-revolution-and ]
[ByPete Dolack, skepticism that the US is behind the overthrow the Syrian government: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/12/the-uses-and-misuses-of-ideology-in-analyzing-the-syrian-overthrow/ ]
And an attempted rightist attack on the electrical grid in the USA in 2024: www.themirror.com/news/us-news/white-supremacist-ideology-tied-mans-792846?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11676086_
[By Sam Husseini, on settler Daniella Weiss, etc. – Gaza is Now ‘Hell on Earth’—Exactly as Intended: decensorednews.substack.com/cp/154053892
www.counterpunch.org/2024/11/01/israels-extremists-have-a-plan-for-the-day-after-the-genocide/
By Binoy Kampmark: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/far-from-ignorant-the-european-union-arms-exports-and-israel/
www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/31/greenland-redux-trump-and-americas-continuing-obsession/
www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/01/the-real-jimmy-carter/
www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/02/jimmy-carter-and-the-resurrection-of-u-s-empire/
By Jeffrey St. Clair: www.counterpunch.org/2024/11/30/if-lebanon-why-not-gaza/
www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/14/children-of-the-grave/
www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/07/the-gravest-international-crimes/
www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/21/we-just-do-what-the-israelis-want-us-to-do/
www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/28/whats-left-to-say/
By Pete Dolack: www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/29/its-the-end-of-the-world-and-i-dont-feel-fine/
On Wisam Rafeedie, Kan'an Subhi, and the PFLP: www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/08/what-to-take-underground/
On Cluj-Napoca, Romania, etc.: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/cluj-night-trains/
On John Lilburne of England: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/what-would-lilburne-do-intolerable-opinions-in-the-time-of-genocide/
On Bret Stephens: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/nyts-apologist-for-israel-is-no-longer-a-never-trumper/
www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/today-as-in-the-past-germany-claims-the-authority-to-define-who-is-a-jew/
On the great drone flap or scare of 2024: www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/mass-hysteria-strikes-again-the-great-drone-invasion-of-2024/ More to come.
[ tannerfboyle.substack.com/p/ufos-drones-glitter-and-radar-chaff ]
[ tannerfboyle.substack.com/p/manifestufo-ii ]
[ www.mtracey.net/p/drones-and-mass-hysteria-an-inquest ]
[Tales about the Soviet Volga luxury car: www.jahernandez.com/posts/legend-of-the-black-volga , en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Volga , and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-31_Volga ]
[?? -- tlavagabond.substack.com/p/a-century-of-ufo-psyops-exposed-part-0eb Part 3]
[Yemen shot down a 14th US MQ-9 Reaper drone before January 1st: diario-octubre.com/2025/01/01/huties-derriban-el-14-o-dron-mq-9-reaper-desde-el-inicio-de-las-operaciones-de-ee-uu-y-reino-unido/ ]
www.counterpunch.org/2025/01/03/how-yoon-planned-to-set-south-korea-on-the-path-to-military-dictatorship/
On the ROK: newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/saving-democacy
On anti-Palestinian actions by the rulers of Germany: newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/a-year-in-german-culture
On Syria: newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/the-balkan-scenario
Includes a few events: cpcml.ca/#1
Half a Million People March in Havana to Demand Lifting of U.S. Blockade and Sanctions: cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/TS5450.HTM ]
["New Year’s Message of CPC(M-L) – In 2025 Empower the People! Make Way for Renewal!" – cpcml.ca/cpcmlarticle2501011210/
On Syria: diario-octubre.com/2025/01/02/la-arrogancia-imperial-y-sus-consecuencias-en-siria/
diario-octubre.com/2025/01/02/biden-sin-sonrojo-yo-soy-sionista-2/ ]
[On Turkey: mpr21.info/turquia-se-mueve-en-los-laberintos-de-oriente-medio-como-pez-en-el-agua/ ]
[From Worse to Worser – My thoughts on the beachside holiday village built by the IDF in Northern Gaza for the relaxation and rejuvenation of its exhausted, heroic soldiers: dianeengelhardt.substack.com/p/from-worse-to-worser ]
[Crescent, Oklahoma Kerr-McGee nuclear fuel plant whistleblower and unionist Karen Silkwood, possibly murdered, has been in the news again, including on NPR's Here and Now around January 1st: husseini.substack.com/p/israel-and-silkwood-like-the-jfk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Silkwood (February 19, 1946 – November 13, 1974)
husseini.substack.com/p/israel-weaponizes-peace-again ]
Slightly edited:
Excerpt from “Toufan” No. 298 (The Monthly Central Organ of the Party of Labour of Iran-Toufan)
December 13, 2024
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The collapse of the Assad regime and the seizure of power by the counter-revolutionary Tahrir al-Sham
Early on Sunday morning, December 8, the fighters of Tahrir al-Sham and their allies entered the Syrian capital Damascus from various directions and took control of the entire city without any resistance. They took control of Damascus airport and the Syrian radio and television building without resistance and declared the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad.
What is happening in Syria today is not a revolution. It is not an internal cry of society for freedom, social justice and the preservation of Syria's independence and territorial integrity. It is a counter-revolution. A counter-revolution composed of the “National Council and the Free Syrian Army”, of Tahrir al-Sham, the betrayer Kurds with the support of the USA and various groups and organizations that are a product of imperialism and reactionary regional powers. These forces have been supported and fed materially and ideologically by the US, Israel, the reactionary Arab countries and the pan-Turkish occupation regime of Turkey. The political goals of this opposition are in line with the demands of the Zionist regime of Israel and those working for the establishment of a new order in the Middle East:
First, to continue its global dominance and to encircle Russia, China and control Europe through control of energy sources and raw materials, US imperialism needs to strengthen its rear front and tighten the encirclement of its competitors. This strategic policy has led to US imperialism, hiding behind human rights, trampling on the rights of nations and disrespecting international law. To achieve its goals, it builds an opposition, finances it, arms it and organizes propaganda campaigns and "human rights campaigns" for it. It turns this opposition into an instrument for imperialist policy, as we are now seeing in Syria. A similar opposition also exists in Iran: groups such as Masoud Rajavi's Mojahedin-e-Khalq, pro Monarchists, separatist national chauvinist Kurds, Baloch, Arabs and pro imperialist “left” who aim to overthrow the Islamic Republic with the help of the USA assistance.
The aim of this deliberate "opposition formation", created through financial, political and propaganda pressure by a few self-proclaimed masterminds, is to provoke sabotage and separatism in countries that are important from the point of view of American strategy. The "Free Syrian Army" or Tahrir al-Sham are nothing more than copies of the "Iranian Liberation Army", whose president, the Mojahedin, have already chosen in advance, along with their so-called "Liberation Army". We see that the imperialist policy, the economic blockade and the continuous bombing of the infrastructure of Syria have ultimately led to a catastrophe. US imperialism, Zionist Israel and Turkey have deliberately overthrown the Assad regime and brought to power a murderous group whose goal is the mass killing of the future Syrian opposition, the destruction of the infrastructure that was built by the people of the country. It is said that Al Golani wants to establish a national government in Syria - something that, even if true, would not please the US, Israel and Turkey, whose goal is to dismember the country.
It is also said that he is seeking strategic relations with Iran, to guarantees Iran's security. However, even if this were true, it would certainly face resistance from the US, Israel and Turkey.
Assad believed that if he surrendered without resistance, Syria's army and state apparatus would remain untouched. But this did not happen. On the contrary: in no time at all, contrary to all international laws, the country's military zones were brutally attacked by Zionists, and Assad's palace and banks were looted. "These are still the results of the “early spell - wait until the dawn of your rule. – (Iranian proverb)"
Second, the aggressive Western colonial powers have subjected the Syrian people to the most inhumane economic sanctions and terrorist attacks for more than 14 years. The overthrow and collapse of the regime of the Syrian Arab Republic led by Bashar al-Assad is the product of such criminal policies implemented in the interests of Zionist Israel, America and their allies, such as the Turkish government. The strategic goal of Western imperialism is fully connected with NATO developments in Ukraine and is aimed at preserving Israel's interests in the Middle East. By weakening the Iranian front line, a possible military aggression against our country would be easier to realize.
The Western states, especially the United States, have acted in accordance with these interests and not to realize the freedom and democracy that the Syrian people deserve. The New York Times reported on June 21 that American intelligence officers in southern Turkey are organizing Syrian deserters and paid agents, while Saudi Arabia is funding the monthly salaries of the "Free Syrian Army." Other credible documents prove that the aggressive and racist Israeli government has also supported the "Syrian opposition" and the "Free Syrian Army" in various ways, including medical, logistical and intelligence assistance.
Turkey has played a deceitful and opportunistic role in this context. One of its goals is to break up the Kurdish regions in Iraq and gain control over them. As an aggressive occupier, Turkey has penetrated 30 kilometers deep into northern Syria. While it appears to support Palestine, in reality it has been preparing the conditions for Israel's interest step by step and organizing the conditions for the overthrow of the Syrian government and the breakup of the country. In return, it received billions of dollars from the West to deal with its own internal political crisis and annex part of Syria to Turkey. Because one of its goals is to split the Kurdish areas in Iraq and control them.
Today, all imperialist media, with their vast resources, have focused on preparing the Libya and Syria scenario for the overthrow and destruction of Iran. Forces that ignore all these realities and repeat the Americans' and Israelis' fairy tales about the "revolution" in Syria are either a group of ignorant and uninformed people or imperialist mercenaries in Iran. The imperialists' goal is to install a puppet regime in Syria that is loyal to the Pentagon and hostile to Palestine, Lebanon and Iran, and in line with Israeli strategic policy.
As mentioned above, the strategic policy of US imperialism is aimed at securing its unchallenged hegemony in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region and gaining complete control over the oil and gas resources and other natural resources that China needs. Such a policy of containing China and delaying the formation of the multipolar world is more important to the US financial monopolies than their daily bread. The “Syrian National Council” and its “Free Army” as well as Tahrir al-Sham are tools in the hands of the US and its lackeys to achieve this dark and diabolical goal in the region.
Third, the important question is: Why have the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad and his supporters not resisted, unlike in the past?
The scattered reports that have been published indicate that after the announcement of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, an attack on Syria was put on the agenda and Israel had openly threatened to assassinate Bashar al-Assad. The terrorist and intimidating actions of the Israeli army in Syria, such as the assassination of General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the commander of the Lebanon IRGC, the attack on the consular area of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1, 2024 and the subsequent Iranian operation “Waddeh Sadeq 1- truthful promise -1” , as well as the assassination of General Abbas Nilforoushan, the appointed successor commander of IRGC force, on September 28, 2024 in a bombing raid on Beirut and the assassination of all the commanders of the “Rizwan” unit during a meeting of this unit, including Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, are among the brutal actions of the Israeli regime. Further, after the assassination of the Secretary General of the Lebanese Resistance Movement and the Commander of the IRGC in Lebanon, the Iranian forces carried out Operation Waddeh Sadeq-2 to avenge the assassination of these two commanders, as well as Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, on October 1. Nevertheless, on October 3, Seyed Hashem Safi al-Din was assassinated along with several senior Hezbollah commanders. Reports indicate that an attempt was made to kill Iranian commanders that day as well.
These events made it clear to Assad that if a decision was made to assassinate him, it would be carried out and a major military attack would follow. Assad's calculations were that not only would he be killed, but that the regime would fall due to opposition pressure and foreign attacks, and that the war would be used as a pretext to further destroy the country. In addition, the crippling sanctions, the growing public discontent and the breaking down of the ties between the leadership and the people, as well as the decline in the presence of Iranian and Russian forces in Syria due to their own internal problems, led to an overall situation that made it impossible for the Syrian government to continue to resist.
At the end of the summer of 2018, the leaders of Russia and Turkey reached an agreement in Sochi, according to which Turkey promised to remove or disarm the terrorists stationed in the region without bloodshed. However, this never happened, and the terrorists were trained in this region by Turkey and the American and Israeli intelligence services and prepared for the final attack.
Fourth, the fall of the Syrian regime has exacerbated the internal contradictions within the Iranian regime. The leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran showed no reaction to the fall of the Assad regime until the afternoon of December 8. On Sunday evening, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the fall of the Assad regime "recent developments in Syria" and a "critical period in Syria's history." The statement said:
"In light of recent developments in Syria, Iran reiterates its principled stance of respect for Syria's unity, national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stresses that determining the fate and decisions regarding Syria's future must be in the hands of the Syrian people alone, without harmful interference or foreign impositions."
The Iranian government stated in this statement that the Iranian leadership "continues to support international mechanisms, particularly UN Resolution 2254, to pursue a political process in Syria and will continue constructive cooperation with the United Nations in this area." It also stressed that the solution to Syria's future depends on "ending military conflicts as soon as possible, preventing terrorist actions and starting national dialogue involving all segments of Syrian society to form a comprehensive government that represents all Syrians."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry did not address Bashar al-Assad and his fate, nor the Islamist insurgents in this statement. Instead, it emphasized the relations between the two "nations," adding:
"The Islamic Republic of Iran will spare no effort to support security and stability in Syria, emphasizing Syria's position as an important and influential country in West Asia. To this end, it will continue its consultations with all relevant actors, especially in the region, and closely monitor developments in Syria and the region, taking appropriate approaches and positions, considering the behavior and actions of influential political and security actors.”
This statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry is evidence of inaction, leniency and cowardice, as well as a message to the Trump administration, which will soon move into the White House. Some experts also point to the unpredictability of US policy under Trump's presidency. For example, it is suspected that Turkey supported the recent attack by the insurgents to strengthen its position before the start of the Trump presidency and to be able to conduct more advantageous negotiations with the United States and Russia.
There are two factions among Trump's supporters: one that pursues an aggressive policy in the Middle East and positions itself pro-Israel and anti-Iran, and another that advocates isolationism and seeks a withdrawal of the United States from the region. It remains unclear whether Trump is seeking a deeper US intervention to weaken Iran or a faster withdrawal that will leave regional actors to resolve their conflicts on their own, probably the first.
Fifth, finally, while the fall of the Syrian regime could be a turning point for the victory and rise of the Western-oriented faction of the Iranian bourgeoisie, known as reformists, who recently sent a message of friendship to the White House through their president Massoud Pezeshkian, saying: “Count us as human beings, gentlemen!”, this is only the beginning of the intensified internal contradictions within the system. More than 800 air strikes in the south of Damascus over the past 10 years by Israel, the assassination of Iranian officers and Russia's silence on the matter, the deadly economic sanctions against Syria, the terrorist operations of Islamist currents led by Turkey and the West, and the public opposition in Iran to the regime's presence in Syria... all this has sapped the strength of the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Given its nature, it was not expected to do more to respond to the fall of its ally Syria.
However, the defenders of the Iranian regime blame Syria's military defeat on Bashar al-Assad and his unwillingness to resist the terrorists.
We have repeatedly stressed that the Syrian people's struggle for freedom and social justice without connection to the anti-imperialist struggle is meaningless and will lead nowhere. This also applies to our own country, Iran. Abandoning the anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist struggle without relying on the masses, securing political and social freedoms and ensuring the people's livelihood will ultimately lead to disaster.
Under Bashar al-Assad's rule, democratic elections, parties, political activities and parliament were not real. Although the form of government was republican, the people's opinion did not play a serious role in the government. Assad limited the entire government to the Baath Party, and both the government and the party were reduced to his person. After crushing the protests, fighting the terrorists organized by the imperialists and ending the civil war, Bashar al-Assad did not take any steps towards internal reconciliation but continued his false government rule. He forgot and put aside his promises of political reforms. The country's economy was destroyed by the sanctions and the theft of Syrian oil by the imperialist power of US imperialism, while the impact of neoliberal reforms of the past decades had further exacerbated social burdens.
The foreign winners of Assad's overthrow can be named as follows: Turkey and Erdogan personally, Israel, Qatar, the US, Trump and the Gulf states. Syria was the center of cooperation between Iran and Russia to challenge the unipolar world order. At the same time as the Western protests against military cooperation between China, Russia, Iran and North Korea grew, Trump also threatened the BRICS countries about replacing the dollar. With the loss of Syria, the West became seriously visible in its attempt to attack the center of this cooperation.
The developments in Syria are still in their early stages. Civil war and chaos will engulf the country. The role of the imperialist powers in the destruction and dismemberment of the country offers many lessons for the Iranian people to continue their struggle for economic change, social and political freedoms and resistance to any foreign interference.
December 13, 2024
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