US says it will increase sanctions on Syria

 (June16)On Wednesday new US sanctions on Syria are set to come into effect. The increased sanctions come as the nation is still struggling to rebuild after being shattered by a nine-year civil war.

Existing US sanctions already impede rebuilding efforts

The existing US sanctions have frozen the assets of the Syrian state and also hundreds of companies and individuals. The US bans export and investment in Syria by Americans, and transactions that involve oil or hydrocarbon products. The sanctions are allowed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which was incorporated into the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

The new sanctions

The new sanctions give US President Donald Trump wider powers to freeze assets of anyone who deals with Syria regardless of their nationality, and the sanctions cover many more sectors ranging from construction to energy.

The new sanctions will also target those dealing with Russian or Iranian entities in Syria. This will cause many investors to not invest in Syria because of the risks involved.

Negative effects

Just the prospect of the sanctions have also caused some investors in reconstruction to pull out of Syria. This is a prime cause of the collapse of the value of Syrian currency. Lebanon and Jordan important regional neighbors are discouraged from investing in Syrian reconstruction since they fear they will be targeted by the US.

Complaints about the new sanctions

Even US Kurdish allies in the northeast of Syria worry about the effects of the new sanction. An official from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) told the Voice of America that the sanctions could also impede their ability to fight the Islamic Sate (ISIS) and said: . “As Caesar sanctions are about to go into effect, the status of northeastern Syria must be taken into consideration especially when these sanctions might affect the battle to fight with ISIS."

In the US a group of Syrian-Americans in Allentown Pennsylvania demonstrated in opposition to the new sanctions. Bashar Hajal of Allentown said: “When you try to destroy the economy of a country, it affects the people. It’s a contradiction if the main purpose of the Caesar Act is to protect civilians. It’s our homeland. And seeing it collapse like this is just devastating. We cannot stand by.”

Previously published in the Digital Journal

US Secretary of Defense claims US will stay in Syria many years

(December 12, 2019) Mark Esper, US Secretary of Defenses and General Mark Milley testified to the US House Armed Services Committee that the US will continue to have troops in Syria for many years. They claimed it was hard to foresee all US forces withdrawing anytime soon.

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US troops needed to combat ISIS

Both officials claimed that the US troops were needed to combat the threat of iSIS, the Islamic State. They claimed that it would be a long time before regional forces in Syria would be able to fight ISIS on their own. ISIS seems mostly defeated. The two did not specify what regional forces they are referring to but presumably it is the Kurds. The US withdrew from parts of Syria near the Turkish border giving the green light in effect for Turkey to occupy the safe zone along the border. The US troops are becoming more and more centered in a diminishing area.

Trump claims he moved troops to guard oil area

The Pentagon and other officials conflict with Trump's narrative about why US troops are staying in Syria. An article on November 13 reports: " President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that the U.S. mission in Syria is focused solely on protecting oil fields, which appears to contradict the Pentagon's contention that fighting ISIS is the priority."We're keeping the oil, we have the oil, the oil is secure, we left troops behind only for the oil," Trump told reporters during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the White House."

Neither Esper nor the general mention oil only the threat of ISIS. Trump has long insisted that ISIS has been defeated, However Pentagon officials insist that ISIS is a continuing threat.

In contrast as a recent article points out: "President Trump now insists that the US war in Syria is exclusively about oil, and the only reason US troops are in Syria is to take Syrian oil with the help of US oil companies to be named later. President Trump has repeatedly reiterated this stance, despite military officials trying to make the war about something else."

Perhaps the time has come for complete withdrawal

As the Wall Street Journal notes, Trump made a campaign promise during his campaign for president that he would withdraw troops from Syria. However, many military officials are against this. Trump has given in but at the same time is providing an alternative justification for staying that is not sitting well with many officials.

It seems that the Pentagon narrative of the great danger of an ISIS comeback is not that convincing. No evidence is provided for it. On the other hand, Trump's rationale makes the US look very bad and there seems no legal basis for the US claiming Syrian oil. No large oil company has jumped at the opportunity Trump appears to be offering them. No doubt they think the legal risks are too great, Perhaps it is time for Trump to finally fully carry out his campaign promise to withdraw all US troops from Syria,

Previously published in the Digital Journal