In December 2024, Syria' s president Bashar al-Assad departed for Russia after militia forces took Damascus. An Al-Qaeda affiliated group led by Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani took power. New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman hooted that it was the " biggest... most game-changing event in the Middle East in the last 45 years." Yet until then, Al-Jolani was wanted for terrorism and had a U.S. State Department $10 million bounty on his head since 2017. The media-established story of popular " rebels" triumphing over " evil" has since dominated. Washington' s role in this long-standing regime change operation was erased. This is the first comprehensive account of the U.S. regime change operation in Syria dating back decades. The goal was to end Syria' s nationalist economic program, its support for the Palestinians, and its steadfast opposition to U.S. and Israeli hegemonic designs in Western Asia. The methods utilized fit a long-standing U.S. regime-change playbook applied worldwide. Key aspects include a protracted demonization campaign, imposition of crippling economic sanctions, and CIA financing of rebel groups under the billion-dollar Operation Timber-Sycamore.