Why do you support Syria?

I get asked that a lot by Syrians who are genuinely curious or surprised by support of Syria by a non-Syrian.

And it’s sometimes hard to give a good reply, or at least a concise one, because the reasons are manifold.

Yesterday, I posed the question to followers on Facebook. The replies were fantastic:

Kamel El-Cheikh Eva Karene Bartlett well I can tell you my personal experience with Syria. I was born in Lebanon of Shia Muslim decent, immigrated to Canada at 7 years old, became a proud Canadian Lebanese. The reason why we immigrated is that Lebanon was attacked by Israel and was already in a civil war because of Israel. We went to Syria to seek refuge many times and my experiences there were very pleasant. Now, the tables have turned as Israel wants a puppet government in Syria so the Syrians fled to Lebanon for the same reasons. Both the Syrians and Lebanese helped each other in these imperialistic cases of the zionist agenda. So what you say from someone who hasn’t visited in over 30 years is not only your well learned opinion but is a fact for all the middle east. Your words as the proxy went on from 2011 until now echo the experience of my mom and dad telling me to look the other way at 5 years old because a few of our neighbours were killed by war planes as we either flea to beirut or Syria and eventually Canada. This is why I have become a humanitarian supporting the oppressed or speaking for the voiceless or making good friends who are real journalist like you Eva.
Hendrick Smit Because the country is populated by kind people who do not deserve the atrocities of a proxy war?
Chris Edwards Could start from just being against Israel/US wars and then you get attached to the country and its people.
Cause they are brave and baring the brunt of the enemy and its proxies.
Valentina Capurri Because Western countries had no right to invade it and destroy it as they did. As someone living in one of these countries, it is my responsibility to make clear I do not support the crimes committed by my own government.

Eros Zagaglia I’d support any country enduring what Syria is enduring, terrorism, US empire plans. Plus, I discovered very friendly people and a great tradition. A gem in the Arab world

Donal Taaffe Because it has been unfairly and illegally attacked by international criminals like the US, UK, Israel etc. who then lied about a non existent civil war
Patrick Corbett For all the good reasons above (or below). And because Syria for me is a beacon on a dark night showing the way to the victory of a people’s fight for sovereignity, peace and solidarity in the face of brutal imperialism. They fight for us as well; we need to acknowledge their sacrifice for all.
Esteban El Suizo Because beautiful Syria with its intelligent and kind-hearted people is a main cradle of human civilization, some of the most valuable monuments in the world, including six Unesco World Heritage Sites, are located in Syria. True culture and civilization is found all over in Syria, not in junk countries without past & future like Saudi-Arabia. I LOVE this.
Because Syria is an undefeated stronghold against Zionist & colonial NWO-arrogancy. I LOVE this, too.
Cecilia Nunez Because as MLK rightly said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Branka Furi Trogrlic Syrian people have the right for self determination. Any foreign country which object that, forcing them to change, can not call themselves democratic countries. Those are imperialists.
Chris Vlaar I support it like I support Libya and Iraq, countries that have been obliterated, raped and murdered because of money (resources) and power. And not many seem to care.

Kari Angelique Jaquesson Westphalian sovereignty

It is a matter of principle for me.
Syria is a sovereign country with inviolable borders, and every Syrian has the unquestionable right to self-determination over their country and leadership without foreign intervention or meddling.

Then, also, I have fallen very fond of Syria and Syrians and I regard president Assad as a very competent and loyal leader, however affection, admiration or like/approval/ or not of leadership is not relevant when it comes to principle.

Either one believes in sovereignty or not, simple as that. I do.

Rima Najm Because I’m a human being with a functioning brain.
Rima Bidan Its the best country in the world enjoying a sublime cuture and a decent past
Its origin is respected, its climate is amazing…moderate and of four seasons… which means healthy food and nice weather, the land is generous, the people are good “if left alone” in the past religion was not a problem ,now if you are not aware and highly educated and open minded you would fall in the conflict… I believe and love the mentality of the leader and his wife but I hate the corruption and favouratism all around🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼So sad I left it in 2017 but promise to be back and enjoy my life there🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾All can be fixed and done better in the coming years due to people like you Eva… inside and out💔💔💔💔💔
Bjarni Thomas I support Syria because it is the right thing to do.
Because if my country was being attacked from all sides, I would want the international community to support my country too.
O’Leathlobhair Keith I will never stand by silently and watch the bully of the playground terrorize an innocent kid.
Jean Sievers I support Syria because they are a sovereign country in their own right. All countries supposedly under International Law have the right to be autonomous. This isn’t how it works, in reality, the US Empire has a long history of invading countries that say no to their Imperial demands.
Ketil Øynes I hate imperialism and especially the role the US has taken upon themselves as the world police, when anyone with 2 braincells can see, that they are warmongers with no care for peoples life or international law.
Suzanne Sanders Because Syria isn’t trying to invade and colonize where I live. I don’t respect bullies! yes, I don’t respect my govt!
Michael Darr Because it’s where my grandparents were born and my ancestors are buried and it is me and I am it.
Zach Fresa Because I am a human being
ماهر أبوعسله الأسد You are Syrian my dear Eva more than a lot of Syrians
Babsi Schie I supported Syria as I started to see the play in place here in my home, Egypt.I realized they were victims of endless propaganda and that the reality presented in media doesn’t reflect the reality in the ground. Having gone through “Arab Spring” and the following counter revolution to dispose of the MB ruling in 2013, which I fully supported after Morsi called for a no-fly zone over Syria in April 2013, totally was w Syria and followed closely (daily) since 2012. Eid Wahda!
Ingunn No Gun Walsøe Because e I want the people to be able to chose how they want to live. I do not support the western founded religious extremists who want to implement sharia laws in Syria
Caro Ball Support for the Palestinians, and standing up against the Zio and Western Imperialist agendas, not to mention the unity of the Syrian people and love and respect for their President and army, just a few of the reasons why I love Syria.
Ramon Carrera Because no sovereign nation should be used as fodder for other more powerful nations to extract their sovereign wealth. Also to used to extend its geo political policies.
Richard Langlois Because I consider all the evidence with an open mind and its clear to me that the Western narrative is a lie.
I have no reason to distrust the Syrians but every reason to distrust the West.
Bridget Thomas Whitehead Because I have never believed the media and political lies by
Western governments.
Kirill Kalinin Because unlike other countries its legitimate government has a chance to restore constitutional order and become a success story against colour revolutions
Birgit Lenderink I support any sovereign nation to choose its’ own leadership. Syria is a sovereign nation. The people of Syria have chosen their leadership. Period.
Bambang Ardayanto Because of this :
” We are born to love , love is our mother ” ~ ( Rumi said ) .
But the Deep State and Devil Alliances of warmonger and the greedy of arm industry and bloody oil want to occupy Syria and destroy it like they do in Iraq & Libya also Yemen through other hands . Then if success , they will do the same with Iran.
Todd Deatherage Because they are good and kind people, accepting of others, fantastic musicians and artists, who are under a good administration that doesn’t discriminate against anyone or any group, as long as they respect others.
Genaro Efrain Martinez Oropeza Because of the love of her people , their self determination and their strength for not kneeling to Evil Empire’s interest , I’m Venezuelan I feel first hand what they are fighting for, Natura Guide and Protect Syria
Riahi Youssef We support Syria because both the government and the people are fighting a just cause
David Webster Syrians have just as much right to life, liberty and the pursuit of tail as anybody else.
Arthur Illner To defend Syria’s national independence is to defend the national independence of all countries

Michael Keefer Because I value justice and the search for truth, and I know that Syria has been the victim of a filthy proxy war–engineered by Western powers and their Middle Eastern satrapies, and carried out by those powers and the merciless fanatics who have been their tools.

It has been a war as well of smears, slander, deliberate inversions of actuality, and vicious lies–and the corporatist media and Western opposition parties, as well as many supposedly oppositional intellectuals, have been fully complicit in disseminating that propaganda.

I honour the courage of the Syrian people in resisting multiple attacks upon their country, and I honour the integrity of those journalists, academics, activists and whistleblowers who have laboured to expose falsehoods and tell the truth.

Riaz Malik Because the alternate is disastrous.
Earl Cheffield I support the truth because there is no democracy without truth and the war on Syria like the war on Libya and the war on Iraq and the war on Aghanistan before it, is a war based on lies, therefor it is a war on truth itself and a war on democracy.
Colin Brace Because Syria is a key link in the Axis of Resistance. ✊✊✊
Miguel Reis Cause i love the history of Civilization, i believe in secularism, in int.law, in solidarity and above all Righteousness.
Ahmad Hayek Syria is your second home you just have to visit to see that
Emmanuel R. Sabater Supporting Syria is supporting the truth.
Ostarra Langridge Because Syria was wickedly and insidiously attacked by the very evil and insidious Empire
Guy Crittenden Syria today is what Spain was in the 1930s — a rallying point for progressives opposed to the spread of fascism. So far, Syria has held the line, which is impressive since it the leading industrialized nations have tried to destroy it for eight years. Understanding what was attempted on Syria reveals the true nature of the American empire and its vassal states.
Don Harder I support Syria for the exact opposite reason I don’t support the country of my birth. Syria is a non aggressor state. It and its people are victims just like Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Serbia and sadly, many dozens of others. They deserve their right to exist peacefully as all humans do.
Stella Emm Because it is the first time my eyes were open to the blatant corruption and lies of war, ‘organisations’ and government corruption.
Because I’ve never seen more dignified people dealing with criminality that ‘my government’ imposed on them.
Because I never knew how everyday people can close their eyes to their own crimes against Syria.
Because they taught me what ‘proxy war’ looks like.
Because I never knew the true meaning of ‘hero’ and ‘martyr’ until I met Syria.
Because Syria inspires me to be a better ‘me’.
Because Syrians inspire strength as well as faith.
Because Syria showed me its far better to stand and speak than sit and cover my ears.
Because Syria is a rare jewel of the world and worth fighting for.
Because I respect their President, their people and their sovereignty
Because Syria fights for me, so I will fight for Syria ❤️ 🇸🇾🙏🏼
Sam Novid Before the war, I visited Syria. People were extremely kind and helpful to me. As soon as they found I was “ajnabi” (meaning foreginer), they paid for my taxi fare or gave me extra help (I.e. going out of their way to make sure i found my destenation, even holding my arms which is a sign of friendship, etc.)…I was so impressed that I made a promise to myself to help Syrians if I see them in Iran. For years I was looking out to help a Syrian until the war broke out, and after learning what’s really going on (thanks to Eva’s eye opening talk at UN), I became an advocate for Syria thinking that’s the way I can finally repay their hospitability and kindness.
__________
Funny story regarding the word “ajnabi”:
We also use the Arabic word “ajnabi” in Iran too, but unlike the original Arabic meaning, this word has a very negative connotation and a very specific usage in Persian. It is exlcusvily used in political context of Western imperialism (mostly British or American governments or their agents, like CIA or MI6.)
The first time a security guard (casually) asked me if I was an “ajnabi”, I almost screamed saying “NO, NO, NO, I am Iranian, I am not an ajnabi”, thinking he might arrest me as a spy or something, which is doubly funny since back then I was barely an adult, and looked much younger (I think Iooked 15)….The guard must have thought I was crazy. lol….when I was called ajnabi again, I realized it just means foreigner, and not an imperialist agent .
Peggy Howells Initially Syria was just a name to me. I knew very little about the country, although, I knew enough about our wars to be skeptical of mainstream reports. A link to the preview of Tim Anderson’s ‘Dirty War on Syria’ was shared on a WikiLeaks thread. From there I because interested to learn more of the country and its people, and began to make Syrian friends. The more I learned, the more I came to love the country and its brave and clever people. And its champions in the West, such as yourself Eva. I will visit one day and I expect it will be like going home. In fact, my own country is becoming less and less recognizable. Syria to me represents hope. Its struggle is a struggle of light against darkness. I look forward to day when every inch has been liberated. We need our victories. There have been too many countries destroyed.
Pye Ian Aside from core sovereignty issues, it’s a bulwark of defense against “Syrian War Lies and the Greater Israel Project
Linda S. Heard Syria has been unfairly treated by the West ever since Assad blasted Blair over the Iraq War. Since reporting on Syria has been not only angled but peppered with outright lies. Assad did not open the door to foreign terrorists, the US despatched most of them and the U.K. ramped up the anti-government propaganda with its funding of the White Helmets and Syrian Observatory. The idea that Syria would deploy chemical weapons on the very day UN inspectors came to Damascus was absolutely bonkers. This entire tragic episode was triggered by the usual Arab Spring crowd but was hijacked by big powers out for regime change on behalf of Israel. Thanks to Putin they have failed but still will not give up trying.
Malu Ribeiro After the history of NATO and US interference, yes, with Israel in the background, maybe as the boss (this part I admit, of IS in LA, I’ve only been learning in recent years), people have to be wilfully blind not to see how the Empire works! over 59 interventions in LA, I don’t even know how many in the ME, always fomenting fake Cold War and destabilisation of Europe, … we’ve to see who’s the problem!!
Plus, 😀 … hhhh … I lived my childhood in BR and Syrians brought delicious food to Sao Paulo and are very productive members of the community … I’ve never met a dumb or lazy syrian, as stereotypes go … if anyone thinks a little, we’re all a little syrian .. 🙂
Brian Gray As an anti-imperialist and in understanding myself as a neo-Platonic Humanist, importantly because of my affiliation with the LaRouche political movement, actively involved as a fulltime activist from 1976 to 1981 and continueing as an advocate of LaRouche policies… I support and have supported the sovereign nation of Syria going back to Hafez al Assad’s administration with the understanding that the attacks on the Assad leadership is typical of the dying desperate British/US/NATO axis’ strategy against any all sovereign nations that don’t abide by the dictates of the so-called “rules-based” western neo-liberal “democracies” and importantly are sanely aligning with the opportunities for global peace thru global development and reconstruction offered by China’s BRI and Russia’s EAEU. When Vladimir Putin finally had had enough of the British/US/NATO deployment and protection of their terrroist proxies so-called “civil war” which was gaining momentum in threatening the Assad government and deployed Russian military into Syria on September 30th 2015… the world profoundly changed.
William Nolan Syria is a beautiful country with ancient roots. Its people are warm and generous. Various Christian and Muslim sects live side by side in harmony. The majority love their elected president.
The U.S. and its allies tried to do to Syria what they did to Libya so they could install a puppet government.
The Syrian people united against the Salafist terrorists who attacked them and, with the help of allies, beat back the barbarian hoards.
My heart and soul are with the Syrian people. May they once again live in peace, harmony and prosperity.
Carlos Tierra Because Syria deserves the right to self-determine – without the genocidal U.S and Zionist Israel interfering with that.
Peter Karig It was around 2015 or 2016 I think when I became informed about Syria and the false flag gas attacks. It was you, Vanessa, and Catlin Johnstone who really got my attention first, and then for some reason I became obsessed. Syria is obviously nothing like what western media says it is, and Assad, his wife, the Syrian army, they are in reality greatly loved. Syria is also a beautiful country that doesn’t need to be destroyed and turned into a terrorist jihadist hell hole.
Michael Robertson No written statement from me can describe fully or adequately express the monumental RESPECT I hold for both the Syrian and Palestinian people..Their unbelievable sacrifice and bravery astounds and humbles me every day compounding the absolute shame I feel as a UK citizen for the evil actions of my own country
Ahmed Amado Asgher Because Syrians are generally good people and educated. They respect their women and they have an ancient history. They are also made up of various ethnic groups with diverse religeous beliefs, who have lived together in peace for many generations. Sadly Saudis with tacist American and Israeli approval wrecked Syria by causing chaos in that land. It is a known fact that most of these thugs were Al-Qaeda recruits paid for by the Saudis. They had no regard for life nor for the ancient historical sites in Syria. I am 72 years, travelled the world and read/write 3 languages fluently, including Arabic.
Roula Alhassan *Because Syria is a country in itself, with its strength and steadfastness in the face of all challenges, even if these challenges were against any other country, it would have completely collapsed….
*Because its leadership, its people and its army are the same in opinion and wisdom.
*Because its people grew up loving the homeland and other people.
* Because it is my home.
Kef Elmassih For the same reason I support Palestine..
“..Because it is a just cause, a noble ideal, a moral quest for equality and human rights.” – Edward Said
Peter Bagwasi Any normal person would stand with the innocent against the devil.
Stewart Ollett The list of countries that oppose apartheid Israel is getting shorter. Russia and Iran (in this instance) take a bow….. Shame on the West…
Hector Williams A secular Christian, I support the govt which protects them. As someone who loathes neocons, globalists, wahhabis, banderites and Zionist s, I also support the people who fight against them!!!
Rina Paki because it is the true and correct thing to do!
Huss Sureh Because Syria is with the truth and the truth is with Syria!!!
John Thatcher Because they are fighting against US/Israeli tyranny.Plus disgraceful regimes like S Arabia.
Greg Schnürle Because I am fed up with the Anglo-American lies since they created and supported the `Mudshahedin´ in Afgahnistan to kill Soviets and gave money, weappons and training to the modern islamistic Terrorists the whole world is now suffering from.
*And from here:
Antony Moore How Syria has survived the onslaught of Western backed terrorists is staggering and only by the grace of god with a little help from Russia, Iran etc. I’m disgusted at UK government involvement and will wholeheartedly support the Syrian people in their fight even if I can only supply morale support, plus a few letters to my local MP.
John Eichman After researching the conflict in Syria via numerous independent sources and mainstream media it is clear that Syria is the latest victim/target in western imperialism and as such deserves my support.
Dmitry Drozdov Because they’re being bullied

Nigel Hanrahan 1. The whole structure of international relations, even with the presence of the US Empire, rests upon the sovereignty of states, etc.. If one state can be attacked, then any state can be attacked. This isn’t even particularly radical. It’s simply advocacy for law-governed international relations instead of the current fake law-governed international relations.

2. anti-imperialist solidarity, natch. And if you don’t know what imperialism is, or don’t think it’s a problem, then you are part of the problem.

3. Because Syria has a great an ancient culture that I don’t want to see harmed. “In their rich variety and diversity, and in the reciprocal influences they exert on one another, all cultures form part of the common heritage of humanity”. [UNESCO]

Poppy Sage You and Vanessa Beeley doing great job being there while other so called journalists are just following the regime plan change by the Pentagon. Gen Wesley Clark made it clear it was a long time plan to get Assad out along with other Mideast leaders. White Helmets also obvious, real criminals.
Kevin Tang I call out what’s wrong is wrong. What’s being done to Syria since 2011 is simply wrong.

Thomas P. Ross On June 22, 2006 my wife’s granddaughter (my step granddaughter) was killed by a single act of violence by a baby sitter in Virginia Beach. She was 15 months old. That death left a permanent void in our lives.

In 2012 Syrian Girl, (Mimi al Laham) began posting news articles including videos published by al Qaeda of Iraq and Jabhat al Nusra, (al Qaeda of Syria). The videos would be uploaded to You Tube and would remain there for about 7 or 8 hours and then be taken down by You Tube as they violated their content policy. I noticed that these videos were of ordinary citizens or police officers or Al Assad’s forces (SAA) being put to death in the most inhumane ways imaginable and I started to understand that it made no sense that our media was claiming Assad was killing his own people, when the video’s shown on You Tube were of his own army members being killed by what appeared to be religious zealots. I didn’t know anything about Wahhabism at the time, but Mimi al Laham provided an education of what was really going on in Syria and it all began to make sense. I followed the battles from any alternative media I could find. I grew a greater distrust for our media. I knew what was being reported by our media was a vast lie promulgated by all the major networks.

Having experienced the great loss we suffered losing our Kristen, I recognized that my country was causing that same loss for untold numbers of people living in Syria and in Libya. Except the loss might even be considered as being greater because the loss was just not a mother or father but in many cases, the bread winner and/or the nurturer. I wondered how many children were orphaned and were required forage on their own.

I could not comprehend that my government could be responsible for any of this but I knew it was true. And by my government’s actions, that made EVERYONE in my country complicit in these crimes. I spoke out every chance I had to anyone and everyone who would listen. I posted every article I could find relating to the crimes that were being committed in Syria and our country’s involvement. I convinced some. I irritated many. And I caused many to think I was a little crazy retelling what I believed to be true when it was in absolute conflict with what our media was reporting.

But I believed it was more important to convince people as to the truth even if it meant people lost respect for me. Knowing the loss we suffered losing our grandchild to a single act of violence, I knew the grief was felt no less to those experiencing death in Syria. That is the problem with many people throughout the world including many people in the United States. Many of us have a tendency to believe that some lives matter more than others. The adoption by many idiots in my country that we should make America great again plays into this illusion that we are or should be superior to the other people of this world. I am ashamed of my country. It is not the country I grew up knowing and loving as a child.

But the job of bringing attention to the plight of the Syrian people is not over. They are still under U.S. sanctions and those sanctions should be removed. And our forces are still in Syria. We are stealing the oil of the Syrian people and we are still supporting terrorists. I can not ever, in any capacity, undo the harm my country has caused the Syrian people. But I can still bring attention to their plight in my country and offer my own apology, insignificant as it is.

Here is the story of my granddaughter. Her death was worthy enough to report. But to be honest, in a perfect world, every person who lost their lives to our proxy terrorists in Syria deserve to have their names immortalized forever, here in the United States, on a vast memorial, names etched in granite near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C. so that we all understand our crime and deter us from ever repeating it.

Donna Nassor I support Syria because it is the right thing to do. My country and its collaborators are responsible for so much suffering there. It is my duty to speak out, share the truth and work toward an end to the proxy war. During my visits to Syria I am uplifted and welcomed by Syrians. I am grateful they understand the difference between my government and individuals who support Syria. I will not stop my advocacy until Syrians achieve 100% victory and all of interlopers are gone. 
Dimitri Kiriakidis I have that strange feeling that Syria is my country…. I see myself in the face of every Syrian soldier or citizen
Porgi Amor many reasons…
1) your previous speaking engagements with Canadian Peace Congress, which of course debunked what Canadians were being fed (by the biased CBC news coverage)
2) your in depth account of the fake white helmets
3) your description of humanitarian corridors, allowing the Syrian people to escape from terrorism & also allowing the terrorists to walk away
4) your unwavering consistency in reporting
5) your believability
6) your humanity in acknowledging others, like Mark Taliano, Vanessa Beeley, Cory Morningstar, etc.
7) Donald Lafleur’s brief trip to Syria
8) your previous coverage of Palestine
Areti Spiropoulos Because it has stood the test of time. Because it is a beautiful and ancient culture. Because it has been done wrong too many times by the imperialists west. Because Assad.
Verena Eiwen At some point what we are spoonfed through the MSM did not make sense anymore – so I researched, found your and Vanessas writing, found Janices writing, as well as the writing of a German law student with Syrian roots. The Syrian people must be exceptional in every way- and what the US led coalition is doing to them is abhorrent. They deserve any help they can get. I have deepest respect for all these men and women and children for fighting a truly unfair and „for all the wrong reasons“ war. Thank you for going there and writing about the truth.
Bonnie Hamilton Syria is a sovereign country with a democratically elected president voted for by I believe 80% of voters.
Regime change and pinning fake false flag attacks on Assad in order to carry out this agenda is evil and nothing more than resource and land grabbing by those who feel they have the power to do this to any country that has something they want or stands in their way.
Let’s ask the Syrians what THEY want.
Get all troops out including white helmets.
I don’t buy for one minute that Assad ever carried out attacks on his people. On insurgents fighting against his army, probably. Against his own people? I will never believe that. There’s zero proof.
Kev Har Because the Syrians and their leader have been brutally and visciously attacked by a cowardly playground bully.
Briannette Zatapatique Because over the years Assad’s narrative and the Syrian narrative – provided by you and others has remained a constant time line, logical and never changing or reverse engineered. The Western narrative is constantly changing – as soon as lies are told, more lies are needed to cover them up. As simple as that.
*I applaud and agree with these comments, and after coming here 14 times now, many of those for months-long visits (2016), I would also add: because of the people of Syria.

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