Syrian and international media outlets reported that rebels have taken control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, and that toppled President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country and landed in Russia this weekend.
American political pundit Josh Rogin, foreign policy and national security columnist at The Washington Post, responded to the reports on X by writing: “Syria is free. The rebels won. The people liberated themselves from tyranny. Freedom won. Russia, Iran, Hezbollah & Assad lost. Historic. The road ahead for Syria won’t be easy. But it will be better than the past. The world should celebrate Syria’s liberation & help it succeed.”
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance responded to Rogin’s post by writing: “As President Trump said, this is not our fight and we should stay out of it.”
Vance continued: “Aside from that, opinions like the below make me nervous. The last time this guy was celebrating events in Syria we saw the mass slaughter of Christians and a refugee crisis that destabilized Europe.”
As President Trump said, this is not our fight and we should stay out of it.
Aside from that, opinions like the below make me nervous. The last time this guy was celebrating events in Syria we saw the mass slaughter of Christians and a refugee crisis that destabilized Europe. https://t.co/rUsbudKtZP
— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 8, 2024
Rogin replied to the “mass slaughter of Christians” comment by writing: “For anyone saying this will lead to a slaughter of Christians: I interviewed the Bishop of Aleppo. He told me his community members are safe and give Syrians credit for being able to live together. He said don’t fall for the propaganda that Assad was the protector of Christians.”
Bishop Ephraim Maalouli of Aleppo reported on Sunday that there had been no threats or restrictions on Christians’ prayers “except for a recent Russian airstrike on a Christian school in Aleppo,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
Maalouli said: “We are fine and will remain in our city of Aleppo. We will stand by our community through every circumstance, from the harshest to the best. Prayers continue in our churches.”
