Page 9 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 6 november 2019

Trump OKs wider Syria oil mission, raising legal questions

By LOLITA C. BALDOR by that. Defense Secretary
Associated Press Mark Esper said Friday he
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- "interprets" Trump's remarks
dent Donald Trump has to mean the military should
approved an expanded deny IS access to the oil
military mission to secure an fields. There were already a
expanse of oil fields across couple hundred U.S. troops
eastern Syria, raising a num- around Deir el-Zour, and
ber of difficult legal ques- additional forces with ar-
tions about whether U.S. mored vehicles, including
troops can launch strikes Bradley infantry carriers,
against Syrian, Russian or have begun moving in. Of-
other forces if they threat- ficials have said the total
en the oil, U.S. officials said. force there could grow to
The decision, coming after about 500.
a meeting Friday between Trump, Esper and other de-
Trump and his defense fense leaders have said it's
leaders, locks hundreds important to protect the oil
of U.S. troops into a more so that Islamic State mili-
complicated presence tants can't regain control
in Syria, despite the presi- of the area and use the
dent's vow to get America revenues to finance their
out of the war. Under the operations.
new plan, troops would Currently, the U.S.-backed
protect a large swath of Syrian Kurdish forces have
land controlled by Syrian controlled the oil, support-
Kurdish fighters that stretch- U.S. military convoy drives the he town of Qamishli, north Syria, by a poster showing Syrain President ed by a small contingent
es nearly 90 miles (150 kilo- Bashar Aassad Saturday, Oct. 26. 2019. of U.S. troops. A quiet ar-
meters) from Deir el-Zour to Associated Press rangement has existed be-
al-Hassakeh, but its exact soon, as he has repeatedly out details of the military He added that while the tween the Kurds and the
size is still being determined. promised. order, which would make U.S. Constitution bestows Syrian government, where-
Officials said many details Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia clear how far troops will be significant war powers on by Damascus buys the sur-
still have to be worked out. Democrat, called the mis- able to go to keep the oil in the president, those are plus through middlemen in
But, Trump's decision hands sion misguided. the Kurds' control. generally meant to be a smuggling operation that
commanders a victory in "Risking the lives of our The legal authority for U.S. about self-defense and for has continued despite po-
their push to remain in the troops to guard oil rigs in troops going into Syria to the collective defense of litical differences. The Kurd-
country to prevent any re- eastern Syria is not only fight Islamic State militants the country. Arguing that ish-led administration sells
surgence of the Islamic reckless, it's not legally au- was based on the 2001 and securing the oil is necessary crude oil to private refiners,
State group, counter Iran thorized," Kaine told The As- 2002 Authorizations for Use for national security "just who use primitive home-
and partner with the Kurds, sociated Press. "President of Military Force that said strikes me as a bridge too made refineries to process
who battled IS alongside Trump betrayed our Kurd- U.S. troops can use all nec- far," he said. fuel and diesel and sell it
the U.S. for several years. ish allies that have fought essary force against those Members of Congress, in- back to the administration.
But it also forces lawyers alongside American sol- involved in the Sept. 11 at- cluding Kaine, have also It's unclear how long that
in the Pentagon to craft diers in the fight to secure tacks on America and to raised objections to the agreement may continue.
orders for the troops that a future without ISIS - and prevent any future acts of Trump administration using And if some dispute arises,
could see them firing on instead moved our troops international terrorism. So, the AUMF as a basis for war U.S. troops must have clear
Syrian government or Rus- to protect oil rigs." legal experts say the U.S. against a sovereign gov- guidance on how to re-
sian fighters trying to take The Pentagon will not say may have grounds to use ernment. That type of ac- spond.
back oil facilities that sit how many forces will re- the AUMF to prevent the oil tion, he and others have U.S. forces can use military
within the sovereign nation main in Syria for the new from falling into IS hands. argued, required approval force to protect them-
of Syria. mission. Other officials, also But protecting the oil from by Congress. selves. But the oil fields
The officials spoke on con- speaking on condition of Syria government forces or U.S. officials said the order are expansive, and troops
dition of anonymity in order anonymity to discuss ongo- other entities may be hard- approved by Trump does can't be everywhere. If, for
to discuss internal delibera- ing deliberations, suggest er to defend. not include any mandate example, Syrian govern-
tions. the total number could be "The U.S. is not at war with for the U.S. to take Syria's ment troops try to retake a
Trump's order also slams at least 800 troops, includ- either Syria or Turkey, mak- oil. Trump has said multiple portion of an oil facility and
the door on any sugges- ing the roughly 200 who ing the use of the AUMF times that the U.S. is "keep- U.S. troops are not nearby,
tion that the bulk of the are at the al-Tanf garrison a stretch," said Stephen ing the oil." But the White it's unclear now how much
more than 1,200 U.S. troops in southern Syria. Vladeck, a national secu- House and the Pentagon force they could use if
that have been in Syria will According to officials, law- rity law professor at the Uni- have so far been unable they aren't acting in self-
be coming home any time yers are trying to hammer versity of Texas at Austin. to explain what he means defense.q