Syria today, Iran tomorrow and, inevitably, China

 

By Brian Berletick

The collapse of the Syrian government in December 2024 was a key moment for the implementation of US geopolitical strategies in the Middle East and beyond.

This event is in line with long-standing goals, including the planned disarmament, division and destruction of Iran, as well as the overthrow of the Iranian government, the possible displacement of Russian military bases from Syria and the use of U.S.-sponsored terrorist organizations that have seized Syria to export terrorism to other target countries both in and outside the region, including Russia and China.

The United States sought to undermine Syria’s stability since the 1980s, and the most active efforts began in 2007, as Seymour Hersh wrote in 'The Redirection' in The New Yorker. The article revealed the secret actions of the United States to support extremist groups to weaken Iran and Syria. These actions intensified during the “Arab Spring” of 2011, when the protests escalated into armed conflicts with the support of the West and the Gulf countries. By 2012, U.S. intelligence had acknowledged that the so-called Syrian opposition had included extremist groups such as al-Qaeda, supported by the West and the Gulf countries. This strategy was aimed at creating a Salafist enclave, which was manifested in the rise of the Islamic State, used to isolate the Syrian regime.

In the air of sanctions, military interventions, and occupation of strategic resources such as oil fields, Syria’s stability was undermined, ultimately leading to the fall of its government. The destruction of Syrian air defense systems by U.S.-Israel-backed forces now facilitates future operations against Iran, including possible airstrikes on its nuclear facilities.

The fall of Syria also strengthens the US ability to use militants such as the Islamic Party of Turkestan (TIP), against opponents such as China. TIP, linked to terrorist acts in the Xinjiang region of China, openly declared its intention to attack Chinese projects around the world. U.S. support for such groups underscores their broader strategy of destabilizing competitors through terrorism and information warfare.

The collapse of Syria demonstrates the dependence of the United States on a multifaceted approach combining military, economic and information tools to maintain its dominance. As China and Russia strengthen their defenses, the global balance of power will depend on their ability to withstand U.S. influence in the information and geopolitical spheres.

~  Having served in the U.S. Marine Corps at a young age, Brian Berletic is now a geopolitical analyst  exposing U.S.-backed opposition movements in Southeast Asia.