“We are just patrolling around,” a US special forces commander said to regional media in a rare interview from the ground in northeast Syria. And where is this “ground”?… Syria’s oil fields of course!
Years or decades from now, long after the hoped for final close of the tragic eight-year long Syrian war, these will be the images the world remembers as the true American legacy in Syria and the broader Middle East.
US soldier talks to @NPA_English & Rudaw near Girgelege where there is an oil station.
"We are just patrolling around".
Also says there won't be Turkish patrols. "Not that I know off"pic.twitter.com/Ss3axkJeaH
— Wladimir (@vvanwilgenburg) November 4, 2019
Some astounding confessions and commentary from CNN this weekend:
“Our professional military officers and diplomats don’t want to leave Syria,” said Wechsler, now Director of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East programs at the Atlantic Council. He noted that the arguments that traditionally resonate with presidents — including maintaining American credibility and deterrence, countering terrorism and thwarting Iran, “these don’t seem to resonate strongly with this president.”
U.S troops patrolling #Syria ‘s Rumeilan & Eilan oil fields in north #Syria pic.twitter.com/SyUfUIGf0O
— EHSANI2 (@EHSANI22) November 3, 2019
‘Deep state’ confessions apparently, as the oil rationale was the admitted inducement to yet again get Trump to reverse his own declared “withdrawal” and sign on to yet more open-ended occupation.
CNN continues:
“It’s the only argument that resonates with the President and thus becomes the excuse that we need to keep forces there to protect other interests,” Wechsler said. While the oil justification seems to have worked, “using it as an excuse opens up a whole series of other questions,” he noted.
Or rather, it opens up yet another “forever war” and occupation without purpose or end.
As the think tank pundit confessed to CNN, the ‘professionals’ simply “don’t want to leave Syria.”
Enjoy your oil occupation America. Or ‘counter-Iran’ occupation. Or ‘pressure Assad’ occupation, or whatever it morphs into.
