While most of the world is left reeling following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, for supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the news has been cause for celebration.
Across social media, Assad supporters have praised the election of Trump, a man who they see, potentially, as an exciting new addition to the coalition fighting against rebel forces in Syria.
Trump has previously expressed support for Assad and his allies, indicating he would side with the regime if it helped to defeat Daesh (also known as the Islamic State). "I don't like [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] at all, but Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS and Iran is killing ISIS,” he said.
However, this has raised controversy. While Daesh is responsible for horrific war crimes, reports suggest that Assad's regime just as bad. According to a UN report, Assad has waged a “systematic and widespread attack against [the Syrian] civilian population,” including widespread torture and the incessant barrel bombing of civilians. Just on Sunday, the Syrian regime was accused of shelling a nursery in a rebel-held suburb in the capital of Damascus, killing at least six children and injuring more than 25. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, and a number of schools and hospitals have been destroyed by regime airstrikes.
Following Trump’s comments on Assad, activists from Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) published a series of tweets fact checking Mr Trump's statements and accusing him of being a liar.
1-Trump: " Assad is killing ISIS".
— الرقة تذبح بصمت (@Raqqa_SL) October 10, 2016
He is a liar. Over 90% of ISIS land are areas that were liberated by the Free Syrian Army.
With Trump’s vocal support of Assad, and his tight-knit relationship with Russia, political analysts have predicted the end to US support for rebel groups in Syria, and perhaps a new US ally in the shape of Assad.
Election of #Trump : one of the consequence in #Syria will probably be the end of military support to rebels / #Assad opposition
— Agathocle deSyracuse (@deSyracuse) November 9, 2016
One thing that may be impacted upon under Trump is Syria policy - more US-Russia coop ag IS as focus rather than US focus on Assad removal!
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 9, 2016
And it’s not just the analysts who think so, with Assad supporters taking to Twitter to praise Trump’s win as a victory for the regime and Syria:
تقارب ترامب (أمريكا) مع بوتين (روسيا)، سيكون إيجابياً من حيث إنهاء ألعاب الأطفال من الصراعات المستدامة، وخاصة في سوريا
— حسن فرحان المالكي (@HsnFrhanALmalki) November 9, 2016
هما متقاربان هنا
The close relationship of Trump(US) with Putin(Russia), will be positive as it will end the kids gaming of continue conflicts, especially in Syria. They agree here
بفوز ترامب
— سـومـر (@ali11Almoosawi) November 9, 2016
أعداء الأسد نصيحة مني
اعتذروا للاسد قبل ان ينتقم منكم شر انتقام
#ترامب
ترامب حليف بوتين يعني مع
— المفتش (@ALMOFATESH22) November 9, 2016
نهاية العام لن يتبقى اي ارهابي
خنزير في سوريا
Trump is Putin's ally, which means by the end of the year, no pig terrorists will stay in Syria.
Previously, the Obama administration has been reluctant to get involved in the Syrian war, although a US-led coalition, with help from Turkey, has intervened by training, advising and equipping Syrian Arab and Kurdish militants to fight against Daesh. Meanwhile, both Obama and Clinton have condemned Assad, with Clinton describing his regime as “murderous.”
Now Trump is in charge, it seems that this approach may not last. So far he has been incredible vague on his foreign policy, in Syria and the rest of the Middle East, and it remains to be seen if and how this will change under President Trump
AM
