[icwhatudo]

"Syrian oil represents less than 1 percent of daily global production but accounts for a vital portion of Syrian government earnings, which Western powers say could be used by Assad for a bloody military crackdown on the opposition."

Cain was right.

[07Jack]

Yes folks are losing the point in their eagerness to go after Cain. Syrian oil production is relatively insignificant in the context of global production but remains a significant element of it’s economy.

[BagCamAddict]

Like you said, it's irrelevant whether we buy 1 gallon or 1 trillion gallons of oil from Syria, relative to OUR consumption. What is relevant, as you point out, is whether us (or our allies, which is what Cain actually said) not buying that oil would hurt SYRIA.

If selling oil is a big deal to Syria, then you go after that.

It's like punishing your child. If you send your kid to his room, thinking that is punishment, but he has his X-Box or Wii in his room, then it's no punishment to the kid. You have to punish where it will hurt THEM, not where it will (or won't) hurt US.