L. TODD WOOD: Russia hunting Islamic State gravy train - fuel trucks

OPINION:

Although the White House and U.S. Air Force commanders in theater have started targeting the Islamic State gravy train of black market oil, apparently Russia is getting right to it.

Since the U.S. hasn’t been as serious in almost two years, it seems logical that if you want to destroy ISIS, you cut off the money supply that allows them to conduct the type of attack that was perpetrated in Paris last week. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he discussed the issue with his ’G20 colleagues’ at the recent summit.

“As we have established, financing comes from 40 countries, including some countries members of G20,” Mr. Putin told reporters.

The Russian news organization TASS quotes Russia’s General Staff, Colonel-General Andrey Kartapolov: “I would like to point out that a decision has been made to let Russian planes fly sorties to search for tanker trucks carrying petroleum products belonging to terrorists in areas controlled by the organization calling itself the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia).

“Over the past years, the Islamic State and other extremist groupings have streamlined the operations of the so-called ’pipeline on the road’ in the areas under their control,” he said

“In the first several days alone, our warplanes destroyed about 500 fuel tank trucks,” Gen Kartapolov continued. “This has considerably cut down the militants’ capability for an illegal export of energy resources and, consequently, for getting the revenues for the contraband.”