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USA: No Restitution to Syria

by Eric Zuesse


On April 22nd, an anonymous U.S. “Senior Administration Official” told a press conference in Toronto, that the only possible circumstance under which the U.S. Government will agree to pay anything for the harms (bombings of infrastructure etc.) it’s doing to Syria, would be if Syria will agree to cede, to U.S. control, a portion of its land:

QUESTION: When you say no reconstruction money for areas that are under Assad’s control, there is some reconstruction money that’s currently frozen or under question for areas that are not under Assad’s control?
MODERATOR: That’s stabilization, which is different from reconstruction, just to clarify.

“Stabilization” is the solidification of control by the U.S. Government, via its proxies (‘rebels’ trained by U.S. and financed by the Sauds) who are fighting to overthrow Syria’s Government; and the U.S. won’t pay any reconstruction unless it’s “stabilizing” that particular part of Syria. If America’s 7-year-long effort at regime-change in Syria turns out to be a total failure (grabbing no part of its territory), then the U.S. won’t pay even a cent for restoration of Syria from its 7-year-long war to control that country via installing there rulers who will be doing the bidding of the royal Saud family, Saudi Arabia’s owners, who have been America’s direct agent all along in Syria to ultimately take over its Government.
America’s other main ally demanding regime-change in Syria is Israel, which is a Jewish theocracy; and, of course, no predominantly Muslim nation would accept being ruled by Jews of any sort — nor by any Christians. Consequently, the U.S. has been using the fundamentalist Sunni owners of Saudi Arabia — the Saud family (the world’s richest family) — as its agent to fund Syria’s ‘rebels’, and to select which of the ‘rebels’ constitute, at the U.N.-sponsored peace talks for Syria, the ‘opposition’ who are negotiating against Syria’s elected Government to rule the country.
The other participants, along with the Sauds who own Saudi Arabia, are the Thanis who own Qatar, and the six royal families who own United Arab Emirates — all likewise being fundamentalist Sunnis. Syria’s Government is committedly secularist and opposed to Sharia (Islamic) law. By installing a Sunni Sharia law government, the Sauds would take effective control over Syria — the U.S. would conquer that land.
On March 16th, the Washington Post bannered “Trump wants to get the U.S. out of Syria’s war, so he asked the Saudi king for $4 billion” and reported that “In a December phone call with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, President Trump had an idea he thought could hasten a U.S. exit from Syria: Ask the king for $4 billion. By the end of the call, according to U.S. officials, the president believed he had a deal.
The White House wants money from the kingdom and other nations to help rebuild and stabilize the parts of Syria that the U.S. military and its local allies have liberated from the Islamic State.” The U.S., in actual fact, had ignored ISIS in Syria until Russia on 30 September 2015, at Syria’s request, started bombing it and other jihadists there. After that, opposing ISIS became America’s excuse for its earlier and continuing demand that “Assad must go,” and America’s objective then became bombing and totally destroying ISIS’s Syrian headquarters in Raqqa so as for America and its allies to gain access to Syria’s oil-producing region. The U.S. had never bombed any of ISIS’s oil tanker trucks in Syria until it started doing that on 17 November 2015, after Russia had on September 30th begun its bombings in Syria.
Ever since 1949, America’s real target in Syria has been to replace Syria’s Government, and this goes back long before ISIS even existed, anywhere; and Barack Obama had entered office in 2009 hoping to be the U.S. President who would achieve that decades-long U.S. and Saud and Israel objective. So, for the U.S. Government, Syria is to be conquered, never to be restituted unless and until, and only to the extent that, it is conquered.
On April 16th, the Wall Street Journal headlined “U.S. Seeks Arab Force and Funding for Syria: Under plan, troops would replace American military contingent after ISIS defeat and help secure country’s north; proposal faces challenges.” This report said that, “The initiative comes as the administration has asked Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to contribute billions of dollars to help restore northern Syria. It wants Arab nations to send troops as well, officials said.”
The article closed: “Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. have helped pay the stipends for the Syrian fighters the U.S. is supporting, American officials say. Administration officials are calculating Arab nations will respond more favorably to a request from Mr. Trump, who already has asked Saudi Arabia to contribute $4 billion to restore former Islamic State-held areas of Syria.”
America’s plan also includes taking control over the dams that supply water to the rest of Syria; so, the goal remains strangulation of Syria’s Government, even if outright conquest of it remains beyond reach.
On 10 June 2017, a meeting was held in Syria’s northeastern city of Qamishli, which borders Turkey, and where Syrian tribal leaders met with America’s allies and with U.S. Colonel John Dorrian (shown here holding a press briefing on a different occasion), at which, according to the Turkish newspaper reporting the event, “Representatives agreed on a pipeline route. Radical decisions were made regarding the extraction, processing and marketing of the underground wealth of the Haseke, Raqqah and Deir ez Zor regions, which hold 95 percent of Syrian oil and natural gas’ potential.”
However, as of yet, Trump hasn’t been able to achieve the type of deal that he is aiming for. On April 18th, that same Turkish newspaper bannered “US to build Arab force in NE Syria as part of new ploy: The US is seeking to amass an Arab force in northeastern Syria comprised of funding and troops from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.” So, perhaps there will be a portion of Syria that the U.S. will “stabilize” or even, just maybe, restitute for damages done in the effort to conquer it.
Whitney Webb has provided an excellent comprehensive view on which Syrian assets the U.S. Government is hoping to win.
The reconstruction costs to restore Syria were initially roughly estimated at $250 billion, but Syria’s Government now estimates it at around twice that figure.

Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

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mikael
mikael
Apr 25, 2018 3:25 PM

Yeah, Hitleri/Hitlera, the dance never ends dont it, every day we are “carefully” reminded about that, and racism.
One thing, that evades any debate/deadbeat is facts.
What the “nazis” did or did not, I dont bother to debate, because most of whats debated is what we all know to day, utter bullshit and history faked to oblivion and back, aka useless.
But, the Europeans incl a large part of the so called sivilizied world did that, and they continued this so called racism programs, even Norway/Sweden etc, up to the 80s, ( its by all means staggering evil and brutal, the norse treatments of sub-humans, the list is long, from forced lobotomizings to simply take the childrens away, justifyed by they been poor, etc, etc, ) was all due to what was then, (and now) from the 1800 to day, was regarded as rock solid science, they did this because somebody told them this is the truth, about races, low and high, blacks and white, nobody got spared, even white, because you by some obscure reason was not born in Norway, then you where atumaticly an lesser man, sub-humans (Norway is an special case, where their own self roghtious propaganda have hidden everything, and now, they refuse to debate anything) , and like animals, and I quote sience, feels lesse pain, when ability to express pain, as in animals, was close realted to consciousness, lower consciousness, lesser pain and expresions of it by doing something, kick an dog and see if it whines, that, is even to day an clausus belie for regarding if animals are intellegent at all, huh, like fish.
You stil dont get it do you, and now we are sliding back to the dark ages, where people are been chategorized, marginalized and polarized, against us or for, etc. 1984 as in 1984, we are in 2018 now, the neo-faudlaism have never been more obvious, than now.
Ask them why, the inhabitants of the Imperial banana republic UssA (union by socialistic scumbags of amurica)
Its because its their god dammed right, because they are Gods people on our earth, yeah, we, the rest, is just collateral damage, I am afriad this latest stunts points to more wars and the UssA will never leave Syria, because of Iran, witch will be the next target, circumventing Syria, and what will Russia do then, will be intresting, regarding the so called aliances.
The test is coming.
The Wankees never cares, they didnt care in ww1, didnt care jack shit in ww2, and now them Trumpstein is to kick on another war where millions will die, and you think they care, apart from some people and they have my respect I know that they cant do no more then I can, and thats nothing.
Thats why I know the war is coming, its after all just bizzenizze, right, nothing personal.
The private military ind. complex, along with IMF, weapons of mass destructions, nukes are for barbarians, why nuke when you have banks, and now, the wars will be theirs, private military orgs, like the one run by the Prince of Darkness.
Do you understand, the phase just shifted, what comes next, is more or less open, but the cowardness oof the Europeans is stunning.
All in all, everything goes as planned, nothing have changed, everything is lies, nobody cares about facts, etc, shit like that, its an race to slam consencusses at each others, and spirnkled them with utter nonsense.
Untill something fundamental happens, the UssA is on full steam ahead.
peace

Kathy
Kathy
Apr 25, 2018 10:00 AM

The French and the UK remain salivating over the Middle East goading America on to action. The carving up of the region and the damage this caused has fomented since the late 19th c when it first began.

vexarb
vexarb
Apr 25, 2018 6:45 AM

As the peaceloving Christian Jimmie Carter said, after he had ruinedd Afghanistan by sending upright God-fearing Saudi fanatics to turn that formerly progressive country into a puritanical hell of Wahabism: “We owe them nothing”.
Uncle $cam is pulling while his credit still holds, because the real world is beginning to unload those debt laden U$ Dollar$. Rothschild asks, Am I bovvered? SyrPer BTL:
Mike-Florida
While US expands more debt, Russia dramatically expands its gold reserves.
Russia buys record amount Gold In March – Putin directs mission building gold reserves rather than US dollars. Russia, Turkey & China recognize financial independence holding gold bullion – storing location cannot be compromised by sanctions. Gold reserves by non-Western countries could tip scales of global order.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-24/russia-buys-300000-ounces-gold-march-nears-2000-tons-reserves
(Time will prove which nation’s policy is best – piles of gold vs. piles of debt. — Mike)

Anandamide
Anandamide
Apr 24, 2018 11:32 PM

It’s beyond what we can call madness really…
Power to the spirit of resistance….

BigB
BigB
Apr 24, 2018 7:41 PM

No surprise, but nice to see it confirmed by Eric. I’m pretty sure the Anglo-Zionists wanted to impose a neoliberal constitution on Syria, L Paul Bremer III style. Then the corporate concerns could carve up Syria with no bid contracts awarded to not actually build anything, like Iraq. Or build a few roads to move opium on, like Afghanistan. Then the FUKZUSA energy concerns get to exploit the Levant Basin, which they were doing, perfectly legally before the war. But with no need to worry about Syrian state partners. And the Genie would be out of the bottle, exploring for oil in the Golan – which would then be part of Israel. And just as importantly in a desert region, Bibi would secure his headwaters rights ensuring the Israelis could drink fresh water. The Palestinians could drink unpotable contaminated sludge when the water table collapses in Gaza. If that is nu-antisemitic, then prove me wrong by providing clean water from the Turkish pipeline, as well as food, livable conditions, fishing rights in non-sewage contaminated waters, the revenue from Gaza offshore gas, and stop shooting children for throwing stones, etc. Oh, and take down the fucking apartheid wall.
Gareth Porter correctly debunked the 2009 Qatar-Turkey pipeline real that never was: but there are other pipelines. The Trans-Anotolian (TANAP): a deal between Israel agenda Turkey seems mired, but the East Med from the Leviathan field and Cyprus to Europe via Greece seems to be a goer. That could easily pick up more gas front the Levantian Basin: should it become available. All in all, plenty for the vulture capitalists to pick over. Only Dr Assad has no intention of rolling over just yet. And Uncle Vlad has no intention of letting that happen. Cue more CW provocations and targeted evidence free retaliations.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ceraweek-energy-israel/israel-expects-decision-on-east-med-gas-pipeline-to-europe-in-2019-idUSKCN1GK2OI

tomiejones
tomiejones
Apr 24, 2018 6:57 PM

Reblogged this on circusbuoy and commented:
AH US GET A PORTION OF LAND AND USA PAYS FOR IT ,THEN ISRAEL GETS THE LAND AND CLEANSES IT AND IT BECOMES PART OF GREATER ISRAEL .

archie1954
archie1954
Apr 24, 2018 6:34 PM

This requirement of the US government shows the World exactly what America is all about and why it should be opposed by every nation on the face of the globe!

mohandeer
mohandeer
Apr 24, 2018 5:59 PM

The US should be forced to pay restitution for all it’s criminal wars, unfortunately since most of those wars were motivated by acquisition of income to prop up the US bankrupt economy, they can’t afford to pay their dues – they can’t even afford to pay the UN what they owe!
Then there is the problem of NATO who are equally culpable for the US war OF terrorism, most of the member states have economies also tanking and falling behind emergent economies, they can’t afford welfare in their respective cuntries, let alone restitution to the countries they have destroyed.
Restitution must also be made to the families of dead victims of these illegal wars. The aggressors of whom there are many, haven’t got enough to even begin to address this issue between the lot of them.
The US has only three exports that earn them profit – oil(which is at rock bottom prices), loans(which countries needing funding are borrowing from other than the petro dollar) and war – the only really profitable export they have left.
If Iran and Iraq should join forces, with Russia and China in the wings, Syria could push the US out of the Euphrates, Turkey blows with the wind but the threat of Kurdish power and the loss of income to the US occupation of major oil riches, or being locked out of the OBOR scheme, could influence them against the US. Syria must denounce any such offer of restitution and bide it’s time – revenge is a dish best served cold and in the long run will taste all the sweeter if it is at the cost of the Imperialist Axis.

summitflyer
summitflyer
Apr 24, 2018 6:19 PM
Reply to  mohandeer

Gotta love the sound of your analysis .The demise of the warmonger entities of our world could not happen soon enough for me.

mohandeer
mohandeer
Apr 25, 2018 1:39 PM
Reply to  summitflyer

I’ve taken to praying these days(just in case there really is a God)

mohandeer
mohandeer
Apr 24, 2018 5:34 PM

Reblogged this on Worldtruth and commented:
This is exactly what the US war against Syria was always about – plundering the resources of ME countries. They already control the Euphrates resources illegally which constitutes 30% of the wealth generating resources of Syria so presumably they are going to give 100% of their profits to the Syrian people?
I thought not.

JJA
JJA
Apr 24, 2018 5:31 PM

Let me guess, Israel to permanently annex The Golan Heights that they’ve occupied for decades?

Paul X
Paul X
Apr 24, 2018 3:25 PM

NE Syria, where the Americans are, has 95% of the country’s oil and gas potential? That’s staggering and explains a lot. The new attack on Assad will come from Salafists husbanded by Turkey and the wealth of the oil will be used to back an Arab-US Force.

summitflyer
summitflyer
Apr 24, 2018 3:01 PM

” if Syria will agree to cede, to U.S. control, a portion of its land”
So there you have it.It was always about more land for Eretz Israel .
Sick hypocritical criminals that they can and do steal land that does not belong to them for appropriation to themselves .And no one seems to question this twisted ideology.
“To find out who rules over you ,simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize. ” …Voltaire

labrebisgalloise
labrebisgalloise
Apr 24, 2018 6:14 PM
Reply to  summitflyer

I like that quote but I cannot find the French original. Do you have a link to it? Thank you.

summitflyer
summitflyer
Apr 24, 2018 6:34 PM

I don’t remember where I copied it from and I saved it among my famous “quotes” as I found the quote so very appropriate .Here it is :http://www.azquotes.com/author/15138-Voltaire

grandstand
grandstand
Apr 25, 2018 2:10 AM

It is often stated on the web that it was said by Voltaire but in fact it is due to an extreme white nationalist, Kevin Strom:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Alfred_Strom
A pity but, in the circumstances, best not to use it.

Mulga Mumblebrain
Mulga Mumblebrain
Apr 25, 2018 2:29 AM
Reply to  grandstand

It is so apt, and so perfectly describes the situation, PARTICULARLY in regard to the witch-hunt against Corbyn and the fanatic drive to OUTLAW ALL criticism of Israel, that Voltaire, if alive today, would certainly say it. The ‘attribution’ to a white nationalist could also simply be just more hasbara disinformation.

grandstand
grandstand
Apr 25, 2018 3:11 AM

While I hesistate to link to the site, you can read it in Strom’ s own words.
Just search “Strom, America, Terror” in Google.
I agree with your sentiments and wish it were otherwise, but quoting Strom is not a good way to win an argument.

Dave Massingham
Dave Massingham
Apr 25, 2018 4:57 AM
Reply to  grandstand

Maybe not so bad?
Hermann Goering has been quoted here I think, regarding governments’
attitude to wars and how they bring their people along with it.
Considering the flak aimed at Corbyn, or anyone questioning the UK
government’s statements, it is apt and frightening.

Mulga Mumblebrain
Mulga Mumblebrain
Apr 25, 2018 10:07 AM
Reply to  grandstand

Perhaps ‘Strom’ (surely a nomme de malevolence)was himself quoting Voltaire. It’s the sort of thing one could have said of the Catholic clergy, the aristocrats and certain Jewish money-lenders, in Voltaire’s time. It is still true today, of a number of groups, I would say.

Edwige
Edwige
Apr 25, 2018 8:52 AM
Reply to  summitflyer

Voltaire was of course a Freemason as were a large number of key figures in the French Revolution (Rousseau, Lafayette, Mirabeau, Danton, Condorcet, Hebert, Marat, Napoleon).
As were large numbers of American revolutionaries.
This is of course of no significance whatsoever.