Middle East DESTABILIZATION: Israeli Attack in Damascus /Lt Col Daniel Davis

Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store

The Middle East is in turmoil again—an ongoing cycle that has persisted for decades with little sign of resolution. The speaker argues that the United States should disengage from the region, as it no longer holds vital strategic interest for the U.S. due to domestic energy production and power projection capabilities. Continued U.S. involvement only entangles it further in regional instability.

The recent escalation involves Israeli airstrikes in Damascus, including the Syrian Ministry of Defense and the Presidential Palace. This may have been an attempt to send a message or potentially assassinate Syria’s new leader, Sharah, who formerly led extremist groups like al-Nusra and had links to ISIS.

After the ousting of Bashar al-Assad—supported by the U.S.—the situation in Syria has not improved. HTS, a militant group led by Sharah, took power, but unity remains elusive. Syria is still fragmented: with Turkish, American, and Kurdish forces in different regions, and tribal and sectarian divisions making consolidation difficult.

A recent flashpoint occurred in Sweida, a Druze-majority region in southern Syria, when a Druze man was killed, allegedly by Bedouins. Syrian troops sent to restore order sparked more violence, eventually leading to over 300 deaths. Israel intervened militarily, claiming to protect its "Druze brothers."

Despite past U.S. optimism—such as Secretary Blinken’s comments about “promising progress” and support for the Syrian people—nothing substantial has changed. Not even the return of Austin Tice, a detained American journalist, has been achieved.

The speaker criticizes U.S. policy as naively hopeful, repeatedly backing regime changes that never yield lasting peace or alignment with American interests.