Why Hit Libya and Not Syria?

By Perry Stone
06/23/2011

There seems to be an odd contradiction in the foreign policy of the present administration. There have been three major nations, all considered to be Middle Eastern, that are experiencing a political shaking and uprising by the common people: Egypt, Libya, and Syria. Our President called for the resignation of both Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libyan President Mumar Kaddafi. However, notice the events in Syria and the near-deafening silence from the U.S. administration.

The U.S. was involved in a bombing raid against the Libyan dictator and provided assistance to the rebels who were rising up to overthrow the violent and corrupt regime of Colonial Kaddafi. At this present time there are numerous NATO airstrikes being conducted, many headed up by France. However, Syria is a different story. The U.S. and her allies seem to have little interest in removing a violent and corrupt regime in Syria. Their leader is presently torturing and killing thousands of his own people, apparently in a manner similar to Saddam Hussein when he turned upon his own population and murdered masses of people who spoke out against his oppressive government.

Oil still runs the world’s industry and will continue to do so for some time.

So, why is there such a military push against Libya, yet nothing more than verbal rebukes from political talking heads when it comes to Syria? The simple answer is found in one word – OIL. Libya had numerous oil wells that sold much-needed oil to nations such as France! With Kaddafi in charge, the oil wells and refineries have been closed, causing the price of gasoline to rise far above their normal costs. The world markets need the oil and are willing to send in planes, bombs, troops, and covert operations to ensure that the oil continues to flow.

Syria has no major oil supply and is not considered an oil-producing nation. Thus, for the United States, there is no political or national security benefit in intervening in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad from Syria, who is just as much a violator of human rights as the leaders we wanted overthrown. It is sad to see so many thousands of people who have lived for years under oppression, marching in the streets for their freedom, only to have government troops open fire from roof tops and helicopters, and indiscriminately slay anyone in the crowd who happens to be in the path of the flying bullets.

A second fact is that Syria (as well as Lebanon) is a headquarters for the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a militant Islamic force with hundreds of thousands of followers scattered in the cities and communities of these two nations. Any attack from the west against Syria would stir up the wrath of Hezbollah, not only against the United States, but against Israel as well.

When the war against Iraq broke out during the administration of the first President Bush, and was continued though his son, the second President Bush, both men were accused by the media and their liberal opponents of starting a war just to protect the oil fields. Now those critics are strangely silent.

Oil still runs the world’s industry and will continue to do so for some time. Maybe someone in D.C. will eventually take charge and choose to drill at home, and let others fight for oil in these radical nations where people mean nothing to the dictators.

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