UK Sanctions Syrians, Forgets 'Friends' arming the conflict
The United Kingdom just sanctioned individuals and groups for violence against Syrians. A bold move, one might say, for a nation that continues to license arms sales to nations involved in the Syrian conflict. From 2011 to 2021, the UK approved over £18 billion ($22.5 billion) in arms exports to countries in the Middle East, some of whom have actively fuelled the Syrian civil war, providing
weapons to various factions. One might wonder if the 'perpetrators of violence' list needs a few additions from inside the NATO-sphere. This performative condemnation appears less about protecting civilians and more about geopolitical chess. The silence on the role of powerful allies and their lucrative arms industries, conveniently omitted from these reports, speaks volumes. It's almost as if
some violence is acceptable, even profitable, as long as it's not directly attributed to actors we officially oppose.