The Bronx Anti-War Coalition posted the following article on its website on Dec. 27, 2024. A version of this article was presented on a webinar on Syria organized by the United National Antiwar Coalition.

The fall of Syria as a sovereign state and the chaos engulfing the country are the direct results of an imperialist assault orchestrated by the United States, its European allies and their regional proxies — namely Israel, Türkiye and the Gulf monarchies. This assault was not about “democracy” or “freedom” but about dismantling a key pillar of the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of states and resistance movements that opposes U.S.-led imperialism and Zionist domination in West Asia.

The chaos engulfing Syria manifests in the form of widespread destruction, economic collapse and the fragmentation and occupation of the country by multiple Western powers. Entire cities and towns have been reduced to rubble due to years of war, with critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and water systems obliterated. Millions of Syrians have been displaced, both internally and externally, resulting in one of the largest refugee crises in modern history.

The U.S.-led sanctions regime has exacerbated this devastation, crippling Syria’s economy, preventing reconstruction and plunging millions of Syrians into poverty and food insecurity. These sanctions are not merely punitive; they are a form of economic warfare designed to suffocate Syria into submission.

The U.S. is also violating Syria’s sovereignty through its illegal occupation of nearly one-third of Syria’s territory in the northeast, an area rich in natural resources. The U.S., operating through its proxies, not only controls this significant portion of Syria but also steals Syria’s oil, wheat and other natural resources, depriving the Syrian people of essential supplies that could have been used to mitigate the devastating effects of sanctions.

Syrian oil fields, which could have been used to rebuild the country and provide heating, electricity and fuel for its people, are instead systematically looted by U.S. forces with oil sold on the [illegal] market. Similarly, Syria’s wheat — critical for feeding its population — is seized, exacerbating food shortages and pushing millions of people closer to starvation. This brazen theft further undermines Syria’s sovereignty and ability to recover from the war while ensuring that the effects of U.S. imperialist policies are felt in every household.

Israel, Türkiye erode Syria’s sovereignty

The country’s sovereignty has also been eroded by foreign forces beyond U.S. occupation. Türkiye continues its illegal occupation of northern Syria, and Israel has expanded its land grabs beyond the Golan Heights, seizing control of Mount Hermon, the most strategic point in the Levant. By controlling Mount Hermon, Israel gains an unparalleled vantage point for military operations and intelligence while consolidating its illegal occupation. 

Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory have become routine, targeting infrastructure, military sites, and civilian areas, all with impunity. Extremist groups like Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other U.S.-backed militias also continue to control large swaths of the country, perpetuating instability and serving as tools for imperialist interests.

This chaos is not an accident or the inevitable result of war — it is a deliberate strategy of imperialism. The U.S. and its allies orchestrated this destruction to weaken Syria, dismantle its sovereignty and eliminate it as a key pillar of the Axis of Resistance.

Syria’s alliances with Iran, Hezbollah, Ansarallah in Yemen, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and Palestinian resistance factions such as Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) made it a target for imperialist aggression. Syria provided critical support, in the form of arms and material aid, to Hezbollah in Lebanon, which successfully prevented Israel from invading Lebanon.

Despite Israel’s desire to expand its genocidal war into Lebanese territory, Hezbollah’s effective resistance kept Israeli forces at the border, defending Lebanese sovereignty and proving itself as a powerful deterrent to Israeli aggression. The U.S. and Israel knew that in order to have a chance of undermining Hezbollah, they needed to sever its supply lines and logistical support, much of which came through Syria. By dismantling Syria as a sovereign state, they hoped to weaken Hezbollah and advance Israel’s regional domination — but they have not succeeded.

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s real agenda

Syria also gave refuge and material support to Palestinian resistance movements, including Hamas, the PFLP and PIJ, all of which are fighting against Israeli occupation and colonialism. Syria’s unwavering support for Palestinian factions ensured these groups could maintain weapons, training camps and military headquarters, strengthening their ability to resist Zionist occupation. This commitment to the Palestinian cause and the broader Axis of Resistance made Syria a primary target of U.S.-led imperialism. The imperialist powers knew that attempting to dismantle Syria would aim to weaken Palestinian resistance, sever Hezbollah’s supply lines and fracture the Axis of Resistance.

One of the first actions taken by the illegitimate Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham coup organization in Damascus made this agenda clear. Representatives from HTS, the extremist group now ruling Damascus, informed Palestinian factions that they would no longer be allowed to possess weapons, training camps or military headquarters in Syria. This decision was a direct attack on Palestinian resistance and a betrayal of Syria’s historic commitment to the liberation of Palestine.

For decades, the U.S. and its allies have employed a strategy of “divide and conquer” to break up strong, independent states into weaker entities incapable of resisting imperial control. In Iraq, the U.S. invasion shattered the country and divided it along sectarian lines. Yet, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq emerged as a powerful force in resisting U.S. occupation and imperialist domination. In Libya, NATO’s intervention turned the nation into a failed state. 

In Syria, the U.S. armed and funded extremist groups, such as HTS to destabilize and weaken the state. These groups are not freedom fighters or revolutionaries but terrorist organizations acting on behalf of Western imperialism.

The narrative of a Syrian “revolution” is a lie designed to obscure the imperialist nature of the war. The West armed and funded groups including HTS, Al-Nusra Front and others to destroy Syria. The CIA’s “Timber Sycamore” program funneled billions of dollars to these groups, while Türkiye served as a hub for foreign fighters and arms shipments. 

These groups carried out atrocities, enforced Wahhabi [the ideology of ISIS and Al Qaeda, which uses terrorism to advance U.S./Western imperialist interests in West Asia] rule and persecuted minorities, but Western media portrayed them as heroes of a democratic uprising. In reality, this was never a revolution but a foreign-backed proxy war aimed at regime change and the destruction of Syrian sovereignty.

Axis of Resistance is unbroken

Despite the fall of Syria as a sovereign state, the Axis of Resistance remains unbroken. This coalition — comprising Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Ansarallah in Yemen and other Palestinian resistance factions — has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of U.S.-led imperialist aggression. Syria’s historic role as a supporter of Palestinian resistance will forever remain a critical part of the broader struggle against Zionist occupation and colonialism. Syria provided Palestinian movements with the space, resources and alliances needed to resist Zionist aggression and imperial domination.

For anti-imperialists in the West, particularly in the U.S., our role is clear. We must expose the lies about Syria and the U.S.’s role in its destruction. The narrative of a Syrian “revolution” is a fraud designed to justify imperialist aggression. We must challenge this propaganda and make it clear that the war on Syria was a war of U.S.-led imperialist domination. 

We must also build solidarity with the Axis of Resistance, which defends sovereignty and justice in the face of U.S. and Zionist aggression. Finally, we must organize against our own governments, which are the architects of death and destruction in Syria and across the world.

The fall of Syria as a sovereign state and the chaos that has followed are the direct result of one imperialist system: that of the U.S., the European Union, along with their regional proxies. The Axis of Resistance has shown that imperialism can be resisted. It is our duty to [solidarize ourselves] with them in this fight.

Western imperialism thrives on lies and complicity. But it can be defeated. Together, we can expose the crimes of the empire, build global solidarity and fight for a world rooted in justice and sovereignty.