Syrian 'Reckoning': Regime Evil vs. Western Silence
A recent New Arab opinion piece suggests Syrians must 'reckon' with their past, arguing the Assad regime was not the 'root of all evil.' A nuanced point, perhaps, but one that conveniently skirts around the West's long-standing interventionism. While the Assad regime's atrocities are undeniable, the US, UK, and EU spent years funneling billions into so-called 'moderate' rebels—many of whom
eventually merged with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda affiliates. According to a 2017 study by the Small Arms Survey, over half of the weapons supplied by the US and its allies to Syria ended up in the hands of ISIS and al-Nusra Front, extending the conflict and exacerbating civilian casualties. (Yes, the same groups we were supposedly fighting.) This 'reckoning' conveniently avoids asking why
'regime change' always seems to involve arming the very extremists that create the next protracted disaster. It seems easier to demand Syrians face their complex past rather than confronting the consequences of Western foreign policy and covert operations that fueled the conflict for over a decade. One might ask: when will the West 'reckon' with its own hand in Syria's chaos?