Mosul-Haifa Oil Pipeline
'Coalition' forces closed the Karkuk-Banias oil pipeline in early April, which "supplied Syria approximately 200,000 barrels of oil a day... at a preferential price." This destabilizes an already weak economy where 20 percent of the population is unemployed given that "the illicit Iraqi oil allowed Syria to double its oil exports, reaping an estimated extra $1.2-billion (U.S.) annually.
More recently, troops closed the Basra-Syria line.
Now there is talk that the pipeline from Mosul, Iraq to Haifa, Israel will be reopened. To whose benefit? To whose detriment?
The pipeline has closed for 55 years. In part because of constant attacks by Arab guerrillas. Also in part because of the redirection of the pipeline from Palestine to Syria in 1948, when the British mandate in Palestine ended.
A Washington Post article notes the Mosul-Haifa pipeline would need to pass through Syria, not a fan of Israeli policy. However, there is also discussion that the line could be diverted to run through Jordan instead, who would receive transit fees and thus help bolster the economy, but some say that would be too expensive. Given that Syria and Israel are at odds:
"The Assad government seems unlikely to allow such a plan to proceed. Pumping oil from Mosul to Hafia via Jordan may be an option, but it would be too expensive. So a second regime change in the region, this time in Syria, would make the Israelis much happier. Given all this, Washington's pointing the finger at Damascus makes much more sense now. Reopening the pipeline would also serve US interests in the long run."
UPI reports that "Some oil experts view the United States as having, at best, mixed motives for toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein. The stated objective of disarming Iraq's weapons of mass destruction is considered - important but convenient cover for Washington to reduce its dependence on Saudi oil, as well as to guarantee U.S. supervision of Iraq's oil bounty."
Given our desire to set up military bases in close proximity to these pipelines and given our rhetoric against Syria, one wonders if the conspiracy-theory people are more cognizant of reality than the rest of us.
Does it all boil down to this?
"This American-blessed joint venture will reduce Israel's dependence on Russian crude and the cost of its energy imports. It would also require a regime change in Syria, whose territory the pipeline would cross."
permalink posted by: jgh 9:31:24 AM
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