The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has published a document from which it follows that in 2019 an additional $ 10 million will be allocated to finance programs to provide “vital public services” in Syria. Thus, the budget for the program “Vital Services in Syria” ( Syria Essential Services II, SES II), operating in 2016–2017, is expected to increase by 22% (from $ 45 million to $ 55 million).

As noted in the document, this program helps the Syrian partners of Washington "to ensure the needs and exercise control and control in the sphere of vital public services with equal access for representatives of all demographic groups."

According to USAID, new funds are needed for projects that are scheduled for 2019. In particular, an additional $ 10 million will be directed to a contractor who will be engaged in engineering work in certain areas of the Arab Republic, including the north-eastern territory of the country.

"Changing the terms of the contract in the proposed way will allow the contractor to provide construction services where it will be in the interests of the US government," the document says.

Construction services include the repair of damaged infrastructure, the installation of load-bearing walls, windows, doors, as well as the replacement of plumbing, electrical networks and heating systems.

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  • © Khalil Mazraawi

In addition to the contract, it is noted that an increase in funding is necessary for the United States to "promote military success" in the fight against terrorist groups in the territory of the SAR, as well as to maintain its reputation in the eyes of the local population.

“If the requested changes are not made, and the total costs do not increase, the US government will not be able to respond in a timely manner to contribute to military success in the fight against ISIL in northeastern Syria. The remaining funds under the current contract under SES II are intended to finance ongoing and planned work, the cancellation of which could undermine the reputation of the US government in the eyes of the population of the northeast (Syria. - RT ), ”the document, which was sent for approval at the end September 2018.

At the same time, Sergei Balmasov, an expert of the Middle East Institute, in an interview with RT, expressed doubt that the money allocated would be used for public needs, and called the US intentions on Syria an element of psychological struggle.

“Still, it must be assumed that most of the funds will go to half-closed articles that will not be made public,” the expert noted.

“The more words there are, the more options there are, that this is a distracting maneuver, and that the Americans there will actually continue to support the militants along the lines of the special services, along some other lines,” added Balmasov.

Dubious past

The contractor for the Vital Services in Syria program is Blumont, which is the successor of International Relief and Development (IRD), which has long been the largest recipient of USAID grants. In 2007–2014, the IRD received about $ 2.4 billion, most of which was designed for infrastructure rehabilitation programs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, in 2014–2015, a scandal erupted around this company over allegations of misuse of US taxpayers, fraud and ineffective management of humanitarian programs.

The Washington Post's series of publications was followed by an audit by the auditors and an investigation by the FBI, the USAID Inspector General and the Special Reconstruction Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR). In particular, it turned out that the top management of the IRD received unreasonably high payments, and when they were dismissed, the employees signed a document according to which they had no right to comment on the company's activities in a discrediting manner. As it turned out, such claims were unfounded.

Following the investigation, the USAID leadership decided to remove the company from projects funded by the US government. This was followed by the dismissal of a number of top managers and employees of the company. However, the IRD appealed to the court against the suspension of the company from working with USAID and won the case. The judge ruled that during the investigation the agency did not follow a number of principles, and therefore it is illegal.

However, apparently, to get rid of the scandalous plume, it was decided to change the IRD to Blumont, and the organization's headquarters moved from the American capital to the city of Madison (Wisconsin).

We add that the question of the mechanisms that USAID is guided in approving grants funded by the agency has been repeatedly raised in the United States. So, in November 2018, it became known that the funds allocated by Washington for humanitarian aid to Syria could fall into the hands of terrorists. This could happen due to the fact that USAID did not implement a unified risk assessment policy for leaking funds when working with nongovernmental organizations, which was previously developed by the US State Department.

Northeast direction

Returning to the Vital Services in Syria (SES II) program, it is worth noting that in justifying the increase in its funding, it was emphasized: this step will help “to ensure to the maximum extent the stability of service activities and to develop new relations in areas of north-eastern Syria, liberated from the forces of the terrorist organization Islamic State.

Leading researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Boris Dolgov explained why Washington is so interested in maintaining influence in northeastern Syria.

“These are the territories that are controlled by the Kurdish formations, or the Free Syrian Army. That is, those territories that somehow fall under the control of the United States. And restoring (infrastructure. - RT ) or somehow influencing the population of these areas to make it more loyal is the task and goal of the United States, it is quite logical, ”he explained.

The expert also recalled the recent terrorist attack in the Manbij area, which killed 27 people, including four US soldiers. Then the responsibility for the attack took the IG.

“There have been earlier reports of attacks on US troops in these areas, controlled by Kurdish forces, supported by the United States - attacks on US troops by detachments, which were created by the local population. And in order to rehabilitate themselves, the United States conducts such actions, it is quite logical and completely in line with US policy, ”said Dolgov.

  • US armored vehicles in Syria
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  • © Delil SOULEIMAN

At the same time, the expert also doubted that the additional funding would be directed to the construction of Syrian territories, which are under the control of government forces.

“Here we are talking about the partners of the United States: the opposition Syrian groups operating together with the Turkish army, and acting separately, the free Syrian army and other formations. It could be Kurdish formations that are still being maintained and supported by the United States, ”Dolgov suggested.

* “Islamic State” (IG, ISIL) - the organization is recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2014.