Rebranded Al-Qaeda takes over Syria in big win for US, Israel & Turkey, blow to Iran
Dec 10, 2024
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A major shift in Syria sees a rebranded Al-Qaeda, known as HTS, take control after the government falls. The podcast dissects how the U.S., Israel, and Turkey collaborated in this regime change, with leaders from these countries taking credit for the upheaval. It highlights the ironies of Western support for jihadists and their latest claims of moderation. The ongoing conflict in Syria is linked to broader geopolitical implications, including U.S. occupation of oil fields and the ramifications of Western sanctions on the region's stability.
The overthrow of the Assad government marked a significant geopolitical shift, favoring U.S. and Israeli interests while weakening Iran's influence in the region.
Abu Muhammad al-Julani's rebranding and leadership of HTS illustrate the complexities of Western support for extremist groups despite claims of combating terrorism.
Deep dives
Geopolitical Implications of Assad's Overthrow
The overthrow of the Syrian government has led to significant geopolitical shifts, notably benefiting the United States and Israel. For over a decade, these two nations financially supported rebel factions, many linked to extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, with the ultimate aim of toppling Bashar al-Assad. The successful coup against Assad is perceived as a major victory for U.S. foreign policy, particularly as it coincides with Israel's aggressive actions in Gaza and Lebanon. This development represents a substantial weakening of Iran's influence in the region, as Syria served as a critical ally and supply route for resistance movements in Palestine and Lebanon.
The Rise of Extremist Leadership in Syria
With the overthrow of the Assad government, leadership has fallen into the hands of Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the former chief of Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate. His ascent follows a strategic public relations campaign to rebrand his image from an extremist to a more palatable leader, allowing for greater acceptance among Western media and allies. Despite this rebranding, the U.S. government maintains that groups like al-Julani's remain terrorist organizations, illustrating the depth of hypocrisy in Western narratives that overlook past affiliations and actions. The rise of al-Julani and his faction underscores the enduring presence of extremist ideologies in the region, potentially threatening stability moving forward.
Economic Warfare and Syrian Collapse
The economic instability and eventual collapse of the Syrian state cannot be divorced from the extensive sanctions and military strategies employed by the U.S. and its allies. Sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act have devastated the Syrian economy, restricting access to vital resources and driving rampant inflation. The combination of these sanctions, coupled with the ongoing military occupation of oil-rich regions by U.S. forces, has stripped the Assad government of crucial economic lifelines. This economic warfare has paved the way for extremist groups to take control, raising concerns about future governance and the humanitarian situation in Syria.
Potential Future Conflicts in the Region
The fall of the Syrian government may further embolden U.S. and Israeli ambitions toward destabilizing Iran and its allies in the region. With accusations of strengthened ties between rebranded Al-Qaeda factions and Israel, the likelihood of formal relations previously thought improbable appears to be increasing. This shift has raised alarms about the possibility of a broader conflict involving Iran, especially with a potentially more hawkish U.S. administration on the horizon. As geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, the situation threatens to spiral into renewed warfare, affecting not only the immediate region but potentially beyond.
The Syrian government was overthrown, and Salafi-jihadist rebels led by a rebranded version of Al-Qaeda called Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took power in Damascus. US President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted of helping topple Bashar al-Assad. NATO member Turkey played a key role as well. Ben Norton explains how the West dealt a major blow to the Axis of Resistance and Iran.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8pZgwOdIuA
Al-Qaeda-linked ‘rebels’ in Syria say they ‘love Israel’. USA gave them billions in weapons & support: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/12/06/al-qaeda-rebels-syria-israel-usa/
US troops are occupying Syria’s oil fields. Congress refuses to withdraw them: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/12/12/us-troops-occupy-syria-oil-congress-withdraw/
Topics
0:00 Syrian government is overthrown
3:17 Al-Qaeda leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani
4:39 AQ rebrands: Jabhat al-Nusra to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham to HTS
6:16 Western media whitewashed Osama bin Laden
7:53 Jake Sullivan: "AQ is on our side in Syria"
8:49 CIA spends billions arming Salafi-jihadists
10:06 Diplomat says HTS is US "asset"
11:33 HTS' medieval rule in Syria
12:44 Libya: where NATO brought back slavery
15:40 (CLIP) Biden takes credit for overthrowing Assad
16:58 Syrian Al-Qaeda got US weapons
17:24 Turkey backed Syrian assault
17:50 Ukraine's role in Syria
18:30 Israel boasts of Syria regime change
19:12 (CLIP) Netanyahu: Israel helped topple Assad
19:26 Israel supported Syrian rebels
20:38 Syrian rebels say they "love Israel"
22:09 Israel seizes more Syrian territory
23:15 Axis of Resistance is weakened
25:15 Syria's territorial integrity
26:41 US military occupies Syria's oil fields
27:19 (CLIP) Trump boasts: I took Syria's oil
27:46 Congress backs US military occupation of Syria
28:33 US starved Syria of oil revenue
29:43 Western sanctions suffocated Syria's economy
32:42 Inflation in Syria
33:35 This is not about "authoritarianism"
36:08 US strategy to collapse Syrian state
37:30 (CLIP) US official outlines Syria regime-change plan
39:46 Will Syria's borders be changed?
41:41 Iran: the ultimate US target
42:45 (CLIP) Wesley Clark: US planned to topple 7 governments
43:38 US collapsed 6 of 7 states on regime-change list
44:34 Will US war on Iran be next?
46:24 Outro
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