Of Eugenio Palazzini
Syria does not concern us, let the Americans and Russians deal with it. We have many other problems to solve and in any case who do you want to consult Italy, we have no say in the matter. And then let's be clear, why should we meddle in the affairs of an Arab nation, at most, let's limit ourselves to offering our support to the United States, indeed no to Putin's Russia. Let's do this, Let's just avoid exposing ourselves, it's better. This is a recurring litany, worthy of the best fatalistic and disenchanted spirit of the times. At the same time, however, it is the most obtuse and senseless vision of the Syrian issue. There are in fact at least four fundamental reasons why it is not acceptable for Italy to stand by and watch, which actually impose on us a clear stance in support of Assad's Syria. Here are the ones.
Economic question – Il 15 November 2011 the European Union has banned member countries from importing and transporting Syrian crude oil and petroleum products. Italy passively adheres to the restrictions imposed, without even considering the repercussions in economic terms. We are in fact the main sacrificial victim and we do not simply suffer the blow inflicted, as good self-harmers we think well of digging our own grave. Until seven years ago in fact Italy exported daily 110.521 barrels of oil from Syria, refined by Eni, Saras and Italiana Energia and Servizi Spa. To the daily crude oil arriving in our ports, bituminous products and other derivatives were added for a value of approximately 1,04 billion per year. Il 9 maggio 2011, the Council of the European Union, with Decision 2011/273/CFSP it starts the embargo against Syria. To the article 4 of the document, member countries are invited to "(freeze) all the funds and economic resources belonging to it, possessed, detained or controlled by those responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria and by natural or legal persons or entities associated with them, listed in the annex." The Council of the EU has extended the sanctions again this year. In addition to the absurd renewal of the embargo towards those who have been fighting terrorism for years which repeatedly strikes in Europe too, in this punitive extension there is a clear interference in the internal affairs of an independent nation combined with the attempt to economically damage its citizens themselves. Therefore in defiance of international law and in hindsight the human rights themselves which the EU then claims to consider inalienable. However, remaining at the importance of relations between Italy and Syria, we provide some data to understand how stupidly we gambled. Until 2011 we were the third largest trading partner in the world of the Syrian Arab Republic, immediately after China and Saudi Arabia. The trade between Italy and Syria was equivalent to 2010 a 2,3 billion per year, increased significantly 102,7 points compared to 2009. In particular, we were the ones who gained, thanks to exports in the luxury and agri-food sectors. According to Ice data, Italian imports to Syria in 2010 they were about for the 42,5% products derived from petroleum refining, for a total value of 532 million euros and an increase in flow, compared to 2009, of the 391,3%. Seven years ago, Italian exports to Syria also involved other important materials: chemical products (73,9 million euros), electrical equipment (52 million euros) and metallurgy products (39,5 million euros). However, focusing on crude oil imports from Syria up to 2010 some will object that these were laughable sums, considering that Italy mainly obtained supplies through Eni from Libya (23% of the total import, according to data from the Petroleum Union and the Ministry of Economic Development). It's a shame, however, that starting from 2011 this percentage has been eliminated and if we add to this figure the total imports of crude oil from Syria (3.2% of the total according to the Unione Petrolifera), we have lost about a quarter of our historic crude oil supplies in less than seven years. All with two simple economic seppuku moves: endorse the war on Libya and join the sanctions on Syria, doing so among other things among the first with the "timely" closure of the Italian embassy in Damascus.
Military question – A war against Syria would have serious consequences on the political and military situation in neighboring Lebanon, a situation that is already unstable and historically explosive in itself. This is because there is a strong presence of Hezbollah in Syria, which is today fundamental to guarantee the stability of both Middle Eastern nations. The backlash that the Land of Cedars would suffer would also heavily involve the Italian army. General Marco Bertolini highlighted this well, interviewed this morning by Il Giornale: “I hope there is no retaliation (in Syria, ndr) because it would be an unfortunate action for all of us. Lebanon would be the first country to pay the consequences of an intervention and if Lebanon erupts, ours are at risk too 1.100 men deployed with blue helmets". Yet the issue that stands out most is the usual alignment of the Italian government, so as not to conflict with Brussels and the United States, something that other EU member states who demonstrate this often do not give up, at least on certain occasions, of wanting to maintain even minimal sovereignty. The sanctions on Syria therefore do not only concern a question of image and the war on terrorism, have specific military and national security consequences. Proof of this are the movements of the France, who after having undermined us and "ripped off" Libya, it bypasses EU decisions without major problems in order to carve out a leading role in the Middle East. It does so by directly attacking Assad and supporting the Kurds, but above all by influencing the decisions of other European countries (Germany excluded).
Italians in Syria – Always until 2011 in the Middle Eastern nation, of which we were the first European commercial partner, they lived 40 thousand Italians. Almost all of them worked for Italian companies, particularly in the aforementioned sectors. Now because of the sanctions we no longer even have a shipping company that transports goods to Syria, they have all failed and also to send drugs (those clearly not subject to the economic embargo, and among these there are also anti-tumor ones) we have to rely on Turkish companies. And speaking of Türkiye, we continue to give the gift of Erdogan to the “good Samaritan” every year, always thanks to the EU decisions that we sign without delay, billions of euros to prevent Syrian immigrants from arriving in Italy. This is because the sanctions imposed on Damascus prevent us from directly helping the nation from which these immigrants come. We are essentially financing a blackmail that binds us to the arbitrary decisions of a Turkish president, whose reliability there is no need to even talk about. Here is the result that Italy obtains from the renewed embargo on Syria: collapse of exports and imports, loss of economic privileges earned over the years, knife pointed at the throat by Türkiye which continues to swindle us, loss of credibility towards the Arab countries that have historically been our partners. A disaster that we even pride ourselves on continuing to commit.
Cultural question – The Syrian city of Homs was the birthplace of an entire dynasty of Roman emperors thanks to Giulia Donna, native of the then Emesa, who married the Roman proconsul Septimius Severus, became emperor six years later. Now it's a spooky city, with entire neighborhoods completely destroyed. Most of the inhabitants today live in refugee camps set up by the government which has now implemented a reconstruction project, an inevitably difficult operation aimed at making almost a return 700 thousand people in their city. We are located a few kilometers from the Krak dei Cavalieri, maximum Crusader fortress reconquered by government troops, and others 120 km from Palmyra. Already, Palmyra. From the baths of Diocletian to the Roman theatre, from the colonnaded street to the triumphal arch. A world heritage site partially destroyed by the iconoclastic fury of terrorists, which reminds us every day of our glorious past. And it takes our mind a little further south, always in Syria, where the cutthroats still control another forgotten and today unknown pearl of Rome, yet it too is a world heritage site: Bosra. The Roman theater is still intact there, as well as the decumanus maximus. And right there, perhaps more than anywhere else, it would be useful to make the world understand that Italy is not dead. It would be the only worthy war, the only war we should launch without delay.
Source: http://www.ilprimatonazionale.it/esteri/ecco-perche-litalia-dovrebbe-sostenere-la-siria-di-assad-83528/