US Double Standards: Backing Extremism, Weighing HTS Leader Delisting
By Al-Ahed News
The United States is once again showing support for far-right militant groups in its efforts to destabilize independent governments, this time targeting Syria.
After more than a decade of war waged against the Syrian people, reports suggest that Washington is considering supporting Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham [HTS], an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
For nearly ten years, the US government has offered a $10 million bounty for Al-Julani, accusing him of crimes against civilians and other terrorist acts in Syria. However, recent reports indicate discussions about potentially removing him from the US wanted list.
Critics argue that Western mainstream media and American officials are attempting to sanitize Al-Julani’s history of sectarian violence. These accusations suggest a potential alignment of his group’s interests with those of "Israel".
Rarely addressed in US discourse is the impact of the 'Caesar Sanctions,' which have crippled Syrian society. The sanctions, along with the US-backed theft of Syria's oil fields and billions of dollars in military aid to anti-Syrian militants, have exacerbated the country's devastation.
Additionally, Washington has repeatedly declined to join United Nations efforts to condemn "Israel's" extensive airstrikes on Syrian territory, which have targeted and weakened the Syrian state’s infrastructure and defenses, indirectly benefiting militant groups.
The United States’ actions regarding Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and its leader Abu Mohammad Al-Julani highlight glaring double standards in its foreign policy. While claiming to fight terrorism, Washington appears willing to align with extremist groups to further its geopolitical aims in Syria, undermining its own stated principles.
At the same time, the US enforces crippling sanctions and ignores "Israel's" repeated violations of international law, compounding the suffering of the Syrian people. This selective application of “justice” exposes a broader pattern of prioritizing strategic interests over genuine humanitarian concerns and global accountability.
