The secret behind Trump’s moves in eastern Deir ez-Zur

Now that the defeat of terrorists is clear to everyone, the U.S. is seeking to create an economic crisis in Syria by using oil as a tool against Damascus. This is the reason why it is seizing the country’s oil reserves and also pressures Damascus to accept Washington’s conditions.

The following is an article in this regard written by ‘Fatemah Salehi’ titled: “The secret behind Trump’s moves in eastern Deir ez-Zur.” The article has appeared on the frontpage of the website of Iran’s English language daily ‘Tehran Times.’

US President Donald Trump’s desire for Syrian oil has led observers to consider it as the beginning of occupying oil wells in other countries, including Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf Arab states.

The obsession of the U.S. president with money and oil is obvious for everyone and that is why U.S. military commanders have used this temptation by Trump to persuade him to keep some troops in Syria.

On October 28, Trump said, “We are keeping the oil — remember that. Forty-five million dollars a month?  We have secured the oil”.

Last week, news sources reported that the U.S. president has agreed to develop military missions to supposedly protect oilfields in eastern Syria.

The Turkish Anadolu news agency reported that the U.S. has established a new military base in the oil-rich parts of Deir ez-Zur in Syria.

In this regard, Trump announced the settlement of some U.S. companies in Syria’s east to invest in and exploit oilfields. It was a move that drew Russian backlash.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a statement in late October that the Syrian oil is the focus of U.S. attention. In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Lavrov said it was important to refrain from "steps undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.

According to a DW report on October 26, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov also said, "This, what Washington is doing now — capturing and maintaining control through the use of arms over oil fields in eastern Syria — that is, to put it simply, international, state-sponsored banditry."

Konashenkov said tank trucks guarded by U.S. military servicemen and private military companies smuggle oil from fields in eastern Syria to other countries.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin also pointed to U.S. efforts to reinforce its presence in Syrian oil-rich lands, calling it an illegal act by Washington. Vershinin also said that Moscow will never accept the policy that the U.S. is pursuing in Syria.

The Russian Defense Ministry in recent weeks has also released satellite images of some areas in Syria showing that U.S. troops have created security guard to smuggle Syria’s oil. Earlier, images of eastern Syria were released documenting oil trucks were traveling across Syria-Turkey borders, an action which reveals the goals of those countries which support terrorism in Syria.

In terms of oil reserves, Syria is in 32nd place after Malaysia and ahead of Argentina, with 2,5 billion barrels. Syria's known oil reserves are mainly in the eastern part of the country in Deir ez-Zor, the second largest Syrian province after Homs. The rest of reserves are in other provinces such as Hama, Ar Raqqah and Homs.

Before the beginning of the foreign-backed war in 2011, Syria was extracting 385,000 barrels of light crude oil with an approximate value of €3 billion, which were being transferred to Homs via pipeline. 89,000 barrels of the extracted oil were being refined and used for domestic uses. The rest was being exported through Port of Baniyas.

Lebanon has uncovered some oil and gas reserves in the Mediterranean. Syria can also explore some of these reserves as it has long coasts along the Mediterranean if it invests in its territorial waters.  

Now that the defeat of terrorists is clear to everyone, the U.S. is seeking to create an economic crisis in Syria by using oil as a tool against Damascus. This is the reason why it is seizing the country’s oil reserves and also pressures Damascus to accept Washington’s conditions.

The United States plans to seize control of Syria’s oilfields, and they will repel anyone else trying to take that oil with “overwhelming force.”

According to US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, this is the chief military goal of the US in the war-torn country, which will include sending more occupation troops and tanks to “deny access” to the oil reserves to either Russia or the Syrian government. 

The US is trying to build this narrative under the pretext of keeping Daesh from reclaiming the oil deposits, since they held them once. The problem is that the Takfiri terrorist group is already on the run and barely exists. In addition, keeping Syria’s oil away from Syria is a potential problem under international law and the Charter of United Nations - no matter the US gives some of the money to the Kurdish SDF to support its military mission there or not.  

Based on the mounting evidence gathered by Russia, the amount of oil being smuggled is extremely high, is worth hundreds of millions of US dollars, and has increased over time. The US State Department admits it is still business as usual, which proves the Trump administration is well aware of the dealings and does nothing about it - trading their integrity instead. 

The major architects of the Syrian tragedy should take note. Their dream of having the Arab state under their belts is down in flames. They should stop fooling themselves with new geopolitical-financial motivations. By any possible interpretation of international law, if there’s any side of the war the international community should be joining, it’s not with the US and its oil autocrats. It’s with Russia, Iran and Syria. 

In the midst of such an embarrassing story, unless something is done properly, Washington’s black-market oil trade will destroy any hope left for peace and democracy in Syria. From Iran, Russia and Turkey to Europe, every government actively involved in the Syrian peace process bears responsibility for stopping this illegal scheme. It is their responsibility to stop Washington and its oil autocrats on their tracks. 

It is also their responsibility to step up the international campaign to settle the Syrian refugee question, and back restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity. In the era of Washington’s non-stop military intervention, if they ditch their responsibilities, or worse, steer away from the UN Charter and international law, it will become even more difficult to find a comprehensive, constitutional solution for the Syria tragedy. 

ME/MG