‘West Asia expert responds to Trump's Syria comment, refutes claim of U.S. deep involvement’

New Delhi

Waiel Awwad, a West Asia strategist, has challenged U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's claim that the U.S. "has nothing to do" with the Syrian conflict. Awwad pointed out that the U.S. has been heavily involved in the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq, and Iran, and blamed U.S. foreign intervention policies for the instability in these regions. In an interview, Awwad stated, "The U.S. is deeply involved in Syria, Iraq, and Iran," and criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which he argued was about controlling oil resources, not weapons of mass destruction. He also blamed the U.S. for contributing to the rise of ISIS and the revival of Al-Qaeda. Awwad highlighted that the U.S. has continuously interfered in the Arab world, citing the chaos in Libya, Syria, and Iraq as outcomes of this intervention. He criticized former President Obama’s support for democracy in Egypt, claiming the U.S. disrupted political movements and caused widespread instability. Awwad also dismissed the idea that Syria’s conflict is a civil war, noting that peaceful demonstrations in 2011 were overtaken by Islamist groups. He warned that foreign interventions, particularly from Turkey, the U.S., and Israel, led to Syria's current crisis. With Syrian President Assad reportedly fleeing, Awwad foresees a grim future for Syria, potentially leading to further regional conflicts.