Posted on Apr 9, 2017
Analysis: Syria policy must reflect the complex reality on the ground | FDD's Long War Journal
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Good read.... how there seem to be no good guys in a civil war.. and funds exchange hands amongst sworn enemies for resources.
"By itself, Palmyra has limited strategic value. But the city is nestled in an oil- and gas-rich region, where the Assad regime built a number of facilities to supply power to residential areas. ISIS has contested the Assad regime for control of these natural resources for years. Assad’s oil deals with ISIS have been a lucrative source of revenue for the so-called caliphate, but this isn’t part of some grand plan by Assad to prop up Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s enterprise. He would surely rather control these gas and oil installations outright, instead of succumbing to ISIS’s extortion. In January, for example, ISIS released a video of its fighters planting and then detonating explosives around the base of Hayyan gas company, which is part of the Shaer gas field in Homs. The message to Assad was clear: Pay up, or the jihadists will cripple your ability to provide heat."
"By itself, Palmyra has limited strategic value. But the city is nestled in an oil- and gas-rich region, where the Assad regime built a number of facilities to supply power to residential areas. ISIS has contested the Assad regime for control of these natural resources for years. Assad’s oil deals with ISIS have been a lucrative source of revenue for the so-called caliphate, but this isn’t part of some grand plan by Assad to prop up Abu Bakr al Baghdadi’s enterprise. He would surely rather control these gas and oil installations outright, instead of succumbing to ISIS’s extortion. In January, for example, ISIS released a video of its fighters planting and then detonating explosives around the base of Hayyan gas company, which is part of the Shaer gas field in Homs. The message to Assad was clear: Pay up, or the jihadists will cripple your ability to provide heat."
Analysis: Syria policy must reflect the complex reality on the ground | FDD's Long War Journal
Posted from longwarjournal.org
ISIS
Al Qaeda
War on Terror
Strategy
Posted >1 y ago
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It is difficult to see how adding US troops to the mix does anything but make it more complicated. I think ISIS in Syria is fair game for US BOG but not certain the US public has the will for the type of fight to remove Assad and establish a functional regime in it's place.
As we have seen from Iraq and Afghanistan, the military solution is the more solvable of the processes.
As we have seen from Iraq and Afghanistan, the military solution is the more solvable of the processes.
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LTC Eric Udouj
I do no think we have the political capital to take Assad out of the picture... such has been spent by the Democrats now and turned anything to do with Russia as being evil. Unfortunately - it is with Russia we need to work with - to cut Iran out - and to begin to weave through the real issues. Assad has no power - and his army long since faded to being but a militia. It is Iran that holds the cards... and so removing one piece does not mean anything more than killing a terrorist in wack-a--mole who is replaced same day by next guy in that shop.
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