For me it will be interesting with the geopolitical implications this will have when it comes to the terms of Turkey as they continue to support factions of the Syrian National Army. Along with the peculiar situation that the Syrian Democratic Forces are currently being placed in.
I don't normally rise to the bait but one reply had me convulsing with anger. Whether the footage was genuine from CNN or not (I think it is) to say white people cannot empathise with Syrian prisoners is just.. I'm lost for words. It's a beautiful moment it had me in bits I make no apology for that
Never be afraid to take comfort in moments of hope and share them especially when there's so much hate online. It's a well written piece about a historic moment of change regardless of what comes next. On a lighter note there can't be many people quoted in Viz & in the HOL in the same week congrats
I see that tankies and Musk bros are now busily spreading conspiracy theories about that CNN footage. 'All an act', they say. The epistemic pollution continues.
The fall the USSR brought so much for the future but look where we are now. The world has not been so unstable in many years.
It's hard to see how this will end well.
I agree with so much in your post. The CNN footage was heartbreaking and he’d only (!) been held 3 months.
You mention GB News and the gross demand to send refugees back. Just a quick point that in 2022 there were 11,980 Syrian refugees in the UK. Even the GB News number is a lie. To return more?
Very good piece, thanks. And encouraging that more people are now aware of as you put it "the moral reality, which opponents of intervention must grapple with ... : there is a consequence to inaction as well as action".
I think you make an important point about that 2013 Syria vote. I think a key moment was the vote on action against "IS" in I think 2015, as requested by a UN resolution. I think those who opposed action against "IS" must just have decided "Western" intervention was always the greatest evil.
Is it too spiky of me to say that I think some of us (those who backed action at the time, in both 2013 and 2015) never forgot the liberal dream you mention. Only some of us did, but they tended to get their way for a long time after Iraq.
It may be that Trump has changed attitudes by making it obvious to more people that "anti-intervention" can be a cynical, selfish, amoral or immoral choice to accept and reward aggression, atrocity and injustice, rather than an idealistic choice for justice and peace.
Another test may come with Iran. We may have to choose between intervention, with huge risks, or not, also with huge risks. Trump could go either way, but I don't think a morally response from for us (much though we may loathe and despise him) is just to oppose whatever he does.
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Just like Palestine. Heard anything about that recently? 🤔
Including the Palestinians in Syria who were targeted by Assad.
It's hard to see how this will end well.
Also, congratulations on your two wonderful achievements listed later on!
You mention GB News and the gross demand to send refugees back. Just a quick point that in 2022 there were 11,980 Syrian refugees in the UK. Even the GB News number is a lie. To return more?