Introduction – Nov 2, 2019
We said at the beginning of 2019 that U.S. troops would likely remain in Syria, despite Trump’s initial promise to withdraw from the country, and sure enough nearly eleven months later they are still there.
This is regardless of Trump’s more recent pledge to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria. So why are they still there? Was they lure of all that oil revenue too tempting to abandon?
Or is Trump just saying the sort of thing that he believes U.S. voters want to hear with the 2020 in view? Even though he has no intention on delivering on those promises. Ed
No Ceasefire in Northern Syria. The Pentagon Will Use Overwhelming Force to Maintain US Control over Syrian Oil
Stephen Lendman – Global Research Nov 1, 2019
From one or more illegally established airbases in Syria, as well as other other regional ones, Pentagon warplanes, attack helicopters, and drones continue terror-bombing Syrian sites at the discretion of its commanders.
US troops still occupy large parts of northern and southern Syrian territory indefinitely, including oil producing areas — looting them for private and CIA profiteering, as well as wanting Damascus denied revenues from its own resources. That’s what grand theft is all about.
All of the above are war crimes as defined under the UN Charter and other international law. The US and its imperial partners remain unaccountable for crimes of war and against humanity in all their war theaters.
The same goes for US economic terrorism against Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, and other countries — high crimes gone unpunished.
An immoral, unethical nation, operating extrajudicially at home and abroad by its own rules to empower and enrich its privileged class at the expense of ordinary people everywhere is what fascist tyranny is all about.
That’s the disturbing state of the US, a fantasy democracy threatening everyone everywhere, defined by its arrogance and rage to dominate.
Its war secretary Mark Esper warned that the Pentagon will use “overwhelming force” to maintain control over Syrian oil producing areas, wanting Damascus sovereignty over all its territory as mandated under international law denied.
The Trump regime and Russia OK’d Turkey’s cross-border aggression in northern Syria. Begun on October 9, it continues despite an October 18-declared ceasefire.
Sporadic clashes are ongoing in Aleppo, Hasakah, and Raqqa provinces.
On October 31, AMN News reported that “Turkey has failed to abide by its obligations under the Syria ceasefire as it continues military activities in Syria’s border areas…”
Commander of Kurdish YPG forces Mazloum Abdi tweeted the following:
“Turkey has not adhered to the ceasefire agreement with the USA and is continuing its war. Turkey, with jihadists, began to occupy Christian villages, trying to break into Tall Tamir dominated by Assyrians, and threatened with annihilation.”
Turkish aggression has nothing to do with its national security, nothing to do with concern for Syrian refugees, everything to do with President Erdogan’s revanchist aims, notably coveting Syrian oil producing areas.
More broadly, he aims to control oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan. Deals he cut with the US and Russia conceal his real objectives.
On October 30, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that
“(u)nits of the Syrian Arab Army on Wednesday clashed with Turkish occupation forces in Tal al-Ward village in Ras al-Ayn countryside,” adding:
“Fierce clashes…erupted between the Syrian Arab Army and the Turkish occupation forces in Tal al-Ward village in Ras al-Ayn southern countryside.”
“Meanwhile, the Turkish offensive and its mercenary terrorists targeted with artillery shells locals’ houses in the villages of Tal Tamr northern countryside, causing the displacement of a large number of people.”
“…Turkish forces also attacked Abu Rasin area in Ras al-Ayn eastern countryside synchronizing with artillery strikes on its neighborhoods.”
“…Turkish forces occupied al-Mahmoudiya and al-Darbu villages in Ras al-Ayn countryside after targeting them with aerial and artillery bombardments.”
Separately, Tass reported that Turkey handed over 18 captured Syrian soldiers to Russian forces. At least two were injured during clashes.
The battle for restoration of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity continues because the US hasn’t ceased its aim to control the country as a vassal state — wanting Bashar al-Assad toppled, pro-Western puppet rule replacing him.
US aggression remains ongoing in its 9th year with no near-term prospect for restoring peace and stability to all parts of the country.
Millions of long-suffering Syrians are hostage to US, NATO, Turkish aggression — along with Israeli terror-bombing at its discretion, on the phony pretext of combatting an Iranian threat that doesn’t exist.
A Final Comment
In its latest edition, the Wall Street Journal perpetuated the myth of “civil war” in Syria.
There’s nothing “civil” about US aggression in its 9th year — responsible for devastating the country and causing the gravest refugee crisis since WW II.
The Journal also maintained the myth of “US troop withdrawal” from the country — despite knowing Pentagon and CIA occupation of northern and southern areas continues indefinitely with no plans for leaving.
Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity are inviolable under international law.
Occupation by foreign forces without permission from Damascus is flagrantly illegal — ignored by the Journal.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Russia, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, India, and Syria should issue an ultimatum to the US – get out of Syria or face serious consequences for your illegal activities in the region.
The US is losing all credibility; apart from its nuclear arsenal, it is way behind on new weapon systems, and its own generals have admitted it cannot win a conventional war.
The dollar is slowly ceasing to be the global reserve currency, and as countries move away from the dollar to new trade arrangements with more reliable partners, their ability to sanction countries who will not bend to their will, is diminishing rapidly. The world has grown tired of US/Anglo hegemony. Endless wars will no longer be tolerated in the upcoming paradigm.
It should be readily easy to make the USA’s costs escalate to a point where it no longer makes fiscal sense to remain in control of the oil fields. Surely the oil has to reach the markets? Just deny them the ability to sell their illegally gained spoils.
@Activisor Sorry to say, but war has and will always be a major part of our society.
Those who rule know nothing but violence can aid them in their oppression of everyone but their own class.
Regardless of the opressor being Western, Eastern or Russian…
Do you seriously think Russian, China, Iran, India have all built modern weapons and armies, just for peace?
They intend to take over from the West once we lose our place in the NWO plan (not really losing our place, but having run our course for usefulness…)
@Robert Again there is no way to enforce this, as Turkey were happy to buy stolen oil for cheap at the start of the war, were happy to steal away most of Syrias manufacturing machinery, what makes you think they have not been buying the oil from the Kurds?
Even if Turkey stopped buying, it would simply get routed to Israel, Jordan or Iraq for resale on the global market, making a lot of middle men extremely wealthy.