Sand And Death Or Oil And Gas?

Bouthaina Shaaban*

Syria which Trump described as mere sand and death (something that it is not all) required him to put in such hard work and mobilization to occupy just some parts of it and try to divide it. Venezuela with its natural resources is even more important. The Americans have long eyed and desired this enormous wealth. In addition, having control over the decision makers [in Caracas] – if they could – has great importance in South America and spreading this control over the rest of the countries.

On the occasion of Elliott Abrams’ appointment as the US special envoy to Venezuela at this turbulent time, I would like to tell you about a meeting I had with him in 2005 when I visited the US State Department to speak with Assistant Secretary of State William Burns. At the time, I was the Minister of Expatriates [for the Syrian Arab Republic]. Elliott Abrams was with William Burns at the meeting.

Abrams spoke to me about the hostile actions the Syrian Arab Republic carried out against the US occupation forces in Iraq at that time and how the American forces are suffering because of Syria's determination to expel them by creating problems for them, especially by giving those fighting US forces passage through Syria.

I replied by telling him that everything he described regarding my country’ activities had nothing to do with the reality and that his sources of information were far removed from the facts on the ground. I told him that I am now conveying to him the reality of what is happening in our region since we live in this region and are aware of what is happening. His response was a bit strange to me.

He said, “what is the importance of the truth in what is happening in the whole world. What is important is the ‘concept’ and ‘image’ that reach the minds of the people, regardless of their distance or proximity to the truth. This is secondary and does not change anything.”

I remember my feeling at that moment. I was concentrating on how to talk to someone who never really cared about the truth. His focus was on the image that he is producing and passing it on to others.

I remember that I continued the meeting with William Burns standing in the lobby leading up to the elevator. Since then, I have been thinking about the aggressive events that our country and people are being subjected to by “Israel” and its American allies and unfortunately from the Arabs. I compare these events to the very different concepts that are being promoted only in the West. Day by day, I get more convinced that the colonial world led by the global Zionism through its financial and media control over the Western regimes, including the United States, focus its efforts on creating the image they promote. It does not care whether this image is completely separate from reality or even unrelated to reality at all.

Hence, their criminal wars with its terrorist, military, economic and media dimensions was launched against our Arab countries in the name of freedom, democracy, human rights, the protection of civilians and other fabricated concepts and images as formulated by Abrams and the likes of him from the new Zionists.

The objective of these wars dating back to the Iraq invasion, the destruction of Libya as well as the destruction of Syria and Yemen through was to reformulate the government in these countries, making them followers to the Zionist master who employs the US and the rest of the western regimes to serve its objectives. The “Israelis” are only concerned with controlling and looting the natural resources of these countries and guaranteeing the appointment of rulers that consider “Israel” the master of the universe, obey it and remain loyal to it despite its meddling in these countries’ internal affairs.

Thus, most of the wars that are waged and the coups or semi-coups that are being arranged in different countries emanate from a simple and easy to understand rule, which is that the only sovereignty in this universe belongs to the Zionist master with an American face. It has the right to change policies, governments and directions that suit its economic interests. It has the right to seize the natural resources of countries and people and harness them in its favor. It is as if God bequeathed the earth and its inhabitants to it and gave it the right to do whatever it wants the way it wants.

From this simple perspective, we can clearly see why they are targeting certain leaders and fighting others. Since the criterion here is obedience, those who obey what they dictate and execute their orders can rule and continue to rule until they are satisfied. On the other hand, it is easy to fabricate ‘images’ and ‘concepts’ that Abrams spoke about, accuse and launch wars against those who want their country to be the decision maker and their people to be the sole owner of their wealth.

The actions of several aggression forces, primarily “Israel” with its American face, against the Syrian people are a vivid example of what has been aforementioned. What the United States is doing today regarding Venezuela is another example of their desire to keep the world's largest oil reserves as well as the enormous natural resources in America’s backyard.

Hence, Syria which Trump described as mere sand and death (something that it is not all) required him to put in such hard work and mobilization to occupy just some parts of it and try to divide it. Venezuela with its natural resources is even more important. The Americans have long eyed and desired this enormous wealth. . In addition, having control over the decision makers [in Caracas] – if they could – has great importance in South America and spreading this control over the rest of the countries.

The examples of Syria and Venezuela and the US’ manner in dealing with them shows that neither the Americans nor the West believe in the sovereignty of other countries or an international regime produced by the Second World War or the international conventions written after that war.

Instead, work is being openly done to strip these countries of independent decisions in preparation to seize their wealth and transform them into obedient followers of the Western master, behind which stands the Zionist entity.

*Bouthaina Shaaban is a Syrian politician and is currently the political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Source: Al-Mayadeen.net, Translated by website team