The Syrian Revolution tested the left internationally by posing a blunt question: Which side are you on—do you support the popular struggle against dictatorship or are you with Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime? Tragically, many on the left turned their backs on the Syrian revolution and became apologists for, if not outright supporters of, Assad on the grounds of his alleged “anti-imperialism.” This is wrong not only because Assad has collaborated with imperialism, including Washington’s “war on terror,” but also because it is based on the dubious position that whomever comes under U.S. criticism or attack the left must support. This session will examine why, as Assad appears to be reconsolidating his power on the virtual ruins of Syria, the left must be able to express its opposition to all U.S. intervention in the region without falling into apologia for Assad.