Democrats in the US House of Representatives have proposed a ban on spending the 2021 defense budget on the establishment by the US military of control over oil facilities in Syria and Iraq, according to the Defense Funding Bill.
"None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be obligated or expended by the United States Government for a purpose as follows ... to exercise United States control over any oil resource of Iraq or Syria," the document reads.
In addition, the Federal funds are prohibited from being used for the construction of facilities for the permanent deployment of US troops in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Democrats in the House of Representatives and Republicans in the Senate are expected to propose two versions of the budget for the fiscal, which will then be brought together by a coordinating commission. The agreed document will subsequently be signed by the president.
In October 2019, US President Donald Trump, who previously announced his intention to withdraw all US forces from areas in Eastern Syria, said that some of the military personnel would remain to "protect oil" from the militants of the terrorist group "Islamic state" (ISIS). He noted that "it might be time for the Kurds to move to this oil region", explaining that "they need money". He added then said that "we can invite large US oil companies to the area to explore its oil fields and, which could "do it properly.""
Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that the United States was openly and unceremoniously robbing oil fields in Syria and, at the same time, banning the supply of oil to this country with sanctions.
The armed conflict in Syria has been going on since 2011. At the end of 2017, it was announced the victory over the terrorist group ISIS ("Islamic state", (outlawed in Russia) in Syria and Iraq. Militant sweeps continue in some parts of the country. At the moment, the political settlement, reconstruction of Syria, as well as the return of refugees are at the forefront.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from RIA Novosti