At the onset of the so-called “Syrian Civil War” in 2012, Unión del Barrio condemned the drive of the US government to force a “regime change” in Syria that was intended to support the position of US imperialism in the devastating invasion and occupation of Iraq. We knew then that the political-economic objectives of the US have nothing to do with protecting the people of Syria, and have everything to do with maintaining operational control of the region, including the extraction of Iraqi oil, and align preparations for a future conflict with Iran.
Unión del Barrio condemns this escalation of war that is led by US imperialism under the leadership of fascist billionaire Donald J. Trump. Despite the humanitarian pretenses spouted by all sides of this imperialist proxy war, it is the Syrian people that stand in the way of their plans and it is the Syrian people that have been made to suffer the most terrible violence. Indeed, the April 6th airstrikes against a Syrian airfield were not designed to bring peace and self-determination to the Syrian people. Instead, the April 6th airstrikes represent an escalation of the war against the people of Syria with the objective of installing a puppet state that is friendly to US imperial interests, and to expand operational control of the region and its energy resources.
It must be completely clear that the role of United States is not as a peacemaker, nor a challenge against the use of chemical weapons. The position of the United States government in that region has been, and continues to be, as an ally of fanatics and a merchant of death, both financing purchases and selling weapons to reactionary countries such as feudal Saudi Arabia and the Zionist apartheid state of Israel, both fighting and fomenting the so-called Islamic State, both ignoring and supporting the so-called “rebels” that are fighting against Bashar Al-Assad. We suspect that there is more to the story of the recent use of chemical weapons against civilians in Syria. We suspect this because we know there are no “good guys” in this imperial proxy war. We also know that the victims are the innocent masses of displaced and dispossessed civilians in Syria, Iraq, and throughout the region.
Unión del Barrio denounces these imperial machinations and the dangerous escalation of the war against the Syrian people. We know that it is impossible to help the long-suffering people of Syria through further bombings. What the Syrian people need is a cessation of all bombings, and more hospitals, the rebuilding of schools, roads, and basic infrastructure upon which to build a path towards peace.
We unite with the World Federation of Trade Unions in support of the self-determination of the Syrian people and call on the following:
- All foreign troops must leave the region.
- End to the imperialist intervention against Syria and the whole Middle East
- The wealth-producing resources of Syria belong to its people.
- The peoples of the region are the only ones who have the right to decide freely and democratically on their present and future.
- Stop chemical weapons use by everyone.
We call on all working class and peace loving people to denounce this escalation of war by US imperialism by uniting with the world-wide struggle of the working class to build the May 1st International Workers Day marches and stand on the side of working people everywhere as we denounce war and fascism!
Comité Central, Unión del Barrio
April 7, 2017