I’m wondering what our take on this is.
Here’s an example on libsky . It reads as genuinely frustrated. However I’ve seen this same line trotted out by NAFO about Ukraine and how it’s impossible it’s being directed by the US Government, because people have agency (making it Russian propaganda/“shallow analysis”).
I feel like there’s a small point being made, obviously not all groups funded by America/American proxies are incapable of acting alone.
These same people cry about things like “russiagate” and foreign influence on our population whenever it does something they don’t like.
Yeah it comes off as a very radlib form of concern trolling. So much for “agency”!
The whole “agency” thing is a misnomer (if I’m using that word correctly), it’s obvious that people have their own reasons for acting a certain way but america is the only world power with the means and the willingness to ACT and drive events that might’ve erupted independently towards their own gain
People can legitimately support something and it can also be ultimately puppeted by imperialism. Also “denying the agency” of the international mercenaries lmao
the problem is setting it into a binary, foreign-supported groups can be completely mercenary or just as wholly dedicated with no aid at all, and there’s a million shades in the middle based on complicated material and ideological bases that are not easily investigated.
but lacking interviews with actual actors involved which the vast majority of people never get to do, it’s easier to put people in one or the other box without too much research, whatever melds best with your existing worldview.
Anyone saying this is the self determination of the Syrian people is a snake or a fool. The country has been illegally occupied, bombed, sanctioned, and flooded with weapons by foreign powers for the last 40 years. I had no particular love for the Baath government but it’s extremely clear that Syrians were not allowed to sort their issues out themselves independent of foreign interests. That after two generations of foreign meddling a significant portion of the population aligned with US imperial interests either of their own accord or supported by the US is of no surprise.
And now look, Israel is taking advantage of the situation to grab territory, fascists are in charge, and it seems unlikely that Russia will be forced out, so who even wins here? Only the imperialists that want Syrians chained down and exploited.
