(image credit: Getty Images)
The surprise attack on Bashar Assad's Syrian strongholds in December led to an almost immediate collapse of his family's dynasty and his dictatorship. This, after the Middle East had already been rocked by Israeli wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. As of December, over 45,000 Palestinians in Gaza and over 4,000 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, have been killed and millions displaced.
Assad's fall in December was heralded by Sunni Syrians, many of whom had been victims of Assad's brutality and displaced in the country's Civil War, which began in 2011 after Arab Spring related uprisings. External forces are at work all over this conflict. Turkey, Israel, the United States — news reports after Assad's fall suggested that even Ukraine had a hand in sending HTS drones for the battlefield.
External forces are at work all over this conflict. Turkey, Israel, the United States — news reports after Assad's fall suggested that even Ukraine had a hand in sending HTS drones for the battlefield.
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Deep Dive
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"Israel wanted a weak Assad and is not happy with the fall of this regime," says political scientist Joseph Daher, commenting on Tel Aviv's bombardment campaign across Syria. He says democracy in the Middle East is "the biggest threat for Israel." https://t.co/4UtuLQaHZY pic.twitter.com/D3lC8dSDsu
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) December 12, 2024
