The impending withdrawal of U.S. occupation forces from Syria is not a retreat—it is the culmination of a decade-long imperial playbook. Washington’s objectives have been met: Syria lies in ruins, its sovereignty shattered, its resources looted, and its government replaced by a pliant regime. The CIA’s jihadist proxies, Israel’s security demands, and the economic strangulation of the Syrian people have all served their purpose. Now, the U.S. can leave—not in defeat, but in cold, calculated victory.
The Regime Change Blueprint
From the outset, America’s "war on terror" in Syria was a farce. The very groups the U.S. claimed to fight—ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates—were the product of CIA and Pentagon funding, training, and arming. The goal? Topple Assad, fracture the resistance axis, and ensure Syria could never challenge Israel or U.S. hegemony. When Russia intervened in 2015, Washington panicked. Putin’s campaign threatened to dismantle the jihadist networks the U.S. had nurtured. So, the Pentagon rushed in—not to defeat ISIS, but to seize Syria’s economic lifelines: its oil and wheat fields.
As I’ve documented for years, the U.S. occupation of eastern Syria was never about counterterrorism. It was about economic warfare. By controlling Syria’s hydrocarbons and breadbasket, Washington starved the population, crushed morale, and made reconstruction impossible. Dana Stroul, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence (DASD) for the Middle East, admitted as much: The U.S. held "one-third of Syria" as leverage to dictate Syria’s political future.
Israel’s Silent Victory
The second objective was securing Israel’s interests. The U.S. military base at Al-Tanf served as a chokehold, blocking Iranian supply routes while providing intelligence for Israeli airstrikes. With Syria’s air defences systematically destroyed, Israel bombed with impunity—often using Jordanian airspace to evade detection. Today, Syria’s military is a shell of its former self. The new regime in Damascus, led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani (now lauded by TIME as one of 2025’s "most influential people"), poses no threat to Tel Aviv.
In fact, whispers from Emirati sources confirm what analysts like me have long argued: Israel and Turkey orchestrated Julani’s offensive last November. With Syria now drifting into Saudi Arabia’s orbit, normalization with Israel is inevitable, and Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine have lost their Syrian anchor.
The Economic Assassination of Syria
Now comes the final phase: debt bondage. Saudi Arabia’s offer to pay Syria’s World Bank debts is not charity but a trap. The World Bank, a tool of U.S. financial imperialism, will drown Syria in predatory loans, just as it did to Lebanon.
Conclusion: An Empire’s Playbook
The U.S. withdrawal from Syria is not an admission of failure—it is the endgame of a brutal, successful imperial campaign. Syria has been militarily castrated, economically shackled, and politically neutered. The Iran-led axis is in retreat, Israel is secure, and a pliant regime rules Damascus.
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