Zero Hedge
February 18, 2016
February 18, 2016
Late last month, we reported that ISIS has cut its fighters’ salaries in half due to “exceptional circumstances the caliphate is facing.”
Those “exceptional circumstances” include Russia’s unrelenting aerial campaign against the group’s illicit oil trafficking business in Syria. The US-led “coalition” likes to take credit for helping to cripple the oil trade, but in reality it was Vladimir Putin (and Zero Hedge) that put the issue in the spotlight in November.
After Putin’s comments at the G20 summit in Antalya and the subsequent aggressive push by the Russian air force to disable the group’s oil production and transport capabilities, the US was effectively forced to join the party. Asked why The Pentagon hadn’t hit ISIS oil trucks during the 14 months the US has supposedly been bombing the group, Washington responded by claiming that America didn’t want to risk collateral damage. In other words, Washington’s excuse for not targeting Islamic State’s $450 million/year oil trade is that the US was worried about a few truck drivers.
In any event, the group’s ability to fund its activities through the sale of stolen oil has been curtailed and it will be months (at least) before that money can be recouped through the capture of Libyan crude. That means less money for fighters and civil servants.
And it also means no more Gatorade.
And no more Snickers bars.
“The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall,” AP reports. “Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.”
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