Apparently determined to win Russian President Vladimir Putin’s favor by any means necessary, President Joe Biden is sacrificing yet another American interest to Putin.
The Biden administration is revoking the permit for a United States oil company, Delta Crescent Energy, that has been operating in northeastern Syria, as reported by Al-Monitor. Delta Crescent Energy is working with local Kurdish and Sunni Arab interests to develop the local economy and provide much-needed investment. Recognizing the U.S. and dual security-humanitarian interests involved, I previously wrote in favor of Delta Crescent Energy being granted a U.S. Treasury Department waiver for its Syria engagement. The Trump administration later offered that waiver.
In contrast, Biden’s removal of the waiver is yet another gift to Putin. I say “yet another gift” for a good reason. After all, the last few weeks have seen Biden turn himself into the Russian president’s delivery man. Even as more evidence is gathered on highly aggressive Russian attacks against U.S. government personnel, we’ve seen Biden kowtow to Putin. Biden is refusing to enforce congressionally mandated sanctions targeting Putin’s Nord Stream II energy pipeline, he is appeasing Russia over the Colonial Pipeline cyber-extortion plot (for which Putin bears at least some responsibility), and he has begged Putin for a June 16 summit in Geneva.
This waiver revocation is a serious mistake. It will directly benefit the Islamic State terrorist group, Bashar Assad’s genocide machine, and Russian interests. And it will do so to the explicit detriment of America and our allies.
Consider that Delta Crescent Energy’s operation was directly benefiting the local multisectarian community and bolstering U.S. influence against ISIS’s revival. ISIS sources much of its appeal in the exploitation of economic and social grievances. Those grievances are diminished where investment and economic opportunity are present. But while, as now, local Kurdish and Arab authorities will no longer be able to look to the U.S. as a partner, they will face great pressure to defer to Russia instead.
Unsurprisingly, America’s dislocation from eastern Syria has long been a top Russian priority. That’s because America’s withdrawal would allow Russia to exercise economic and political dominion in the region. Of special note, Russia would use this dominion as leverage in its various dealings with Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
What about those humanitarian interests the Biden administration proclaims to serve so faithfully?
An administration official told Al-Monitor that removing the waiver is designed to support the Syrian people, “not the oil.” This is pathetic moral arrogance.
As Sinam Mohamad, a representative for the Syrian Democratic Council, told Al-Monitor, “Our economic situation is so difficult. We are under economic siege with international sanctions and closed borders. And it’s been a particularly difficult situation this year because of the lack of rain. Wheat and other essential crops have been affected, and we have 5 million people living in our area. This company can work with us for developing our area.”
Biden must be very popular in the Kremlin these days. Perhaps not so much with America’s regional allies.
