Thousands flee as Syrian rebels close in on third major city
NBCDEC 1 2024
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Above: People celebrate holding a large Syrian opposition flag at Umayyad Square in Damascus on Dec. 9, 2024. Image copyright: OMAR HAJ KADOUR/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
At long last, Assad's dictatorship over Syria has come to an end. It's unclear what comes next for the country but the US and other international partners look forward to working with all stakeholders in Syria to ensure that this opportunity is seized and that mistakes are avoided.
Establishment-critical narrative
After years of trying, the US empire, and other interested parties such as Israel, have finally succeeded in toppling Assad. Now it's just a matter of seeing how much devastation is caused by this latest instance of regime change.