| Having created the tragedy in the Palestinian territories by strangling the elected Palestinian Authority at birth, the US is now turning its attention to Damascus... |
US takes aim at Syria
WORKERS, JULY 2007 ISSUE
As events in the Middle East continue to move at speed, it appears that the US is adding Syria to its list of potential targets to attack. Syria's secular government has long been an example to workers in the region. Unlike its neighbours it has a comprehensive free health, welfare and education system, equal pay and rights for women. It has given full rights to its resident Palestinian refugee population including full access to free health and education, the right to travel, to work, the right to buy property and to take part in the political life of its own community and that of Syria. The only restrictions are that they cannot buy land or vote in elections.
In addition, Syria hosted 100,000 Lebanese refugees who fled their homes last year during the Israeli bombing of Lebanon. Now they are hosting some 1.5 to 2 million Iraqi refugees fleeing the violence caused by the US/UK invasion of Iraq.
But even though Syria has now opened its economy to foreign capital, prompting some Syrians to ask, "Where did our socialism go?", it remains on the US "Axis of Evil" list. Perhaps the reason can be seen in neighbouring countries. Jordan, the US's prize example of Arab capitalism, is what it sees as the model for Syria and other countries – a profitable place for massive financial investment by the US and Gulf Arab states. Luxury hotels, banks, shopping malls, satellite dishes offering the population more than one hundred 24-hour hard-porn TV channels, second homes for wealthy sheikhs and Arab businessmen away from the intense heat of the Saudi desert, profitable private health care and private universities and education are the order of the day.
Iraqi bougeoisie
The Golan Hospital, Quneitra: before withdrawing from the Syrian city in 1974, the Israeli army used the hospital for target practice.
Even the new Iraqi bourgeoisie, billionaires from US contracts in Iraq, choose to live in the safer haven of Amman and launder their billions in ostentatious hotels and building projects. They are joined in buying up most of Amman's real estate by the son of the assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri, who himself bought up most of Beirut. This is the capitalism that the US/UK wants to build in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Iran on the back of their workers.
But, like Iran, Syria is not compliant. Because of US sanctions, outside investment is coming from the Gulf Arab states, Iran, China and Russia. Syria's economy is skewed because it has to spend so much on defence due to the threat from Israel, which occupies the Syrian Golan Heights. It was also badly affected by the collapse of the Soviet Union. The US and Israel accuse Syria of "harbouring terrorists" – because it allows its one million Palestinian refugees to participate fully in the country's political life, and consequently has offices for Palestinian political organisations. Syria has also supported the resistance to Israeli occupation in Lebanon.
So to fulfil Bush's ambition of a wholly US-dependent capitalist Middle East, Syria has to be "dealt with". Having created the tragedy in the Palestinian territories by strangling the elected Palestinian Authority at birth, the US is now turning its attention to Syria. It is widely thought across the Middle East spectrum, including by a CNN presenter, that the assassinations of Lebanese politicians are being carried out by Israeli or US agents provocateurs, to blame Syria and prepare for an invasion. The daily airlift of US arms to the Lebanese Army represents more shells and bullets than can possibly be used against the "Islamists" at the Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. They are thought to be intended for rearming the Lebanese Army to attack Hizbollah (subject to an arms embargo) in the event of it supporting Syria if there is an Israeli attack on Syria.
Whilst there have been reports that Israel may do a deal with Syria over the return of the Golan Heights, the US has told Israel that the time is not right for such talks. Israel can attack Syria on its behalf and be territorially rewarded later.
On the ceasefire line
A visit to Quneitra on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line on the occupied Golan Heights is living proof that Syria cannot attack Israel. Under the terms of the 1973 ceasefire agreement, the Syrian military must be at least 30 km from the ceasefire line, while Israeli tanks are right on the line and the surrounding occupied mountains bristle with US-supplied Israeli electronic surveillance equipment. They can see and target Damascus without any problem. If Syrian tanks were to move towards the ceasefire line, both they and Damascus would be destroyed.
The thud of tank shells, the crackle of automatic fire and the screech of F16 jets can be clearly heard on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights as they practise attacking and taking a replica of a Syrian town. Demands by the US that Syria reinforce its border with Iraq to stop "foreign fighters" from crossing are also seen as an attempt to divert units of the Syrian army away from the Israeli front.
Kuwait has publicly said it will not permit an attack on Syria or Iran from its territory. The US and Israel complain bitterly that Syria is attempting to buy Russian fighter jets with which to defend its territory. Meanwhile, in Syria, priority is being given to building air raid shelters and bunkers.