Syrian conflict is just one part of a broader Middle Eastern "War for Oil."

[another_liberal]

The Syrian civil war, American-German historian and foreign policy consultant F. William Engdahl explains, is part of an effort by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey (joining forces after a fashion) to gain control of Iraqi and Syrian oil resources. Opposed to this power grab, Engdahl adds, are not only the potential victim states whose oil is at stake but also their regional ally, Iran, and to a less overt extent, Syrian ally, the Russian Federation.

Saudi Army troops, 2016 (AFP)



Syrian Chessboard: A Prologue to a New Phase of the 'War for Oil'?


The world is about to be dragged into a new oil war in the Middle East, American-German researcher, historian and strategic risk consultant F. William Engdahl predicts. "It is on one level, a Saudi war to redraw the national borders of the infamous Anglo-French Sykes-Picot carve up of the bankrupt Ottoman Turkish Empire of 1916. This war has as its foolish goal bringing the oil fields and pipeline routes of Iraq and Syria, and perhaps more of the region, under direct Saudi control, with Qatar and Erdogan's Turkey as Riyadh's partners in crime. Unfortunately, as in all wars, there will be no winners," Engdahl writes in his piece for New Eastern Outlook.

Who will play this "four-dimensional" chess? According to the author, there are at least four groups of actors. The first group consists of the Wahhabi Sunni Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under King Salman, the Erdogan regime, Qatar and their numerous Islamist proxies including Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliates.

The second group comprises Syria under the rule of Bashar al-Assad, Shiite Iran and their allies in the region. The third actor is Netanyahu's Israel which pursues its own interests despite it has recently concluded "public strategic alliances" with both Ankara and Riyadh. The last but not the least, is the group of the US-led NATO powers, which have their own vested interests in the ongoing geopolitical game, according to the researcher. Engdahl notes that Russia's involvement in the Syrian crisis has obviously brought the "game" to a new level: Syria has obtained an opportunity to preserve its sovereignty due to Moscow's support.

"Erdogan's Turkish military and most especially his Turkish intelligence, MIT, headed by close crony, Hakan Fidan, is playing a key role in the planned Saudi-Turk-Qatari coalitions move to destroy the regime of Assad and at the same time seize control for them of the rich oil fields of Iraq between Mosul and Kirkuk," the researcher underscores.

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Read more at: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160113/1033063125/syrian-crisis-prologue-to-war-for-oil.html

[gratuitous]

1. Wouldn't it be a good idea . . . ?

Wouldn't it be a good idea for the United States to undertake a "moon shot" project like substantially reducing our demand for oil and related products? I don't think we can completely end our use of oil, but by cutting our dependence on it for running our country, oil would become just another commodity, one that we didn't have to wage costly and wasteful wars to secure and defend.

[another_liberal]

2. I will vote for such a proposal in a heartbeat!

Be aware, though, that any effort in that direction will be a serious threat to the incomes of some very wealthy and powerful people, wealthy and powerful people who presently command our national economy and direct (to a large extent) our foreign policy.