So, Washington wants to control Syria's eastern quadrant (where Deir Ezzor is located) for military bases, pipeline routes, and a Sunni homeland, which is more-or-less the pretext for continued military occupation. Here's more from an article by Christina Lin:
"Writing in Armed Forces Journal4, Major Rob Taylor joined numerous other pundits in observing that the Syrian civil war is actually a pipeline war over control of energy supply, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey needing to remove Assad 'so they can control Syria and run their own pipeline through Turkey.'
"...if the Saudi/Qatar/Turkey backed Army of Conquest can control just enough land in Syria for a salafist statelet (aka--Sunnistan) to build the Qatar-Turkey pipeline, then these sunni states can finally realize their pipeline dream. Indeed, the 2012 Defense Intelligence Agency report6 corroborates their desire to carve out a salafist statelet in Syria east of Assad-controlled territory in order to put pressure on his regime." ("Chinese stratagems and Syrian buffer zone for Turkey-Qatar pipeline," Christina Lin, Times of Israel)
The idea of splintering Syria into numerous fragments (and controlling the eastern portion of the state) has been promoted by western elites across the board, from neocon John Bolton who said:
Today's reality is that Iraq and Syria as we have known them are gone"..Washington should recognize the new geopolitics. The best alternative to the Islamic State in northeastern Syria and western Iraq is a new, independent Sunni state.
This "Sunni-stan" has economic potential as an oil producer".and could be a bulwark against both Mr. Assad and Iran-allied Baghdad." ("To Defeat ISIS, Create a Sunni State," New York Times)
Liberal interventionists at the Brookings Institute are pushing for the same balkanization remedy. Here's a clip from an article at Brookings titled "Deconstructing Syria: A new strategy for America's most hopeless war" by chief military analyst, Michael O' Hanlon:
"...the only realistic path forward may be a plan that in effect deconstructs Syria...the international community should work to create pockets with more viable security and governance within Syria over time... Creation of these sanctuaries would produce autonomous zones that would never again have to face the prospect of rule by either Assad or ISIL." ("Deconstructing Syria: A new strategy for America's most hopeless war," Michael E. O'Hanlon, Brookings Institute)
So, there you have it; divide and conquer. Split up the country, install new leaders, and let the plundering begin. Sound familiar?
But the Russian's will have none of it; in fact, Putin has responded to Carter's escalation by escalating himself. The circle around Aleppo has closed, supply lines have been cut, the airstrikes have intensified, and the three-pronged ground assault has already begun. So while Washington may have big plans for Syria, they appear to be failing where it counts most...on the battlefield.
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