(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Monday on his podcast that the fall of Syria’s president, Bashar Al-Assad, could lead to “even worse” leadership in the turbulent country.
Syrian rebels entered Damascus with no resistance from the army over the weekend, Reuters reported. They reportedly ransacked the Al-Rawda Presidential Palace while Al-Assad jetted away to Russia for safety,
On Verdict, Cruz said Russia, Iran and Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah suffered major losses following Al-Assad’s ousting.
“[Bashar Assad’s] falling is a major loss for Russia. It’s a major loss for Iran. It’s a major loss for Hezbollah, all were allies. All are seriously hurt by his falling, but the rebels who have toppled him may well be even worse,” the senator suggested. “It is radical Islamists who have been fighting against him. Many of them are remnants of Al-Qaeda, remnants of the Islamic State, and the people of Syria and Israel and America may soon find that the new leadership is even worse than the old.”
Islamist Revolution in Syria—What It Means, plus Trump Dominates Meet the Press. @benfergusonshow and I break it all down on Verdict. Available wherever you get your podcasts. https://t.co/s8zEJ1XUHt
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 9, 2024
Cruz did not propel the narrative that Al-Assad’s fall would result in Syrian democracy, instead identifying that toppling dictators in the name of anti-terrorism ultimately harms Americans.
“The world is a dangerous place, and there are bad dictators, but we’ve seen a pattern for the past 20 years of Americans supporting people toppling dictators who are fighting terrorists, only to have the terrorists take over and start fighting Americans instead,” he told his listeners. “And my perspective on this is, is this good for America or not? I would say at best, it is too soon to tell.”
Cruz suggested celebrations on the streets of Syria would be short-lived, referencing the fall of Saddam Hussein and Quaddafi and even the Cuban Revolution in 1959 as historical examples.
“Never Seen Anything Like It”: Cruz Flabbergasted as Media Begs Biden for “More Pardons.”https://t.co/s5ay4kCbEz
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 7, 2024
“We have seen many, many times that revolutions of one oppressive dictator can far too often, be replaced by an even worse regime,” Cruz explained. “And so, I think this is an exceptionally dangerous time right now and it is going to be important to do everything we can to prevent chemical weapons from falling into the hands of Al-Qaeda terrorists who would use them against Americans.”
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and the American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
