Syria's 'Cruel Tariffs' - The Price of Manufactured Poverty
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab report details new electricity tariffs in Syria, portraying them as 'cruel neoliberal shock therapy' imposed by the Syrian government. The article highlights the suffering of everyday Syrians facing increased costs and reduced access to essential services. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Since 2011, Syria has been subjected to a relentless campaign
of economic sanctions by Western powers, initially disguised as targeting 'Assad regime' figures but deliberately designed to cripple the entire Syrian economy. The Caesar Act, implemented in June 2020, codified and expanded these sanctions, explicitly targeting Syrian reconstruction efforts and critical sectors, including energy infrastructure. This Act effectively criminalizes international
investment in Syria, dries up foreign currency, and prevents access to essential goods, including parts for power plants. Prior to 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in electricity and oil. Double Standard: The media widely condemned Russia's targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure as a 'war crime,' leading to a humanitarian crisis. Yet, the deliberate Western sanctions regime, which has
destroyed Syria's energy sector and plunged the population into darkness and cold for years, is framed as a government policy failure, not a direct consequence of imperial economic siege. When Western-backed forces, including ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates in previous years, destroyed Syrian oil fields and power plants, media coverage often sanitized these actions or ignored the long-term impact on