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Syrian oil: US troops being deployed will strike at ANY force challenging occupation – SecDef
American mechanized forces have begun deploying at Syrian oil fields, ostensibly to stop the remnants of Islamic State from seizing them, and will respond with “overwhelming force” to protect them.
Following the withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria earlier this month, and the killing of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Saturday night, American forces in Syria apparently have a new mission: protect the oil.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said at a press conference on Monday that American mechanized forces have already deployed to protect oil fields in eastern Syria. The mission, on its surface, aims to keep these oil fields in the hands of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Washington’s former allies in the fight against IS.
The American troops, he said, will “respond with overwhelming military force against any group who threatens the safety of our forces there.”
Esper: US troops will “remain positioned” to deny ISS oil fields and will “respond with overwhelming military force against any group who threatens the safety of our forces there.” Says fields give SDF vital cash flow.
— Aaron Mehta (@AaronMehta) October 28, 2019
Extraordinary. Per press conference with Defense Secretary Esper and Gen. Milley, US troops are deployed to Syrian oil fields not only to deny access to ISIS, but also so SDF can monetize them and afford to maintain prisons and continue anti-ISIS fight.
— Samuel Oakford (@samueloakford) October 28, 2019
Milley says US forces have secured the oil fields against ISIS -- Esper says Kurdish forces need the oil revenue to keep guarding ISIS camps, implicitly confirming (I think) that they're also secured against Syria/Russia.
— Oblivier Knox (@OKnox) October 28, 2019
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