https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-decided-on-syria-pullout-during-phone-call-with-erdogan-report/ Trump decided on Syria pullout during phone call with Erdogan – report US president ordered national security adviser to ready the move after Turkish leader assured him he could ‘clean up’ Islamic State, newspaper says ANKARA, Turkey — US President Donald Trump made the shock decision to withdraw troops from Syria during a phone call with his Turkish counterpart who said Turkey could clear the remaining jihadists from the country, media reported Friday. Trump stunned officials and allies on Wednesday with the decision to pull out 2,000 American ground forces, claiming the Islamic State extremist group (IS) had been “beaten” in Syria. Trump’s move came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch an operation against a Kurdish militia that is fighting against IS with American military assistance.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...a601226ff6b_story.html?utm_term=.85ff518284f6 This time, the United States is betraying more than just the Kurds, allies say “This sudden change in policy is worrying not only to Syrian Kurds but to all the U.S. allies in the region,” he said. “The message it sends is that there really is a question of trust. This will cause many governments to rethink their alliances with a superpower that can really can just abandon them and leave them in the lurch and throw them under the bus.”
Allies be damned https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/us/politics/trump-turkey-syria.html Trump Endorses Turkish Military Operation in Syria, Shifting U.S. Policy WASHINGTON — In a major shift in United States military policy in Syria, the White House said on Sunday that President Trump had given his endorsement for a Turkish military operation that would sweep away American-backed Kurdish forces near the border in Syria. Turkey considers the Kurdish forces to be a terrorist insurgency, and has long sought to end American support for the group. But the Kurdish fighters, which are part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, or S.D.F., have been the United States’ most reliable partner in fighting the Islamic State in a strategic corner of northern Syria. Now, Mr. Trump’s decision goes against the recommendations of top officials in the Pentagon and the State Department who have sought to keep a small troop presence in northeast Syria to continue operations against the Islamic State, or ISIS, and to act as a critical counterweight to Iran and Russia. Administration officials said that Mr. Trump spoke directly with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey on the issue on Sunday. And the officials indicated that the 100 to 150 United States military personnel deployed to that area would be pulled back in advance of any Turkish operation but that they would not be completely withdrawn from Syria. Erdogan’s Empire: Turkey and the Politics of the Middle East,” said in a telephone interview that a Turkish incursion uncontested by the United States would allow Turkey to cut another swath into Kurdish-controlled territory in Syria. That would give Mr. Erdogan a ready place to send hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and prove yet again his influence with Mr. Trump on Syria policy. In late December 2018, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned over Mr. Trump’s surprise order of a full withdrawal of 2,000 American troops from Syria. Two days later, Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy for the coalition to defeat ISIS, also resigned. In the months afterward, American officials quietly worked behind the scenes to ensure that some level of troops would remain in northeast Syria. As recently as the week of the United Nations General Assembly summit in late September, senior American officials were saying there was consensus across the United States government, including Mr. Trump, on ensuring the welfare of the Kurdish forces and warding off Turkey’s persistent desire to attack those forces. attended a group dinner hosted by Mr. Trump, but the two did not have a formal meeting there. Mr. Trump did say at one event that Mr. Erdogan had “become a friend of mine.” The telephone call between the two on Sunday might have been organized as a substitute for the meeting that never took place. “This looks to be another reckless decision made without deliberation or consultation following a call with a foreign leader,” Mr. McGurk said after hearing of Mr. Trump’s decision on Sunday. “The White House statement bears no relation to facts on the ground. If implemented, it will significantly increase risk to our personnel, as well as hasten ISIS’s resurgence.” favorable exchanges with Mr. Erdogan during the G20 summit meeting in Japan in June as another sign of a strong relationship between the two leaders. That bilateral meeting was more about a different security flash point between the United States and Turkey — the purchase by Turkey of the Russian S-400 missile defense system. But Mr. Trump has largely brushed that issue aside. The White House statement on Sunday came as the Islamic State is gathering new strength, conducting guerrilla attacks across Iraq and Syria, retooling its financial networks and targeting new recruits at an allied-run tent camp, American military, counterterrorism and intelligence officers say. Though Mr. Trump hailed a total defeat of the Islamic State this year — and asserted its territorial demise in Sunday night’s statement — defense officials in the region see things differently, acknowledging that what remains of the terrorist group is here to stay. Over the past several months, ISIS has made inroads into the sprawling Al Hol tent camp in northeast Syria, and there is no ready plan to deal with the 70,000 people there, including thousands of family members of ISIS fighters. American intelligence officials say the Al Hol camp, managed by Syrian Kurdish allies with little aid or security, is evolving into a hotbed of ISIS ideology. The American-backed Syrian Kurdish force also holds more than 10,000 ISIS fighters, including 2,000 foreigners, in separate makeshift prisons. The custody of all these people could be in jeopardy, American officials said Sunday night, depending on whether any Turkish incursion sets off a much larger conflict in northeast Syria.
While I do agree on the fact that we should quit being the big brother and police force for the world, I believe this is a betrayal of the Kurdish people. They’ve done our dirty work on the ground in Syria. This will end up being a bigger mess to deal with or the world will turn a blind eye as Turkey basically inflicts upon the Kurds the same treatment and brutality which we condemned ISIS
We do this all the time. Set up resistance to fight someone, then when they need us to defend them we pack up and say "best of luck!" Then later on they remember our betrayal and we make another enemy who wants us dead. We've been doing it for decades.
There is not much moderation in the Middle East outside of Israel and the Kurds. We aligned with the Kurds to fight ISIS and were very successful in Syria and Iraq (what they call Levant). For us to cut and run here only strengthens Russian dominance in Syria and undermines our political objectives. I have no idea what we are getting in return for this or what will happen to the Kurds but my guess is nothing to either of our benefit. Once again Trump cannot make a deal that benefits America or our allies.
The bigger question all of you should ask is why is a President ignoring all of his advisers and staff who have come out and said this is a bad idea but you are all OK with him unilaterally making this decision via phone call with the Turkish President.
I think if you took a poll the vast majority of Americans would like to see all US troops pulled from the ME. I think Trump is tired like most of us seeing our young men and women over there. Is this the best course of action? Time will tell...... With regards to the Kurds, tis my belief they want to retain the lands in Syria they have helped liberate. While I feel they should be protected, their political ambitions in Syria don't align with reality. Bigger question, why Syria is allowing Turkey into the area other than they feel Turkey will rid them of US sympathizing elements. Relocation back into northern Iraq would be in their best interests. Last I heard Kurds and Israelis didn't have a problem with each other. Give them the West Bank disputed lands and ship the Palestinians to eastern Syria.
Welp, it's happening: https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Turkey-attacks-Kurds-SDF-in-Iraq-Syria-as-US-withdraws-604010 TURKEY ATTACKS KURDS, SDF IN IRAQ, SYRIA AS U.S. WITHDRAWS The attacks come after the US announced that it would withdraw from Syria as Turkey prepares for a military operation to create a "safe zone" in northern Syria. Turkish forces carried out attacks against Kurdish forces and the anti-Assad Syrian Democratic Forces militia in Syria and Iraq near the Turkish border on Monday evening. Turkish forces attacked SDF positions in the city of al-Malikiyah in the Hasakah area in northern Syria, according to Syrian state news agency SANA.