Richard C Cook

I have received the following urgent update from my confidential on-the-ground correspondent in Syria:

Syria: Guns and Butter

Syria fell because the livelihood of the population was destroyed due to US occupation of energy resources and grain fields, which was compounded by the “Caesars” sanctions. Damascus had one hour of electricity per day, a soldier’s monthly salary was $7, and a general’s $40, way below subsistence levels.

The situation was worse than the siege of Leningrad, where some supplies, albeit insufficient, could come via Lake Ladoga. The siege of Syria lasted longer than the 900 days of Leningrad.

Syria tried to have China invest in productive projects, but nothing came of it, because China was afraid of breaking the sanctions.

Syria then decided to mend relations with the Gulf Oil monarchies, seeking investments. This was prevented by the US.

The Syrian government had enough guns but not enough butter. The situation was unsustainable, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

When the NATO-Turkey-Israel-backed terrorists started the most recent attacks, President Assad decided it was best for the Syrian people for him to leave. Thus he rejected Russian and Iranian military aid proposals, as this would bring more deaths and destruction on Syria, and the economic suffering of the population would not be resolved.

Many talk shows blame the debacle on the corruption of Syrians and Arabs in general. Besides the inherent racism in such remarks, a good reminder to those would be the ruthless Nazi proxy “Russian Liberation National Army” comprised of tens of thousands of Soviet military who fought alongside the Nazis against the Soviet Union.

As for corruption, one recalls the rampant and across-the-board corruption during the Yeltsin years when the Russian economy was destroyed by neoliberalism.

This brings to mind the Arabic proverb: “حين تسقط البقرة يكثر سلاّخوها” “When the cow falls, many are the butchers.”

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Via https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-siege-of-syria-poverty-and-famine-richard-c-cook/5874833