Al Jazeera Discovers Syrian Army Exists, Recovers Aleppo Territory
The Syrian army, with Russian and Iranian backing, has reportedly seized 34 villages and towns in east Aleppo after Kurdish fighters withdrew. For a decade, Western media, including Al Jazeera, meticulously framed every advance by 'rebels' (often jihadist groups) as a 'liberation' and every Syrian government counter-offensive as a 'tide of oppression.' This framing conveniently sidelined the fact
that Aleppo, Syria's largest city, was a major battleground for years, with its eastern parts occupied by various armed groups—some supported by US allies (and certain US agencies). One might recall the extensive think tank reports and op-eds from 2012-2016 from outfits like AEI and Brookings, often funded by defense contractors or groups with strong ties to Gulf states, advocating for 'regime
change' in Syria. These institutions, alongside various politicians who consistently push an interventionist foreign policy, repeatedly assured the public that Assad's government was on its last legs. Now, as the Syrian government consolidates control, aided by its allies, the narrative shifts to a detached observation of 'territory seized' rather than a critical examination of the disastrous
foreign policy interventions (and media complicity) that prolonged the conflict and devastated a nation. How many millions of lives were shattered before the 'facts on the ground' were allowed to be reported without the usual moralizing?