Syria
Civilian death toll mounts as US escalates offensive in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 16 November 2018
The so-called campaign against ISIS is aimed at carving out a US-controlled zone in eastern Syria and ultimately overthrowing the Damascus government.
US, Turkey risk direct military clash as they escalate war in Syria
By Barış Demir, 8 November 2018
Ankara is threatening an outright military occupation of large parts of Syria, which could provoke a direct clash with US forces.
Turkish president brands Khashoggi killing a premeditated murder
By Peter Symonds, 24 October 2018
While Erdogan had promised to expose the “naked truth,” his less-than-full account of the killing indicates that he is exploiting the issue to further Turkish interests in the Middle East.
Iran fires missiles at Islamist “rebels” as US vows to remain in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 2 October 2018
Washington and Tehran, already at odds over escalating US sanctions, are coming into increasing conflict over military operations in Syria.
Moscow blames downing of Russian plane near Syria on Israeli “provocation”
By Bill Van Auken, 19 September 2018
The killing of 15 Russian military personnel off the coast of Latakia has ratcheted up dangerous military tensions in Syria.
Russian aircraft shot down during Israeli missile attack on main Syrian government port
By Bill Van Auken, 18 September 2018
Russian sources have reported that they tracked missiles launched by a French frigate at the time their aircraft was attacked.
Israel bombs target near Damascus as Syrian war threatens to escalate
By Jordan Shilton, 17 September 2018
Washington supports Israel's aggression in Syria as part of its strategy to drive back Iranian influence in the country and throughout the Middle East.
Russia postpones Syrian offensive in Idlib as NATO threatens escalation
By Alex Lantier, 15 September 2018
Turkey and the major NATO imperialist powers made clear that they are ready to counterattack against Syrian and Russian forces in Idlib.
Seventeen years after 9/11: From “war on terror” to “great power conflict”
By Andre Damon, 12 September 2018
On the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Washington is on the verge of launching a massive new Syrian offensive in defense of Al Qaeda-linked forces.
German government plans combat mission against Syria
By Johannes Stern, 12 September 2018
Behind the backs of the German people, the Grand Coalition government is preparing a massive combat mission against the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
US Marines deploy to Syria for live fire exercise
By Jordan Shilton, 10 September 2018
The drill, which included air assaults backed by artillery fire, underscores that the seven-year war in Syria could rapidly escalate into a direct clash between the major powers.
Syriza jails Syrian swimmer Sara Mardini for helping refugees in Greece
By Kumaran Ira, 10 September 2018
This blatant attempt to criminalize humanitarian aid to refugees is a devastating exposure of the European Union and Greece’s Syriza government.
Report by Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media undermines claims of chemical attack in Douma
By Paul Bond, 6 September 2018
In the face of the orchestrated attack on the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media as “Apologists for Assad,” the careful work by Paul McKeigue, Jake Mason, David Miller and Piers Robinson is all the more noteworthy.
Washington escalates threats over Syria as Russia bombs Al Qaeda positions
By Bill Van Auken, 5 September 2018
Claims of “humanitarian” concerns and warnings over the use of chemical weapons signal a growing threat of US intervention in defense of the “rebels.”
Is Washington on the brink of a major attack on Syria?
By Bill Van Auken, 28 August 2018
Threats against the Assad government over the use of chemical weapons have set up the pretext for a sharp escalation of US military intervention.
Washington allies with ISIS as great power conflict trumps “war on terror”
By Bill Van Auken, 7 August 2018
In at least three countries where US forces are engaged in combat operations, the Pentagon and its local proxies are allying themselves with ISIS and Al Qaeda in pursuit of strategic interests.
Lafarge investigation exposes US-French collusion with ISIS in Syria
By Francis Dubois, 3 August 2018
Former Foreign Secretary Laurent Fabius claimed to know nothing about it, but ties between terrorist groups and the former Socialist Party government are rapidly coming to light.
Israel shoots down Syrian jet over occupied Golan Heights
By Bill Van Auken, 25 July 2018
The shoot-down is part of the escalation of both Israeli and US aggression aimed at Syria and Iran.
Israel intervenes to extract US-UK-backed White Helmets from Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 23 July 2018
The Israel Defense Forces were sent into Syria at Washington’s request to rescue hundreds of White Helmets, a group funded by the US and UK to further regime change.
Tensions over Syria deepen following Helsinki summit
By Bill Van Auken, 18 July 2018
The Trump administration has signaled that US troops will remain in Syria to confront Iran.
US war crimes in Syria exposed
By Niles Niemuth, 7 June 2018
Unlike the hysteria generated over the fake gas attack in Douma earlier this year, the revelations of massive US war crimes in Raqqa have been treated as a non-event by the media.
Amnesty International report finds US guilty of war crimes in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 6 June 2018
The report documents the deaths of hundreds of civilians in the US siege of Raqqa last year, including the massacre of entire families.
Germany’s Left Party demands independent German-European imperialist policy
By Johannes Stern, 16 May 2018
Like the Greens 20 years ago, the Left Party now stands ready to paint the return of German imperialism to the world stage “in the brightest possible colours.”
The ISO and the imperialist politics of the pseudo-left
By Barry Grey, 16 May 2018
The International Socialist Organization is concerned that politically radicalized students and youth who are attracted to socialism are hostile to American military interventions in Syria and elsewhere.
Israel marks 70th anniversary amid war crimes and deepening social crisis
By Bill Van Auken, 14 May 2018
Washington’s ripping up of the Iran nuclear treaty and moving of its embassy to Jerusalem have given the Israeli state a green light for war with Iran and violent suppression of the Palestinians.
For a working-class strategy against the imperialist repartition of the Middle East!
By Keith Jones, 11 May 2018
In Iran, as around the world, the struggle against imperialist aggression and war must be founded on the independent political mobilization of the working class and the perspective of Permanent Revolution.
Middle East teeters on brink of region-wide war after US withdrawal from Iran deal
By Jordan Shilton, 10 May 2018
After Israeli war planes targeted Iranian personnel in Syria for the third time in less than a month, Iranian Quds forces reportedly launched rockets into northern Israel.
US relaunches Second Fleet in war preparations against Russia
By Bill Van Auken, 7 May 2018
The revival of the fleet, which was mothballed in 2011, was described by the US Navy as an implementation of a new national security doctrine focused on “great power competition.”
Israel denounces Iran nuclear deal after new missile strikes on Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 1 May 2018
Netanyahu’s bellicose speech indicting Iran, following on the heels of missile strikes on Syria, underscores the growing threat of a region-wide war.
In Washington, Macron calls for renegotiation of nuclear deal with Iran
By Alex Lantier, 25 April 2018
Paris is joining Washington in telling Iran it must comply with US dictates or face the renewal of trade sanctions and the possibility of military attack.
Thousands of Syrians buried in the rubble six months after US destruction of Raqqa
By Will Morrow, 25 April 2018
The same media and governments endlessly denouncing Syrian and Russian government atrocities ignore the US war crimes in Raqqa.
US-led strike on Syria inflames tensions over Korea
By Alex Lantier, 21 April 2018
If his summit with the North Korean leader goes ahead, Trump will undoubtedly use every means at his disposal, including military threats, to try to bludgeon Pyongyang into accepting US demands.
US military-intelligence apparatus presses for further strikes on Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 20 April 2018
Fresh reporting from the scene of the alleged chemical weapons attack that was the pretext for the April 14 missile strikes on Syria has further exposed it as a fabrication.
After Syria strikes, drumbeat grows for wider US war
By Will Morrow, 19 April 2018
A campaign is underway in the American political and military-intelligence establishment for a major escalation in Syria and confrontation with Iran and Russia.
Murdoch’s Times witch-hunts academics for questioning UK government’s Syria lies
By Julie Hyland, 19 April 2018
Under conditions where the imperialist powers are dragging humanity towards a third world war, the ruling elites can no longer countenance critical opinion.
As lies on Syrian gas attack unravel, US and UK shift to claims of Russian “cyber war”
By Will Morrow, 18 April 2018
An on-the-spot report from Douma by veteran journalist Robert Fisk further exposes the chemical gas pretext for the illegal US-UK-French bombing of Syria.
UK government rejects Corbyn’s demand for parliament to vote on war
By Chris Marsden, 18 April 2018
Amid mass anti-war sentiment, Jeremy Corbyn is seeking to prop up the tattered reputation of the Labour Party by claiming that it can serve as a check on the May government.
Protesters in Britain speak out against air strikes in Syria
By our reporters, 18 April 2018
The World Socialist Web Site spoke to protesters in London and Bristol.
Trudeau joins Macron in celebrating air strikes on Syria
By Roger Jordan, 18 April 2018
Trudeau’s summit with Macron came just days after France joined the US and UK in launching illegal air strikes on Syria.
Bombing of Syria exposes pro-war politics of France’s New Anti-capitalist Party
By Kumaran Ira, 18 April 2018
The fight against Macron requires a political break with the pro-war pseudo-left organisations that support the unprovoked military assault on Syria.
US lashes out at Russia, as OPCW inspectors prepare to enter Douma
By Peter Symonds, 17 April 2018
Western governments and media that propagated unsubstantiated claims of a chemical weapons attack to justify illegal missile strikes on Syria are seeking to cover their tracks.
UK: Labour right lines up with government over Syria bombing
By Chris Marsden, 17 April 2018
Yesterday May faced widespread criticism, but largely for having failed to recall Parliament rather than any substantive opposition to the illegal action taken by the US, France and the UK.
EU foreign ministers push for regime change in Damascus following Syria attack
By Peter Schwarz, 17 April 2018
Although the attack on Syria was in clear violation of international law, the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg explicitly endorsed it.
German government backs illegal attack on Syria
By Johannes Stern, 17 April 2018
The attack on Syria marks a new stage of imperialist aggression aimed not only at Syria but also at Russia.
Australian government endorses US-led strikes on Syria
By Oscar Grenfell, 17 April 2018
The support of the Turnbull government and Labor opposition for the illegal act of aggression, is in line with Australia’s role as a key military and diplomatic ally of Washington.
UK: Demands grow for May government to hold debate on Syria attack
By Robert Stevens, 16 April 2018
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is due to make a formal statement to parliament today on the Syria airstrikes, but no vote is to take place.
US-British-French missile strikes on Syria heighten danger of a catastrophic war
By Barry Grey, 16 April 2018
The bases for new provocations and fresh pretexts for military aggression are already being laid.
Pseudo-left parties promote US-French-British bombing of Syria
By Will Morrow, 16 April 2018
The DSA and ISO in the US, and the NPA in France are spreading the lies of the media and intelligence agencies to justify the bombings on “humanitarian” grounds.
US and imperialist allies launch strikes against Syria
By The World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board, 14 April 2018
All of the governments participating in this new onslaught are crisis-ridden and lack any electoral legitimacy.
War fever grips German media
By Peter Schwarz, 14 April 2018
Die Welt demanded the “eradication of the Assad regime” and the deployment of “hundreds of thousands of soldiers” to Syria to “in the worst case scenario, fight Russians and Iranians.”
Momentum builds toward US-led strike on Syria
By James Cogan, 13 April 2018
The US secretary of state nominee, CIA head Mike Pompeo, left no doubt yesterday that the Putin regime in Russia is the main target behind the war crisis in the Middle East.
German government supports possible attack on Syria
By Johannes Stern, 13 April 2018
The German government supports the launching of an illegal war of aggression, which could trigger a confrontation between the nuclear powers.
British cabinet agrees on “action” against Syria, bypassing Parliament
By Julie Hyland, 13 April 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May convened her senior ministers with the express purpose of signing off on a major escalation in the seven-year US-led war for regime change in Syria.
War, lies and censorship
By Andre Damon, 13 April 2018
The New York Times, Washington Post and other mainstream news outlets function not as journalists, but as propagandists for the US/NATO war drive against Syria.
Macron threatens Syria, pledges to make no concessions to French workers
By Alex Lantier, 13 April 2018
Macron baldly announced he plans to launch unprovoked military attacks against Syria and that he would act with contempt for public opinion and the growing strike movement.
US, Britain and France prepare onslaught against Syria
By Statement of the World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board, 12 April 2018
The imperialist powers, based on fraudulent allegations, are on the verge of launching another bloodbath in the Middle East.
Opposing forces mobilise for war in Syria
By James Cogan, 12 April 2018
Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon stressed Moscow’s repeated warnings that it will retaliate against any attack that threatens its personnel in Syria.
German government supports war preparations against Syria
By Peter Schwarz, 12 April 2018
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Maas have made it clear that they unreservedly support US, French and British military action against Syria.
US media demands full-scale assault against Syria
By James Cogan, 11 April 2018
The New York Times and Washington Post have sent a clear message to Trump that a limited attack will be denounced as worse than useless.
France and UK spar to be leading US military partner in Syria
By Chris Marsden, 11 April 2018
The UK’s standing with Washington was undermined in 2013, when Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron called a parliamentary vote on a planned strike on Syria and lost.
Canada rallies behind US in its incendiary anti-Russia offensive
By Roger Jordan, 11 April 2018
Canada has signalled its support for the coming US attack on Syria, by pledging to work with its “international partners” to punish Syria and “its backers” with “all available means.”
UK and French forces on ground in Syria as US prepares wider war
By Halil Celik, 10 April 2018
The alleged chemical weapons attack provides an all-too convenient excuse for both countries to deepen their existing operations in Syria.
Turkish, Russian and Iranian presidents meet in Ankara
By Halil Celik, 10 April 2018
The presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran came together in Ankara April 4 to discuss developments in Syria as well as the relations between the three countries.
On the brink of war: US and NATO prepare military strike on Syria
By Keith Jones, 10 April 2018
The American and European ruling elites see in war a means not only to reverse a series of geopolitical setbacks in the Middle East, but also to crack down on domestic political opposition.
CIA stages gas attack pretext for Syria escalation
By Patrick Martin, 9 April 2018
The rhetoric of the Trump administration indicates that preparations are being made by the Pentagon for stepped-up military operations in Syria.
Trump reverses himself on Syria pullout order
By Patrick Martin, 6 April 2018
The move came after intense pressure from the Pentagon and much of the corporate media for a more aggressive anti-Russian and anti-Iranian posture.
Syria debacle deepens crisis of Trump administration
By Patrick Martin, 2 April 2018
While Trump spoke last week of removing US troops from Syria, the US-backed “rebel” forces lost their last stronghold near the capital city, Damascus.
Turkey’s seizure of Afrin and the growing threat of a regional war in the Middle East
By Halil Celik, 21 March 2018
While drifting away from its NATO partners, Ankara has forged closer relations, including both trade and military ties, with Russia and Iran, two main targets of US imperialism.
Threat of US attack on Syria grows amid fall of “rebel” stronghold
By Bill Van Auken, 20 March 2018
The imminent fall of the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta has been accompanied by Turkey’s overrunning of Afrin in the north, signaling a new stage in the seven-year-old Syrian war.
Russia threatens counter-strikes on US forces in Syria
By Halil Celik and James Cogan, 14 March 2018
Russia’s top military commander has vowed to retaliate against any attack on its forces in Syria, while Turkey is intensifying its offensive against US-backed rebels.
Australian pseudo-lefts feature at pro-imperialist #SaveGhouta rallies
By Zac Hambides, 13 March 2018
The real purpose of the rallies was to urge the US and other Western imperialist powers to directly militarily intervene into Syria.
Netanyahu, Trump discuss war preparations against Iran
By Bill Van Auken, 7 March 2018
Netanyahu, facing criminal indictment in Israel, and Trump, his administration in deepening crisis, met to discuss plans for an escalation of military aggression against Iran.
A new “left” appeal for imperialist intervention in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 2 March 2018
The “open letter” was clearly addressed to Washington and its allies, demanding the escalation of their use of armed force against the war-ravaged country.
US airstrike kills dozens amid mounting Western war propaganda over Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 28 February 2018
The orchestrated outcry over civilian deaths in Ghouta and chorus of chemical weapons allegations are aimed at preparing a major new imperialist escalation in the Middle East.
Tensions over Syria further undermine Turkish-NATO relations
By Halil Celik, 28 February 2018
Turkish government officials insist that the UN’s ceasefire resolution does not apply to Ankara’s invasion of the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin, which they claim is directed against “terrorists”.
Fighting continues in Syria after another UN ceasefire
By Chris Marsden, 26 February 2018
Tensions between the United States, Russia, Iran, and Turkey remained high in the wake of a US attack that killed dozens of Russian troops.
US military, Trump administration claim unlimited powers to wage war in Syria
By Patrick Martin, 26 February 2018
Letters from the State Department and the Pentagon maintain that no congressional approval is required to extend the US military intervention in the Middle East without limit, either in duration or scale.
Syrian government offensive prompts calls for intensified US military intervention
By Jordan Shilton, 22 February 2018
US media outlets have seized on the escalation of violence to call for the expansion of Washington’s illegal military intervention.
Syrian conflict further escalates as pro-Syrian forces enter Afrin
By Halil Celik, 22 February 2018
The multi-sided conflict in Syria is becoming increasingly complex and entangled, with Turkish, Syrian Kurdish and Syrian forces now facing each other in the same small area.
Washington delivers new ultimatum on Iran
By Bill Van Auken, 20 February 2018
The Trump administration is threatening to abrogate the Iran nuclear agreement in order to force the European powers to adopt a hard line against Tehran.
Tillerson declares US-Turkey relations in “crisis”
By Jordan Shilton and Halil Celik, 17 February 2018
The announcement of a joint initiative to manage conflicting interests in Syria could not conceal the deep rift between the two NATO allies.
Multiple reports confirm US killed Russians in Syrian oilfield airstrikes
By Bill Van Auken, 14 February 2018
The deaths of Russian military contractors under the rain of bombs and missiles unleashed by the Pentagon has sharply escalated war tensions.
Israeli attack on Syria heightens danger of wider Mideast war
By Chris Marsden, 12 February 2018
Israel attacked 12 of the country’s main air defence sites, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as “Iranian targets.”
Russians reported killed in US strikes in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 10 February 2018
The reports of Russian casualties came as Turkey resumed its own air strikes against the Kurdish enclave of Afrin.
US massacre of Syrian troops threatens to unleash wider war
By Bill Van Auken, 9 February 2018
US air and artillery strikes killed of as many as 100 pro-government troops as Washington drops the anti-ISIS pretext for its occupation of Syria.
US threat to escalate Syria war over alleged gas attacks
By Bill Van Auken, 7 February 2018
Washington’s threat to retaliate over alleged use of chemical weapons comes amid a steady widening of the multi-sided war in Syria.
Chomsky’s pro-imperialist Afrin petition
By Nick Beams, 6 February 2018
Right on cue, as if acting in accordance with a carefully drafted script, pseudo-left organisations and individuals have stepped forward to provide justifications for new US operations in the Middle East.
Downing of Russian fighter in Syria threatens wider war
By Peter Symonds, 5 February 2018
The warplane was shot down as Russian and US military forces face off at close quarters on opposing sides of Syria’s disastrous civil war.
Russian-backed Syrian peace talks reach deal on constitution as US discusses escalating conflict
By Jordan Shilton, 2 February 2018
A day after the conclusion of the talks, the Trump administration raised new and unsubstantiated claims that the Assad regime is developing chemical weapons.
US escalates war for annexation of Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 25 January 2018
In Syria, the Pentagon’s declared shift from the “war on terror” to great power conflict has already been realized in bloody facts on the ground.
Fighting rages as Turkey advances on Syrian Kurdish enclave
By Bill Van Auken, 23 January 2018
The Turkish military incursion into northern Syria has exacerbated deepening tensions within the NATO alliance and between the US and Europe.
Turkey invades Syria to attack US-backed Kurdish forces
By Halil Celik and Alex Lantier, 22 January 2018
The Turkish invasion points to a historic breakdown of the NATO alliance, of which the United States and Turkey are both members.
US announces indefinite deployment of military forces in Syria
By James Cogan, 19 January 2018
The pretext that the motive of the US in Syria was to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has been cast aside.
Turkish attack on Syrian Kurds marks major escalation in Middle East
By Halil Celik, 19 January 2018
The attack on Syria’s Afrin region is Turkey’s hostile response to the US announcement that it will continue supporting Kurdish forces as its key proxies in Syria.
US to set up 30,000-strong “border force” in Syria
By Peter Symonds, 16 January 2018
Having proclaimed the defeat of ISIS, Washington is determined to prosecute its goal of ousting the Iranian- and Russian-backed Syrian regime.
Russia charges Pentagon with training ex-ISIS fighters
By Bill Van Auken, 28 December 2017
The report that the US is training former ISIS militants is one more indication that Washington is preparing a new phase of the war in Syria.
Pentagon claims confrontation with Russian warplanes over Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 15 December 2017
The latest report of a hostile encounter between US and Russian fighters comes as Washington prepares to roll out a post-ISIS plan for continuing the war in Syria.
Putin stages “mission accomplished” visit to Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 12 December 2017
The Russian President's pronouncement of a 'victory' over ISIS presages not peace, but an even more direct and aggressive conflict between the US and Russia.
US-Russia tensions mount after ISIS’s defeat in Syria
By Bill Van Auken, 11 December 2017
Washington and Moscow have traded charges of provocative actions by each other’s warplanes in the skies over the Euphrates River valley.
British “aid” diverted to jihadi forces in Syria
By Jean Shaoul, 8 December 2017
The revelations confirm Britain’s covert support of jihadi forces as proxies to topple President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
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