Eastern Ghouta: Pantomime in ‘retaliation’ for genocide
15th April 2018
The world has waited with baited breath for so-called ‘justice’ to be meted out by Trump and his friends to the Syrian regime. The use of chemical weapons in Douma last weekend was the straw that broke the camel’s back. This is quite strange really, because the camel has been ladened with umpteen bales of straw, which have barely caused an international ‘murmur’ let alone an outcry. Nevertheless, after last week’s chemical attack in Douma, which was one of more than 200 documented instances of use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime – the ‘world’ was now seemly ready to act.
‘Act’ is exactly what the US did, in conjunction with the French and British, when they carried out their attack on the regime’s so-called chemical weapons bases in Damascus and Homs. Just like a well-rehearsed and perfectly choreographed piece of pantomime, ‘Punch’ hit ‘Judy’ over the head with his soft club. However, the only ones left laughing were Trump, Assad, Putin and co. For the attacks were just well planned non-events. The attacks were so irrelevant that one resident of Damascus, Khalil Abu Hamza, who lives very close to the scene of one attack, said “I slept through them. This was a pantomime anyway.”[1]
- No one died;
- All the planes that flew on the mission returned safely;
- Assad and his Presidential Palace overlooking Damascus was untouched;
- However, most importantly, Assad’s chemical weapons capability and delivery systems remain well and truly intact. As Fred Hof, President Barack Obama’s special adviser for transition in Syria said “Assad retains 100 percent of his mass murder delivery systems.” [2]
Hence, as Trump quite rightly and jubilantly tweeted – “Mission Accomplished”. Which literally means that the status quo continues, however a public relations exercise has been masterly executed.
Eastern Ghouta has finally fallen
Trump’s stance regarding Eastern Ghouta apparently softened after watching the heart wrenching pictures of women and children dying through chemical poisoning. But you know – I am absolutely certain that if the hundreds of martyrs of the recent onslaught in Eastern Ghouta could speak now – they would tell Trump, May and Macron to shove their multi-million dollar missiles. For they would not want their false sympathy based on crocodile tears – especially when they were never moved to even send a loaf of bread or basic health provisions throughout a debilitating siege, but are now prepared to move warships, submarines and sophisticated aircraft as a show of their ‘moral justice’.
After years of a siege, relentless bombing, death, starvation and silence from the international community – Eastern Ghouta has finally fallen. Once again the Assad regime has executed its ‘starve or surrender’ tactic of war on a civilian population. A technique deliberately deployed to sap the rebels and the civilian population of their will to fight. Hence, just like Homs, Daraya and Eastern Aleppo before it – Eastern Ghouta has also fallen.
The seven year war in Syria is a living testament to the inhumanity, blatant disregard of human rights and international laws which the world is prepared to tolerate. All international norms are violated and tolerated such as:
- wholesale targeting of civilians and civilian areas;
- bombing of mosques, schools, hospitals, markets and homes;
- the dropping of every kind of bomb known to man- whether legal or illegal;
- use of starvation as a tactic of war;
- rape, pillage, ethnic cleansing, forced conscription and summary executions;
In seven years of hell on Earth, no United Nations, International Criminal Courts, NATO or for that matter a single Muslim country has come to help the Muslims of Shām. They have been left to rot at the hands of Assad and his thugs.
Eastern Ghouta has now fallen and there are no tears, sorrow, or even sadness for that matter. The brave, strong and honourable Muslims of Eastern Ghouta have passed the test that Allah had destined for them. For them lies the reward from their Lord for steadfastness and patience during times of immense hardship – which we could never even imagine.
For us, it is a time for reflection:
- did we really feel their pain – just as brethren should do?
- did we do all that we could to help our brothers, sisters and beautiful children of Shām?
- have we been grateful for the mercy bestowed upon us by our Lord who has saved us from a similar fate?
- have we reflected on the beauty and perfection of our religion? For no other religion, nor man-made rule or institution has been able to stop the continuous slaughter of innocent men, women and beautiful, beautiful children of Shām. However, Islam legislated for this 1400 years ago when our Beloved Prophet ﷺ said ‘ Do not kill any child, any woman, or any elder or sick person. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
The recent attacks by Trump and his friends have achieved nothing. The regime, emboldened by the capture of Eastern Ghouta, will now set its sights on the final remaining rebel-held area of Idlib Province.
As for us, we remain optimistic, we pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters of Shām, and we are resigned to accepting whatever the Almighty has decreed for them.
We pray that Allah is merciful to the Muslim of Shām, grants their martyrs the highest abodes in Jannah and that He restores peace and tranquility to the blessed land of Shām. Amīn.
Mukhtar ibn Yusuf
Footnotes
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/14/weve-grown-a-thick-skin-say-damascus-residents-after-strikes?CMP=share_btn_tw
[2] https://www.vox.com/2018/4/13/17221420/trump-syria-attack-strike-assad-russia-response-chemical-weapon
