The Worker, Vol. 39, Number 1
Note from the editor:
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The Real Terrorists Claim Victory in Syria
The U.S. intervention in Syria, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the Syrian Arab Republic, is a big win for the real terrorists. Of course, there is the grand hypocrisy of taking pride in being the ones to spearhead the destabilization of the country and now arriving to "fix it". More importantly, this U.S.-led dirty war ties the knot for more regime change operations carried out in the name of state-sponsored terrorism.
The U.S. government is responsible for launching the international campaign against the Syrian Arab Republic and its sovereignty through the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, passed by the 108th Congress. This all-sided assault was openly aimed at undermining Syrian sovereignty and sought to punish Syria for not actively going along with the dictates of Washington.
Large numbers in the Middle East are protesting against the United States intervention. They are saying that the U.S. has no right to use force to overthrow the Syrian Arab Republic. The protesters are also saying that the U.S. is using religion as an excuse to manufacture sectarian splits and divisions.
On December 20, two U.S. diplomats, Barbara Leaf and Roger Carstens, embarked on a historic visit to Damascus, Syria — marking the first time in over 12 years American diplomats had officially entered the country. The U.S. government framed this visit as a hopeful step for Syria’s future, with promises that U.S. businesses would rebuild the nation and foster a more peaceful and democratic future. The diplomats also emphasized their intention to help Syria adopt new behaviors, claiming these would lead to a better government. This visit marked a significant shift in U.S. involvement in Syria’s political transformation, especially regarding the country’s new constitution and political system.
However, this diplomatic visit followed more than a decade of devastation in Syria, where the U.S. had played a pivotal role in destabilizing the government. The U.S. had long supported rebel groups fighting against the Syrian government, aiming to bring about regime change. While U.S. officials claimed their intervention had humanitarian goals, the anti-war movement consistently opposed this extension of the world-wide war program of the U.S. government and organized for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from the Middle East.
Instead of responding to these demands of the broad masses of the American people, the Biden administration is providing security guarantees to the rebel Syrian Democratic Forces. Judging by past experience, the brutality will only intensify as the CIA transitions to the next phase of terrorizing the key sections of the Syrian population implicated in the struggle for sovereignty and independence.
During the visit, the diplomats met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Although al-Sharaa recently ranked as a top target on the CIA’s most-wanted list, he now stands as a powerful figure supported by Pentagon-led operations in Syria. HTS played a key role in toppling the old government, and while al-Sharaa does not hold an official title, he is acting as the official head of the new state. Much like the U.S. actions in Iraq, Syria’s new political landscape has taken shape using slogans associated with so-called "political Islam" — a fusion of religion and politics often promoted by the CIA to advance the penetration of U.S. capital into new regions.
According to the blood-boiling logic of American chauvinism, U.S. government portrays its actions as a benevolent effort to bring peace, democracy, and fair opportunities to all Syrians. They claim to want the same freedoms for Syria that are promised to Americans. Yet, it is the U.S. ruling class intervention itself that caused Syria’s destruction in the first place. Through sanctions, military interventions, and a policy of isolation, the U.S. and its allies deliberately sought to cripple Syria’s economy and harm its people. Now, they are positioning themselves as the architects of Syria’s future, ensuring that any new government created will be favorable to foreign businesses and investments.
The motivations behind U.S. involvement in Syria stem from the recent history of imperialism, stretching back to the post-Cold War period when the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed the U.S. to take advantage of a "new period of disequilibrium" to expand its influence globally. As during the Cold War, U.S. military interventions in countries like Iraq, Yugoslavia, and others used slogans about bringing democracy, peace and prosperity to the target countries. This latest resurrection of colonialism is leading to greater U.S. power to secure others' valuable resources and ensure that countries adhere to the economic systems that benefit U.S. monopoly capitalism.
Syria, under its previous government, demanded the withdrawal of hostile U.S. military bases and refused to align on numerous instances with the U.S.'s stated economic interests and geopolitical objectives. In response, the U.S. labeled Syria as part of an "Axis of Evil" and pursued aggressive military actions aimed at regime change. U.S. military bases, spread across the globe, help maintain control over resources and suppress nations that resist U.S. influence. Despite slogans about promoting democracy and human rights, the real goal has been to increase the opportunities of U.S. capitalism through military coercion.
The U.S. and its NATO allies have used military intervention as a tool of blackmail, intimidating any nation that dares to pursue a different path. The stated goals of spreading democracy and human rights serve to conceal these imperialist objectives. This system of domination, which primarily benefits the wealthy and powerful, wreaks havoc on the countries it targets. The U.S. has supported repressive regimes, carried out countless covert CIA military operations, and used its concentrated banking role to suppress the voices of the most vulnerable populations on the world stage. The very social existence of the U.S. ruling class is based not only on the exploitation of the American workers but also on the super-exploitation and domination of peoples throughout the world.
The fight against U.S. imperialism is fundamentally a struggle for the sovereignty of nations and the rights of their people. The U.S. is the true terrorist—not because of how it demonizes those it claims to fight, but because of the wars it instigates to maintain power. Countries and peoples like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Latin America, Yugoslavia, and Lebanon have all experienced the burden of U.S. intervention.
In Syria, the U.S. strategy goes beyond simply overthrowing a government. It seeks to undo the post-colonial era that began with Syria’s independence from European powers. The U.S. aims to restore a system where foreign business owners, not the Syrian people, control the country’s resources — echoing the exploitative practices of colonial powers. To achieve this, the U.S. needs local collaborators who are in a position to betray their own people for a nugget of gold, much the same as the client state foundations the British and French colonial leaders worked to cultivate.
Not only the people of USA and the Middle East, but also the people in other parts of the world are in motion to oppose the U.S. blueprint for world domination and to demand, "Send U.S. Troops Home!"
The extremely aggressive character of the U.S. program arises from the fact that the inherent laws of capitalist-imperialism impel U.S. monopoly capital to stretch out its hands everywhere, to strive to grab up economic territory and spheres of influence. Yet the economic power of the U.S. monopolies is in relative decline. Thus, the U.S. seeks to foment tensions and militarize every situation in order to assert its hegemony on the basis that Might Makes Right.
Now, more than ever, it is crucial for the anti-war movement to intensify its efforts to expose the false promises of democracy and human rights that the U.S. uses to cover up its imperialist aims. People everywhere must mobilize against U.S. militarism and defend their right to self-determination. The struggle against U.S. imperialism is not only about averting individual wars — it is about ensuring the emergence of a world where sovereignty and independence are respected. The decision-making role of ordinary people must fully replace the profit-driven motives constantly arising from the centers of capitalist development.
The U.S. war on Syria was but one link in a chain of U.S. aggression and intervention across the world. The American working class and people have no choice but to be political by targeting the bipartisan war government. This means organizing ourselves in opposition to the parties of war and capitalism. It means sweeping away the rot of opportunism in order to take the high road of struggle against U.S. imperialism. It means inspiring ourselves and our movement with the great truth that organized people, guided by their own anti-imperialist politics, can and will lead the way out of the crisis of imperialism.
The U.S. government is responsible for launching the international campaign against the Syrian Arab Republic and its sovereignty through the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, passed by the 108th Congress. This all-sided assault was openly aimed at undermining Syrian sovereignty and sought to punish Syria for not actively going along with the dictates of Washington.
Large numbers in the Middle East are protesting against the United States intervention. They are saying that the U.S. has no right to use force to overthrow the Syrian Arab Republic. The protesters are also saying that the U.S. is using religion as an excuse to manufacture sectarian splits and divisions.
On December 20, two U.S. diplomats, Barbara Leaf and Roger Carstens, embarked on a historic visit to Damascus, Syria — marking the first time in over 12 years American diplomats had officially entered the country. The U.S. government framed this visit as a hopeful step for Syria’s future, with promises that U.S. businesses would rebuild the nation and foster a more peaceful and democratic future. The diplomats also emphasized their intention to help Syria adopt new behaviors, claiming these would lead to a better government. This visit marked a significant shift in U.S. involvement in Syria’s political transformation, especially regarding the country’s new constitution and political system.
However, this diplomatic visit followed more than a decade of devastation in Syria, where the U.S. had played a pivotal role in destabilizing the government. The U.S. had long supported rebel groups fighting against the Syrian government, aiming to bring about regime change. While U.S. officials claimed their intervention had humanitarian goals, the anti-war movement consistently opposed this extension of the world-wide war program of the U.S. government and organized for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from the Middle East.
Instead of responding to these demands of the broad masses of the American people, the Biden administration is providing security guarantees to the rebel Syrian Democratic Forces. Judging by past experience, the brutality will only intensify as the CIA transitions to the next phase of terrorizing the key sections of the Syrian population implicated in the struggle for sovereignty and independence.
During the visit, the diplomats met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Although al-Sharaa recently ranked as a top target on the CIA’s most-wanted list, he now stands as a powerful figure supported by Pentagon-led operations in Syria. HTS played a key role in toppling the old government, and while al-Sharaa does not hold an official title, he is acting as the official head of the new state. Much like the U.S. actions in Iraq, Syria’s new political landscape has taken shape using slogans associated with so-called "political Islam" — a fusion of religion and politics often promoted by the CIA to advance the penetration of U.S. capital into new regions.
According to the blood-boiling logic of American chauvinism, U.S. government portrays its actions as a benevolent effort to bring peace, democracy, and fair opportunities to all Syrians. They claim to want the same freedoms for Syria that are promised to Americans. Yet, it is the U.S. ruling class intervention itself that caused Syria’s destruction in the first place. Through sanctions, military interventions, and a policy of isolation, the U.S. and its allies deliberately sought to cripple Syria’s economy and harm its people. Now, they are positioning themselves as the architects of Syria’s future, ensuring that any new government created will be favorable to foreign businesses and investments.
The motivations behind U.S. involvement in Syria stem from the recent history of imperialism, stretching back to the post-Cold War period when the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed the U.S. to take advantage of a "new period of disequilibrium" to expand its influence globally. As during the Cold War, U.S. military interventions in countries like Iraq, Yugoslavia, and others used slogans about bringing democracy, peace and prosperity to the target countries. This latest resurrection of colonialism is leading to greater U.S. power to secure others' valuable resources and ensure that countries adhere to the economic systems that benefit U.S. monopoly capitalism.
Syria, under its previous government, demanded the withdrawal of hostile U.S. military bases and refused to align on numerous instances with the U.S.'s stated economic interests and geopolitical objectives. In response, the U.S. labeled Syria as part of an "Axis of Evil" and pursued aggressive military actions aimed at regime change. U.S. military bases, spread across the globe, help maintain control over resources and suppress nations that resist U.S. influence. Despite slogans about promoting democracy and human rights, the real goal has been to increase the opportunities of U.S. capitalism through military coercion.
The U.S. and its NATO allies have used military intervention as a tool of blackmail, intimidating any nation that dares to pursue a different path. The stated goals of spreading democracy and human rights serve to conceal these imperialist objectives. This system of domination, which primarily benefits the wealthy and powerful, wreaks havoc on the countries it targets. The U.S. has supported repressive regimes, carried out countless covert CIA military operations, and used its concentrated banking role to suppress the voices of the most vulnerable populations on the world stage. The very social existence of the U.S. ruling class is based not only on the exploitation of the American workers but also on the super-exploitation and domination of peoples throughout the world.
The fight against U.S. imperialism is fundamentally a struggle for the sovereignty of nations and the rights of their people. The U.S. is the true terrorist—not because of how it demonizes those it claims to fight, but because of the wars it instigates to maintain power. Countries and peoples like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Latin America, Yugoslavia, and Lebanon have all experienced the burden of U.S. intervention.
In Syria, the U.S. strategy goes beyond simply overthrowing a government. It seeks to undo the post-colonial era that began with Syria’s independence from European powers. The U.S. aims to restore a system where foreign business owners, not the Syrian people, control the country’s resources — echoing the exploitative practices of colonial powers. To achieve this, the U.S. needs local collaborators who are in a position to betray their own people for a nugget of gold, much the same as the client state foundations the British and French colonial leaders worked to cultivate.
Not only the people of USA and the Middle East, but also the people in other parts of the world are in motion to oppose the U.S. blueprint for world domination and to demand, "Send U.S. Troops Home!"
The extremely aggressive character of the U.S. program arises from the fact that the inherent laws of capitalist-imperialism impel U.S. monopoly capital to stretch out its hands everywhere, to strive to grab up economic territory and spheres of influence. Yet the economic power of the U.S. monopolies is in relative decline. Thus, the U.S. seeks to foment tensions and militarize every situation in order to assert its hegemony on the basis that Might Makes Right.
Now, more than ever, it is crucial for the anti-war movement to intensify its efforts to expose the false promises of democracy and human rights that the U.S. uses to cover up its imperialist aims. People everywhere must mobilize against U.S. militarism and defend their right to self-determination. The struggle against U.S. imperialism is not only about averting individual wars — it is about ensuring the emergence of a world where sovereignty and independence are respected. The decision-making role of ordinary people must fully replace the profit-driven motives constantly arising from the centers of capitalist development.
The U.S. war on Syria was but one link in a chain of U.S. aggression and intervention across the world. The American working class and people have no choice but to be political by targeting the bipartisan war government. This means organizing ourselves in opposition to the parties of war and capitalism. It means sweeping away the rot of opportunism in order to take the high road of struggle against U.S. imperialism. It means inspiring ourselves and our movement with the great truth that organized people, guided by their own anti-imperialist politics, can and will lead the way out of the crisis of imperialism.