Pentagon officials are revising their Syrian war plans this week around a totally new set of priorities, which President Trump has defined simply as controlling Syria’s oil. This came after Trump declared the Syrian war effectively over, and subsequently backed off withdrawing all US forces.
For awhile this was going to be a couple of hundred US ground troops staying embedded with Kurds at the oilfields. Now, the Pentagon is going more all-in, sending tanks and armored vehicles into Syria, according to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is trying to take credit for this continued war, with reports that he and long-retired Gen. Jack Keane, a Fox News analyst, visited Trump at the White House twice to show him a map of Syria and emphasize where all the oil is.
Graham had been loudly wailing on about the pullout from Syria, and suggested Iran might somehow seize Syria’s oil if America didn’t. Those present say Trump faily quickly resigned himself to keeping troops there to control the oil.
While styling this as Trump reluctantly staying at war fits Graham’s narrative, Trump has been talking since before his election about paying for wars in the Middle East by taking the oil, and has subsequently taken to Twitter to brag about how he’s controlling Syria’s oil.
That a small contingent of ground troops could never really “control the oil” is very much beside the point, as now the decision to send tanks into Syria amounts to a huge escalation of the military operation, and likely will ultimately mean the deployment of more US troops into Syria to maintain the armored forces. It also represents another very long-term commitment to the ever-morphing US War in Syria.
The idea that the US will ultimately get all this oil for the cost of a few hundred troops occupying parts of Syria is tailor-made for Trump’s existing view of Middle East war. That said, it’s hard to imagine US companies eagerly lining up to extract appropriated oil out of occupied territory, and the US ever getting the oil is almost certainly a pipe dream.
It’s a dream good for keeping an occupation going, but not much else.
And what about the people who live there? Why do they have to suffer, watching tanks destroy their roads and crops. Put barricades so they cannot get to their fields, their water sources. The great humanitarian blaming Turkey for going after armed militants, accusing Turkey of war crimes — what about US now occupying and abusing civilian population?
And why would YPG be there. There are less then 1% of Kurds living there.
The formation they’re sending has a very large logistical and C5ISR footprint, I’d expect around ten thousand total personnel to be involved for the care and feeding of one BCT.
This civilian doesn’t know what the acronyms mean. Be nice to know, or I should say, guess how many troops they are talking about. Explain please ?
Hi Dave, here you go:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigade_combat_team
C5ISR (Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)
Hope this helps!
Interesting, thanks. Shouldn’t be 10,ooo troops in Iraq, so wonder where they will come from, and get there…
It’s not about accessing Syria’s oil. It’s all about ensuring Syria cannot benefit from it’s oil fields by denying them access to them. Thus reducing the oil on the World market and artificially increasing the prices. Allowing nations that the U.S. ALLOWS to sell their oil reaping the rewards. Incidentaly, the U.S. claims to be self sufficient in oil it’self, so it also stands to benefit greatly by selling that oil on the market at highly inflated prices.
So, after the cowards fled to Iraq (where they’re not welcome or allowed to stay), it all boiled down to “securing the oil wells” ….
Are the US infighting fascist regime trying to confuse the middle east to surrender? It’ll take thousands of troops to hold the oil fields, not hundreds and at an immensely costly infrastructure at that. And what would they do in the middle of the desert sitting on these devastated wells which content they can’t ship anywhere, even if US invested in their restoration? (apart from military expenditures, death and destruction, US has in contrast to Russia, Iran and China, not spent a dollar in local infrastructure, not even for its “allies”, Kurds or otherwise (mercenaries)).
It’ll be a long humiliating and very nervous waiting for the occupants, surrounded by hostiles in every direction as they are, to be plucked off when ripe . What a ridiculous show. “Bravest of the brave, biggest military in the entire history of the galaxy” yada yada..
Blow up those tin cans.
But this is just one of the things Trump promised. Like dropping out of the JCPOA, promising to rebuild our “depleted” military or being Israel’s BFF. So when Trump does things that even Trumpsters find revolting, they still point out that he’s keeping his promises. MAGA.
i remember protesting this near 20 years ago calling these wars for oil, and we were looked on as unamerican kooks. Now these gangstas of capitalism admit it and the populus? Shouts of dismay and disgust as our boys(fighting for our freedom) are laid out as 20 dollar hookers? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/12df359696f7cd628f94de2a4641042f0e1054a1cc9e6cb3f6b7fc5831bd33e1.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e696f81fcb751c4b60e0d7f9387e5db6092841e2136d631c25219287b90abe80.jpg
Some commentators seem to have an endless appetite for getting fooled by President Trump. Soldiers out. Tanks in. Fooled again.
TRUMP SUGGESTS KURDS TO RESETTLE IN SYRIA’S OIL REGION, IF THEY WANT US PROTECTION
https://southfront.org/trump-suggests-kurds-to-resettle-in-syrias-oil-region-if-they-want-us-protection/
The US gives the Kurds/traitors a new assignment to the Syrian oilfield, after having trow them under the bus.
The Kurds/traitors will take the new assignment.
once a traitor….allways a traitor.
Rothschilds oil, Trump is their employee. He is not a traitor, it is very American to oppress the world. Most Americans approve of it, as they will embrace war against Iran.
I doubt the Kurds will be gulled by any offer of “protection” by the US. They know without question that the US is a treacherous “ally” that only wants them there to protect the US, and that any real protection must now come from Assad and the SAA. What’s more, the Kurds do not want to live anywhere other than in their historic homeland along the Syria/Turkish border, and certainly not squatting in the middle of Sunni Arab territory.
(The other side of this argument: If the US offers the Kurds enough money, there will likely be some takers … )
No, the US will be out in the middle of the Sunni Arab territory, surrounded by Sunnis who despise them for disenfranchising them by destroyingit Sunni Bathist Iraq, turning Iraq over to the Shia, and then bringing hell to their region by attempting to overthrow Assad.
The war-mongers may be able to pressure Trump, but they will not be able to change the reality on the ground of the deteriorating Syrian clusterf*ck.
Lindsey’s price for making sure of no impeachment in Senate.
If the Syrian army announces they are moving in, backed up by Russian AF, will the mini US garrison resist?
Interesting question, but it’s not the mini-garrison that’s the issue, as they could simply be surrounded and quarantined, no need to “engage” them. The question is, if the Russians announce, for the purpose of “deconfliction”, their intention to provide the SAA with air cover in re-taking the oil fields, and turn their S-400 anti-aircraft radars in that direction, to protect their AF providing that air cover, will the US Air forces challenge them.
Then too, there is the question of who would win the race on the ground to get to the oil fields first? Air drop Speznaz, SAA special forces, and light armor from Russian IL-76 military heavy-lift aircraft?
Whatever the course of future events, I’m disappointed yet again that Trump won’t tell the war-mongers to f*ck off.
Exactly. The right play for Syria/Russia would be territorial occupation without attacking the US forces … Just move in. There are simply not enough American forces to prevent the takeover.
We need a new expression in the English language. “American pullout” means invasion. Perhaps it would gain more currency if it were sexual, how did she get pregnant? Well he did an American pullout on her.
Lol, “american pullout”…..reminds me of my favorite verb…”to perot”…meaning, incite a charge, then, when everyone is charging, retire to your mansion in the Hamptons….
Notice the absolute quiet on all fronts — not much being said about Trump triumphant theft of Syrian oil wells in Deir Azzor?
It is because Russia, Syria, Turkey and even Iraq and Iran know the importance of gaining border controls of the three countries. And transportation infrastructure all the way to Raqqa. This is the region that is vital to transportation infrastructure — sovereignty of all three countries.
As there are still many things to be done — they are not paying attention to Donald’s tantrums.
As for oil, this is not large enough site to warrant investments — but enough of a bait to reel Kurds in. But I doubt it. Why would Kurds want to move into Arab region, and where exactly will they live? Unless US plans to ethnically cleanse a town or two for them? To then create a mini-Israel for Kurds on Jordan-Iraqi border? That would require a massive investment on our part — and massive propaganda of finding Kurds a land they can live after being so abused by the villainous trio.
Will that satisfy Israel that still believes that God gave them Euphrates? This way, at least some of it will be controlled, While I do not put anything past these fanatics and their supporters in US — Trump will have to sell this to his very tired base. Everything he touches turns into mud, with no real and lasting change.
He may win elections if nobody on Democrat’s side has pulse. But he lost independents — as his demeanor says that he cares not a jot for them.
So unless Trump and both parties are solid behind building Kurdish nation from scratch — and get Americans behind it — this will end up just a diversion tactics from an inevitable loss in Syria. Trump did not withdraw because he thought it good to withdraw. He withdrew because he — and Pentagon — did not want to go to war with Turkey.
But now, Turkey beware. All this nicety-nice lifting of sanctions, will come with a revenge.
Syria can eventually give the wells to an American company to exploit at a deep discount. No tanks needed.
Now is the time for Trump to empty Rukban refugee camp , get rid of terrorists we are STILL paying — Revolutionary Commando Army — and let refugees go home. As for the unknown number of ISIS held there — how about letting Syria take them over, or even Iraq.
Time to unburden taxpayer!
This Conoco field was first discovered and subsequently developed by an American company and SF troops have been protecting it since it was retaken from ISIS in 2017. The Kurds took it back with our help and our SF guys were sent in to protect it. Not long after that our Special forces were attacked there by hundreds of Russian Mercenaries under the control of the “Wagner Group”, who was given oil concessions by Assad if they could take and hold them. So are we protecting this field from ISIS or from Russian Mercs?
The Russian government looked the other way as we wiped out the Wagner Groups Mercenaries last time and they are not officially condoned by Moscow even now. It’s not a big surprise that the US will try and reinforce this area. They don’t want the Russian Mercs or the Turks taking it.
The Kurds are now under control of the Syrian government so if they want to invite Assad in they can and I believe they eventually will. Right now we have relatively lightly armed men protecting this field and this move was undoubtedly made as a warning not to try and attack them again. Eventually a deal will be made in regards to who provides security to this field and the others in this traditionally Sunni region. I doubt the US cares as long as the oil keeps flowing and someone pays our company for it.
I’m assuming that eventually Assad will regain control over this entire region and they will provide the security, the US will move out once they agree to continue to provide security and to continue to buy the oil from the US company that discovered these fields and who developed them along with building the refineries. It’s that or we will burn them on our way out, but I doubt they will hand over all of this for nothing.
Yes that’s imperialism, is anyone actually surprised?
The best way to keep Syrian oil from being “used” by ISIS is let the Syrian Gov’t control it. But, oh no, what Uncle Sam still wants to do is screw Syria because the Syrian Gov’t is an enemy of israel.
Uncle Sam funded the head choppers in Syria like HTS and al-Qaeda, but now the US can’t face up to the fact they’ve lost and the Syrian Gov’t is going to stay in power so Uncle Sam wants to make life as difficult as possible for the Syrian people.
What a cruel country we live in! Anything and everything for israel and its American friends.
Simple. The US needs tanks in Syria (and Iraq) because when the Iran war starts, the US troops in those countries – and there will be tens of thousands more in all those countries and more, trust me – will need them to defend themselves from the Iraqis and Syrians and Lebanese who will be supporting Iran. Not to mention Hezbollah in Lebanon, who everyone continues to forget is the second biggest target of the US.
The oil is the excuse, but the military planning is for the Iran war, not just Syria.
This was all planned, more or less, twenty years ago. Remember that document that General Clark said he was told about, that promised seven countries would be attacked by the US? The only two countries on that list that haven’t been attacked – yet – are Lebanon and Iran.
Here’s the quote:
So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were
bombing in Afghanistan. I said, “Are we still going to war with Iraq?” And he said, “Oh, it’s worse than that.” He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, “I just got this down from upstairs” — meaning the Secretary of Defense’s office — “today.” And he said, “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” I said, “Is it classified?” He said, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, don’t show it to me.”
End Quote:
And apparently they – or the Saudis, at least – added Yemen to the list.
They’ve done a lot of bumbling and obstacles have arisen – namely Russia and China and Hezbollah and the Iraqi resistance – and things haven’t gone entirely to plan. But as I’ve said before, if they want to achieve their goals – and by they, I mean the neocons, Israel, the military-industrial complex and the oil companies – they’re going to continue to keep at it until they succeed. Whether it’s possible for them to succeed is irrelevant to them.
And there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
A really, massively stupid idea. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
America, exposed before the whole world, as just a thieving gangster.