In puzzling comments earlier in the day, President Trump appeared to be declaring Syria a war about oil, and declaring victory, Tweeting “We have secured the Oil. Bringing soldiers home!”
The context wasn’t readily apparent, and it wasn’t true anyhow since comments from Defense Secretary Mark Esper made clear US troops are not coming home. Now, it turns out some US troops aren’t even leaving Eastern Syria, and the reason is the oil.
Sunday night’s report say Trump is now leaning toward a scheme to keep around 200 ground troops in eastern Syria, based on a plan the generals have sold him on. The 200 troops would have a”dual purpose” mission to fight ISIS and to keep Syria’s government from controlling Syria’s oil production facilities.
This seems a profoundly tall order for 200 US troops, and it’s not clear by what right the US would even claim its military is entitled to prevent Syria from controlling Syria’s own oil.
It makes more sense that this is a US goal, however, or at least a talking point, given Trump’s bragging about having “secured the oil” in Syria. Whether they can actually do this is another matter.
Where the US troops will be positioned is unclear, as the Pentagon is refusing to comment at all on the matter. But for those who viewed going from Syria to Iraq as a big disappointment with Trump talking about “bringing soldiers home,” having hundreds not even leaving Syria at all is an even bigger letdown.
If this turns out to be the case, this will be the second time in the past year that Trump has announced a military withdrawal from Syria, defended that plan in the face of criticism, and then ultimately bailed on it to keep troops in place with more military goals added all the time.
Flip-flop con man at it again. Kurds of the kurd-ISIS flavour SDF same as whatever else they call themselves, asked Israel Saturday to work their stranglehold magic over the US and it seems to have worked just fine. They get to keep the loot of oil and water resources just a little longer.
Keep dreaming.
Syria never had much oil. It did not even have enough for Syria. It stretched what it had to be just enough for the larger country it no longer has, by exporting the high value oil and then buying back somewhat more lower value oil for use at home. Those few wells Syria had produce high value oil, but never much of it.
The US is not staying there for the oil. The tiny amounts even before all the war damage were not worth much effort. Now it is so bombed and blasted, there isn’t much left.
The US is staying in that spot because it is the place in Syria from which to operate against Iran. It is for Israel.
It certainly is because of Israel but Syria do have plenty of oil, unexploited oil and gas. The existing energy sector contributed to some 35% in export earnings in 2010 and 20% of government revenue. Trump, even if it wasn’t his to give, gave the Golan hights to Israel, those are crammed with resources. Oil and gas too which inevitably will return to it’s rightful owners and then there is the Syrian part of the oil & gas findings in the Med. Currently prospected by Russian firms.
This is almost funny. Almost. Can one of you Trump apologist explain this? Deep state? Hillary? Democrats? Mueller report? Who can we pin this one on?
Trump is placating the generals and war-mongers, knowing full well that he can pull the rest out any damn time he chooses. And he will time that pull-out to be closer to the election to benefit his reelection effort (which right about now with flaky Dems and a seemingly robust economy, is looking pretty strong … but a lot can happen in a year). I predict that’s what he will do. Watch for it. Meanwhile, those troops are out of harms way, which is the main thing.
Yes the troops being out the way is the main thing, at least for today. A few days ago the main thing was Trump was ending wars and bringing the troops HOME. That has now been downgraded. And he’s been placating the generals, warmongers, neocons and Israel for nearly three years and I’ve been hearing that we are just around the corner of draining the swamp of those types(minus Israel of course)for the entirety of those three years. Still waiting for troops to be brought home from anywhere and an upgrade on the swamp creatures he’s been replacing. Until then, your predictions ring hollow.
Mackinderan politics of stupid.
A smattering of U.S. troops in harm’s way somehow breaks the Shia crescent in Mesopotamia and ultimately stymies its unification with Eurasia. If the Pentagon is wargaming this, then its the equivalent of squatting a resource in a 4X video game.
Trump only looks bad because everyone else in the swamp is even worse.
US troops can keep Syria’s oil from being used for now, but once Turkey finishes pushing the Kurds back and Syria / Russia finish off the Idlib terrorists, Syria’s govt and allies will push all invaders out of their country one foot at a time.
Turkey was compelled to sign a truce.
“Exclusive: Surprise Syria truce hinged on Turkey’s deadline demand – top official” – Orhan Coskun, Humeyra Pamuk. Reuters. October 18, 2019.
Turkey was allowed to save face, but Trump could easily cripple the Turkish economy. Turkey does enough trade with the U.S. that that would hurt the U.S. as well, so that’s not a card to waste carelessly.
Letting Turkey occupy NE Syria in place of U.S. troops under a tight U.S. economic leash was a good play. Unfortunately at this point of the game, getting rid of Trump means more to the powers that presume to be than playing smart in Syria.
If that oil can’t get out through Kurdland and Turkey, it’s staying in Syria.
The oil smuggling network was originally built by Saddam’s Sunni Iraq to elude sanctions.
Not sure if it really matters now since Syria is starting to reassert itself and the US has lost this regime change war.
Losing the regime change war will not end our enmity towards Syria. We supposedly don’t want regime change in Iran either but that hasn’t stopped us from trying to destroy them. It seems we get even more nasty when our regime change attempts fail. Don’t piss off the bully.
This has everything to do with keeping the sale of Syrian oil denominated in US$. Syria does not produce enough oil for the Excited States to get exercised about but the US is very concerned that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to price its oil in US $.
If you recall, daesh was stealing that oil and trucking it into Turkey until Russia and Syria began bombing the convoys. Then the US military moved in and took over the oil. That’s part of why Erdogan’s mad at the US.