Syria Destruction Vital to Saudi, Israeli Hegemonic Interests: Analyst

“Israel and Saudi Arabia are both Zionist regimes. They were created by British imperialism to divide and conquer the Arabs in the Middle East. The destruction of Syria is imperative to their long-term hegemonic interests in the region. Israel relies on the Saudis to promote Wahhabism, which blackens the name of Islam by associating it with terrorism…,” Gearóid Ó Colmáin told the Tasnim News Agency.

Gearóid Ó Colmáin is a journalist and political analyst based in Paris. His work focuses on globalization, geopolitics and class struggle. He is a regular contributor to Dissident Voice, Global Research, Russia Today International, Press TV, Sputnik Radio France, Sputnik English, Al Jazeera and Al Mayadeen. He writes in English, Gaelic, and French.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Tasnim: Multiple places in Syria came under attack by US, British and French military forces after President Donald Trump ordered a military strike against the war-torn country last week over the alleged use of chemical weapons by Damascus in Douma. What is your take on the attack?

Gearoid Ó Colmáin: The attack (in Douma) was clearly a false flag operation. It was undertaken by the White Helmets in coordination with British and American and Israeli intelligence agencies. The goal was simply to create the pretext for the bombing. President Trump had stated that he wished to disengage from Syria. Israel was not happy with that decision as they want America to fight their Middle Eastern wars and the war in Syria is, and always has been, a proxy war started by Israel to destroy Iran’s most important regional ally, the Syrian Arab Republic.

Tasnim: Many experts described the attack as a “political show”. What do you think?

Gearoid Ó Colmáin: At the outset of the war on Syria, President (Bashar) Assad said that Syria was fighting a new kind of war: Fourth Generation Warfare, which relies on mercenaries presented as “freedom fighters” and mass media disinformation. He said that Syria did not have the means of winning the information war on its own. Since then, more and more independent journalists have been reporting on Syria and informing the public about how monopoly media linked to the Western imperial establishment, hoodwink the public into supporting wars of aggression disguised as “humanitarian interventions”. The latest accusations against Syria by the Western military alliance are a desperate attempt to maintain the Big Lie. But this time, it has backfired. Now even Fox News, America’s most viewed news station, are admitting that the attack was staged. This could have serious implications for Trump. During his presidential campaign, he spoke a lot about fake news. Now, he has taken military action on the basis of what many of his supporters in Fox News are calling fake news.

Tasnim: How do you see the role of Israel and Saudi Arabia in the attack?

 Gearóid Ó Colmáin: Israel and Saudi Arabia are both Zionist regimes. They were created by British imperialism to divide and conquer the Arabs in the Middle East. The destruction of Syria is imperative to their long-term hegemonic interests in the region. Israel relies on the Saudis to promote Wahhabism, which blackens the name of Islam by associating it with terrorism. Israel and Saudi Arabia would have most to lose if the US pulled out of Syria, so they clearly had a role spreading the lies about the chemical attack. Israel, with characteristic chutzpah, also used the chemical hoax to deflect attention from their own massacres in the occupied territories, massacres which the “international community” routinely ignores or plays down.

Tasnim: In a tweet following the attack, Trump said, “A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” What was the mission?

Gearóid Ó Colmáin: From a French and British standpoint, the mission was about maintaining NATO’s war against Syria. For Trump, it is unclear, given his stated intentions of pulling US troops out. He may be attempting to placate the liberal belligerents and neocons in the US Congress who are, to a very large extent, bought and paid for by Zionists. Although Trump’s official policy in the Middle East is ultra-Zionist, his isolationist tendencies and the slogan of ‘America first’ are a long-term threat to the Israeli-Firsters in the US ruling elite. There may be a difference between what Trump thinks and what he says and does. Many of the people calling for the ousting of Assad also want Trump to be impeached. There is a conflict at the heart of the US ruling elite between globalists and nationalists and it is unclear where Trump stands in the conflict right now.

Tasnim: What would happen if the US and its allies bomb Syria again?

Gearóid Ó Colmáin: The bombing was more about Trump placating the liberal belligerent establishment at home and abroad than about ousting Assad. In many respects, it was a repeat of last year’s bombing of Al-Shayrat airbase, which didn’t do much damage. Much will depend now on the media war. With more and more journalists in US media asking questions, there is hope that US imperialism may have lost much of its destructive psychological power. If the truth movement in the media gains critical mass, the war in Syria will be history.