The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    jollyroger's picture

    Death to hostages, mercy for oil wells!

    By jollyroger on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 5:48pm |

    After 160+ air sorties against ISIS positions, we are able to deduce at least one guiding principal of American policy.

     

    While we "sit shiva" for hostages, and refuse to negotiate for their release, ostensibly to prevent the ongoing funding of the terrorist enterprise, when it comes to bombing oil wells (let alone the trucks that carry the fruits thereof across the Turkish border) we stay our hand.

     

    WTF??

     

    The cynical might point out that the oil wells are the property, in part, of western oil companies,  who might consider themselves aggrieved at their destruction.

     

    As to why the trucks, easily visible from satellite, let alone drone, surveillance, are permitted to wend their way, laden with contraband oil, from the well head to the black market that awaits, who knows.

     

    All one may glean is that American citizens may die to prevent the funding of ISIS, but a million dollars a day of oil is safe from aerial interdiction.

    Comments

    To be fair, Assad (and even Israel!!) reportedly buy ISIS oil...no one can resist bargain priced stolen goods.

    by jollyroger on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 11:22pm

    To be fair, there are two reasons not to pay ransom for American hostages:

    1. the aforementioned funding of ISIS
    2. not to encourage further hostage-taking of Americans (as has happened to the French)

    That said, I have no idea (even cynical ones) why the would hold back on bombing oil that will be going to fund ISIS. It would be a different story (as to ideas) if that money were going to fund American oil companies. Maybe I'm not understanding your point.


    by Verified Atheist on Wed, 09/17/2014 - 8:02am

    The oil companies hope to regain their property in the future, preferably intact.

    Why the trucks are not bombed, who the fuck can say.

     


    by jollyroger on Wed, 09/17/2014 - 8:36am