The U.S. Ambassador’s Critique of Sykes-Picot: A Smokescreen to Deceive

News:

Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria, recently met with Ahmad Shar’a, the head of Syria’s transitional government, in Istanbul. Following this meeting, Barrack shared a statement via his official X account, in which he said:

“A century ago, the West imposed maps, mandates, borders drawn with rulers, and foreign rule. Sykes-Picot divided Syria and the wider region—not for peace, but for imperial interests. This mistake made generations pay the price. We will not repeat this mistake. The era of Western interventionism is over. The future belongs to diplomacy based on regional solutions, partnerships, and mutual respect.

Syria’s tragedy began with division. Its rebirth must be rooted in dignity, unity, and investment in its people. This begins with facing reality, ensuring accountability, and working together with the region. With the fall of the Assad regime, the door to peace has opened—with the lifting of sanctions, we are enabling the Syrian people to finally walk through that door and rediscover the path to prosperity and security.”(Agencies May 26, 2025)

Comment:

The fact that such a statement comes from Tom Barrack, a mere envoy of colonialist America, is enough to question its sincerity. There is no need for reinvention. The US has long been the foremost enemy of Islam and Muslims. Especially since World War II, it has played a leading role in the ongoing occupation, plunder, and massacres across our region.

Furthermore, Barrack’s personal background reveals much about the malicious role he plays in America’s war on Islam. He is not only a close associate and golf partner of the arrogant Donald Trump, but also a real estate billionaire with roots in Lebanon and highly profitable investments in Saudi Arabia. Before his appointment as U.S. ambassador to Ankara in April, he made the following remarks about Türkiye’s role and America’s expectations from it regarding Syria:

“As NATO’s second-largest military, Turkey has responded to President Trump’s call for greater European security contributions and has met or exceeded NATO guidelines. Turkey is a partner in sectors like aerospace and a major importer of American LNG. It also holds untapped critical mineral reserves (rare earth elements), positioning it as a strategic partner as we diversify away from Chinese supply chains.”

“Turkey is a leading member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and plays a vital role in building a stable Syria and preventing the resurgence of extremism. Continued cooperation in this area will help keep the American homeland safe from terrorist threats.”(https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/nominations-04-01-2025)

Anyone with a little insight can easily see that this man’s supposed critique of Sykes-Picot, while cloaked in the language of peace and stability, is in fact a veiled attempt to preserve and further America’s colonial interests. Only those who have surrendered their minds and souls to the West would believe the lie that the U.S. intends to bring prosperity to the Middle East.

While decrying Sykes-Picot and Western colonialism—essentially demonizing Europe to dominate the pie alone—Barrack simultaneously imposes directives on Türkiye and Syria. He speaks of diplomacy based on “respect,” yet assigns Turkey a military role in line with U.S. ideological aims and eyes its untapped mineral resources.

He also implicitly demands concessions from the Syrian leadership in exchange for lifting sanctions—such as normalizing ties with the Zionist entity at the expense of Palestinian blood, deporting mujahideen refugees, and fighting against any Islamic state project under the guise of combating ISIS.

While emphasizing that Syria’s tragedy began with division, he conceals the fact that the U.S. placed the PYD in northern Syria, supported it with tens of thousands of truckloads of weapons, and protected the Assad regime for over 14 years. The truth is, the new Syrian administration—gradually distanced from revolutionary ideals through Turkey’s duplicitous politics—has declared it poses no threat to the U.S. and openly seeks cooperation.

Thus, just like during the Assad dynasty under father and son, Syria is again becoming America’s sealed domain. The card of division is no longer needed.

The truth is, Western intervention in the Islamic world will never truly end. The form of guardianship may shift to military partners like Turkey, but the colonial assault will never cease. The ambassador’s honeyed words, laced with poison, are meant to deceive.

This is because the Middle East remains the natural launchpad of the Islamic call and holds the strongest potential for the re-establishment of the Islamic State. The U.S. and the West will never leave this region to its own destiny. Indeed, before assuming his posts in Ankara and Syria, Tom Barrack concluded one of his assessments with the following:

“If you choose to confirm me, I’d like to share a guiding principle that will serve as the driving force for my mission:

‘If the whip suffices, I never draw the sword; if my tongue suffices, I never use the whip.If there’s even a single thread tying me to a friend, I won’t let it break. If he pulls, I loosen; if he loosens, I pull.’”

Therefore, to beware of America’s smiling face, to refuse its friendship, and to initiate an open political struggle against it—relying on the help of Allah and the support of the Ummah, based on the Prophetic method and the project of the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly-guided Caliphate)—is not just a matter of faith, but also the only path to salvation and victory for the Ummah.

[إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُواْ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا]

“Indeed, the disbelievers are your clear enemies.”[An-Nisā’ 4:101] 

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Muhammed Emin Yıldırım