ACTION ALERT: US Military Convoys Heading for Syria’s Oil Fiends Are Not “Securing” the Oil for Syrians
(October 31, 2019) —Trump announced this week that he plans to station US troops at Syrian oil fields — indefinitely — to “secure the oil” and steal it. Then this morning, a large US military convoy of armored tanks was spotted moving through northern Syria. [1]
It may all seem like just another Trump absurdity. Perhaps a way to distract from his greenlighting of Turkey’s attack on Syrian Kurds, or even his own impeachment troubles. But Trump seems deadly serious — and that’s terrifying.
From Iraq to Venezuela to Syria, Trump has openly talked about stealing other countries’ oil. And now he’s pledging to use the US military to do just that. But let’s be crystal clear, this is illegal and unconstitutional.
Here’s the thing. The way this is supposed to work, is Congress decides when and where and whether the US goes to war. It’s a bedrock of our constitutional system of checks and balances — designed to protect against this kind of disgusting mission.
That’s why we need to make Congress do its job and block Trump’s reckless, exploitative, and destructive foreign policy in Syria. And that means getting loud RIGHT NOW.
To state the obvious, securing and selling Syrian oil is not actually an authorized mission for the US military.
Actually, it’s completely and utterly unconstitutional for the President to send troops into such a mission. Win Without War and most legal experts have always rejected the argument that the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force could be stretched to apply to any mission in Syria – whether against the self-described Islamic State, confronting Iran, or fomenting forcible regime change (did we learn nothing from Iraq?!). But there is NO ONE who believes there is legal justification for ANY US military deployment for Syria to “protect” — ahem, forcibly take — Syria’s oil.
And there’s more. This also violates international law. And could be designated a WAR CRIME under the Geneva Convention.
Right now, there is bipartisan agreement that Trump is making HUGE mistakes in his reckless and destructive foreign policy. It’s not often that Congress ever debates these kinds of issues, so that gives us an opening to get Congress to act NOW and block Trump from deploying US troops to Syrian oil fields. So we just have to take this chance.
Over eight years of war, Syrians have suffered from brutal bombing by their own government and governments around the world. What started as a call for basic human rights and democratic representation, has become a horrific collection of massive, countless, ongoing war crimes and human suffering.
The only way to end the terrible war in Syria and help bring justice to the victims of war crimes — is to end the war in Syria. And the US has only one path forward: end its role in perpetuating the conflict and insist on DIPLOMACY — not more military action, troop deployment, drone strikes, or refugee and Muslim bans.
Trump announced this week that he plans to station US troops at Syrian oil fields — indefinitely — to “secure the oil” and steal it.
It may all seem like just another Trump absurdity. Perhaps a way to distract from his greenlighting of Turkey’s attack on Syrian Kurds, or even his own impeachment troubles. But Trump seems deadly serious — and that’s terrifying.
From Iraq to Venezuela to Syria, Trump has openly talked about stealing other countries’ oil. And now he’s pledging to use the US military to do just that. But let’s be crystal clear, this is illegal and unconstitutional.
Here’s the thing. The way this is supposed to work, is Congress decides when and where and whether the US goes to war. It’s a bedrock of our constitutional system of checks and balances — exactly to protect against this kind of disgusting mission.
That’s why we need to make Congress do its job and block Trump’s reckless, exploitative, and destructive foreign policy in Syria. And that means getting loud RIGHT NOW.
ACTION: Tell Congress: Say NO to Trump’s Troop Deployment to Syrian Oil Fields!
THE LETTER
Dear Representative Barbara Lee and
Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala D. Harris,
Please reclaim Congress’ war powers to decide when, where, and whether the United States should go to war. Trump’s recent announcement that US troops will be stationed in Syria to control and sell Syrian oil has no legal justification or congressional authorization. It’s utterly unconstitutional for the President to send troops into such a mission and would violate international law.
Please speak out against the Trump administration’s deployment of US troops to Syrian oil fields to “secure” the oil.
ACTION: Tell Congress: Reclaim your war powers and say NO to Trump’s troop deployment to Syrian oil fields!
Thank you for working for peace, from Kate, Stephen, Shayna, and the Win Without War team
Large US Military Convoy Spotted in Northern Syria: Reports
(October 31, 2019) — A large US military convoy has been spotted moving through northern Syria, according to multiple reports. Reuters reports several armored vehicles conducted a patrol on the Syria-Turkey border on Thursday morning, which would be the first exercise since President Trump ordered troops to withdraw from northeast Syria this month.
NBC News reported that the convoy was moving toward the border city of Kobani, but that the purpose of the deployment is not yet clear. The military spokesperson for the operation against ISIS, Col. Myles Caggins, tweeted photos of troops and armored vehicles. Caggins said that they were there to support anti-ISIS operations in Deir ez Zor, further south than Kobani.
US Forces Seen Patrolling in Syria Near Turkish Border
BEIRUT (October 31, 2019) — US armored vehicles were seen on Thursday near the Syria-Turkey border in a part of northeastern Syria where they had not been observed since early October when Washington announced the withdrawal of American forces, according to a witness and Reuters video footage.
A military source from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) described the movement as a patrol running between the towns of Rmeilan and Qahtaniyah, which is 20 km (12 miles) to the west. The source said it would “not be a one-time” event.
The witness saw the US military vehicles outside the town of Qahtaniyah, roughly 6 km (4 miles) south of the border.
Later on Thursday, Reuters video recorded from Turkish territory showed a convoy of around 20 military vehicles flying American flags moving through the Syrian border city of Qamishli, which is about 30 km (19 miles) west of Qahtaniyah.
The head of the SDF’s media office could not immediately be reached for comment. Turkey’s defense and foreign ministries did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
President Donald Trump announced on Oct. 6 that US forces would withdraw from northeastern Syria, where the United States had allied with the SDF to oust Islamic State forces, paving the way for a Turkish offensive against Kurdish militia forces in the area.
In response to a question about the reported troop movement, Colonel Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the US-led coalition, said: “All Coalition military operations are de-conflicted with other forces operating in the region”.
“We have begun repositioning Coalition troops to the Deir al-Zor region, in coordination with our SDF partners, to increase security (and) continue our mission to defeat (Islamic State) remnants,” Caggins added.
The US military said last week it was reinforcing its position in Syria with additional assets, including mechanized forces, to prevent oil fields from being taken over by remnants of the Islamic State militant group or others.
Trump said last week a small number of US troops would remain in the area of Syria “where they have the oil”.
Syria’s oil wells are principally located in Deir al-Zor province, well south of the Turkish border, though one is located in the country’s northeastern tip nearer to where the US forces were spotted.
Iran, Russia and Turkey — the three remaining actors in the region wielding influence over the conflict — have all criticized the US decision to maintain a presence near oil fields.
‘Maximum Restraint’
The reported troop movement comes after the expiration of a Tuesday deadline set by Turkey and Russia for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, the main component of the SDF, to pull back 30 km (19 miles) away from its border. Turkey made a similar deal with the United States, pausing its assault during the withdrawal.
While both Washington and Moscow have said that YPG fighters left the border area within the given time, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan has said Kurdish fighters still remained, and that Ankara and Moscow would begin joint patrols along the border at a depth of 7 km (4 miles) on Friday.
Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization because of its links to Kurdish militants in southeastern Turkey, and aims to establish a “safe zone” in northern Syria cleared of the group, where it says up to 2 million Syrian refugees can settle.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in Istanbul for a mediation conference, said on Thursday he welcomed efforts to end fighting in northeastern Syria through dialogue, but urged restraint.
“I repeat my call for maximum restraint, de-escalation and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in all fronts of Syria,” Guterres said.
Syrian state media reported on Wednesday that the Syrian army and Turkish troops clashed near the border town of Ras al Ain. Erdogan has warned that Turkey could launch a new offensive if YPG fighters do not withdraw from the border.
Iran and Russia have supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the 8-1/2 year civil war, while Turkey backs rebels who fought for years to overthrow him.
Turkey-backed rebels said on Tuesday they arrested an undisclosed number of Syrian army soldiers in Tel Hawa, in the Ras al Ain countryside near the Turkish border. Hours later, Turkey’s defense ministry said 18 people, suspected of belonging to Syrian government forces, had been captured near Ras al Ain.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday that Ankara is in talks with Moscow to hand over the 18 individuals.
Reporting by Rodi Said in northeast Syria; Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Ali Kucukgocmen and Jonathan Spicer in Istanbul.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes
