Anand Gopal on Syria, Iraq, Yemen

https://www.democracynow.org/2017/5/3/full_interview_anand_gopal_on_syria

An important interview with journalist Anand Gopal on Syria, Iraq, Yemen & on US, Iranian, Saudi strategy in the Middle East. It’s political analysis, not Islamophobic & war-mongering rubbish like Hands Off Syria Coalition & Assadist propagandists pawn off.

There is one strong exception I take to his analysis which is most evident in his comments on Yemen. He emphasizes the ports & economic interests in Yemen. To my mind, the unifying political intent of US, Russian, Saudi, Iranian intervention & collaboration (albeit temporary & unstable collaboration) in the Middle East is to decisively reverse the Arab Spring uprisings against dictators, monarchs, military juntas.

The method of reversal employed in Syria & Yemen is to bomb the revolutions into smithereens; in Bahrain & Egypt, it is to reinforce repression & military control; in Palestine, it is to use Israel as an armed fortress against Palestinians & as a political force in all of the Middle East.

Principled activists demand the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all foreign military forces in every one of those countries & let revolution proceed unrestrained to take down autocracy & build democratic societies.