For the second time in the short period since the Biden administration has taken office, the United States has bombed Syria. This time Biden also bombed Iraq. Both attacks are illegal and violations of international laws guaranteeing the sovereignty and autonomy of all countries. If anyone thought the election of Joe Biden would bring peace in the Middle East, this is yet another reminder that U.S. imperialism is a totally bipartisan venture. According to Syrian media, the US bombs hit residential buildings near the border. The governments of Syria and Iraq have condemned the bombings as violation of their countries’ sovereignty.
A U.S. military spokesperson claimed the U.S. bombing raids were “defensive” and meant to deter attacks on US troops. However, the entire recent escalation of fighting in the area began after the US conducted a drone attack within Iraq that killed the Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani along with Iraqi military leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis and others in January 2020. Furthermore, the United States retains troops on the ground, and naval and air bases throughout the entire region. If the U.S. is concerned about protecting its troops, it needs to remove them from Syria and Iraq, and stop the military encroachment and threats towards Iran. As long as U.S. troops are on foreign soil, they will be a target for those who want control of their country to be in their own hands, not beholden to the dictates of Washington and Wall Street.
The U.S. military spokesperson also claimed that the air strikes were against “Iranian backed militia groups,” as if this somehow justifies these military attacks. Iran, Syria and other countries and groups within the Middle East that comprise the “arc of resistance” to US imperialism and Israeli Zionism have the right to resist entities that seek to dominate and exploit their peoples and resources. It is precisely because of their objection to U.S. and Israeli domination that they remain targets of both.
Furthermore, these attacks happened while negotiations are in progress between the United States and Iran to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, from which the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew. Although the Iran Nuclear Deal was touted as one of the high points of the former Obama/Biden administration, when Biden took office he did not reinstate the agreement, instead imposing additional harsh sanctions on Iran and demanding new concessions. In recent days, the U.S. Department of Justice has also hacked and closed Iranian news websites including PressTV. The attacks on Iran and “Iranian-backed groups” clearly complicate and may doom hopes of returning to the Iran Nuclear Deal. Iran had hoped that the Nuclear Deal would end the harsh U.S. sanctions that have greatly hurt the Iranian people.
We urge groups and individuals to protest the recent bombings and demand:
Stop the bombing!
U.S. Out the Middle East!
Hands off Syria and Iran!
End the Sanctions!
Bring all U.S. Troops Home Now!