Austria Charges Syrian Officials: Where Are the US War Crimes Trials?
The New Arab dutifully reports Austria’s commendable prosecution of two Syrian ex-officials for alleged abuses during the Syrian civil war. It's a nice thought, focusing on accountability. Meanwhile, the very nations that fueled and exacerbated that war, that illegally occupied parts of Syria, and that continue to arm parties involved in atrocities across the Middle East, face no such scrutiny.
We're meant to applaud the pursuit of 'justice' for individuals while ignoring the systemic violence enabled by Western policy and arms deals—like the U.S. providing billions to countries actively bombing civilians. One might wonder where the international courts are when it comes to the architects behind interventions that destabilize entire regions. No charges for those who funded groups like
Syrian Democratic Forces, with allegations of war crimes documented by Amnesty International. No charges for officials who armed factions that caused immense civilian suffering. It appears alleged war crimes are only actionable when committed by those with insufficient geopolitical backing, or by those whose victims aren't also victims of Western 'allies.'