US-Backed Group Clashes With Syria: 'Unity Hopes' Shattered?
Bloomberg Politics reports on renewed clashes between the Syrian army and the 'US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF) in Aleppo, framing it as a blow to Syria's 'unity hopes.' This narrative of 'unity' is certainly poetic, if one forgets the US has spent well over a decade actively arming, funding, and training various 'moderate opposition' groups—including the SDF—to undermine the Syrian
government. The US maintains a military presence in Eastern Syria, illegally occupying oil fields, which creates perpetual friction, not 'hope.' Who exactly are these 'unity hopes' for, and how can they exist when foreign powers arm and fund separatists in a sovereign nation? The media's selective memory is truly something to behold. They present these clashes as an unfortunate setback, rather
than as a predictable outcome of sustained, overt foreign intervention. Perhaps if the US stopped backing armed groups, Syria might have a chance at establishing internally-driven unity, rather than being forced to unify under the barrel of an American-supplied gun. One might wonder if 'unity hopes' only matter when they align with Washington's strategic objectives.