Comment: The Syrians and Russians currently hold Kobani, so the Turks would have to start another war in order to take it. As for the ceasefire, the Syrian Kurds welcomed the decision:

Senior Kurdish official Aldar Khalil welcomed on Thursday the agreement between the United States and Turkey on a ceasefire in Syria, Al-Arabiya television reported. "We welcome the truce," Khalil said. According to Khalil, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was forced to compromise and agree to the ceasefire "because of the Kurdish resistance."

Later, SDF commander Mazloum Kobani said that they accept the agreement with Turkey and will do what's needed to make it succeed, Ronahi TV reported. He added, however, that the ceasefire agreement is just the beginning and will not achieve Turkey's goals.

Despite demanding such a move, top Democrats are naturally criticizing it - because Trump - saying it destroys U.S. credibility (as if the U.S. didn't lose what credibility it had years ago):

Can Trump do anything right? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer don't seem to think so, calling his agreement to pause Turkey's military campaign in northeastern Syria a "sham."

The US-Turkey agreement to pause Ankara's operation "seriously undermines the credibility of America's foreign policy and sends a dangerous message to our allies and adversaries alike that our word cannot be trusted," Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement on Thursday.

President Erdogan has given up nothing, and President Trump has given him everything.

Just last week, however, the pair were tearing their hair out over what they were certain was the impending genocide of the Kurds at Turkey's hands. Pelosi called President Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of northern Syria in order to clear the way for the Turkish anti-terror operation "a foolish attempt to appease an authoritarian strongman," while Schumer insisted Trump was "putting America in danger."

With Trump having "rescued" the Kurds from the doom predicted by his opponents - though Ankara has insisted all along that their quarrel is not with the Kurds, but with the PKK, a Kurdish militia group designated terrorists by Turkey, and its alleged offshoot in Syria - the top Democrats have rushed to condemn the deal he made, though it's hard to see how anyone loses under the agreement.

Assad advisor Bouthaina Shaaban commented on the agreement and the surrounding issue of potential Kurdish autonomy:

"Of course we cannot accept it," Shaaban said in an interview with al-Mayadeen television responding to the question of whether Damascus could accept a "copy" of Iraqi Kurdistan on its territory.

"There are no grounds for this [Kurdish autonomy] ... We will never be able to speak about it from such an angle, since Syria consists of many ethnic and religious layers, and we do not say that someone is a Kurd, or someone follows such and such religion, we simply don't say that. The majority of the Kurds are a precious part of our society for us, but some Kurdish organizations have made a political decision that is contrary to the interests of the country," Shaaban stressed.

"The ceasefire agreement announced by the US and Turkey is unclear," Shaaban also said in an interview with al-Mayadeen television. "As for the term a 'security zone,' it is incorrect: what Turkey really implies is a zone of occupation," she added.

Republican Mitt Romney - another idiot - is also criticizing Trump's Syria withdrawal, saying it "will stand as a bloodstain in the annals of American history." Jesus, Mitch, you really think this will stand out compared to the utter bloodbaths of Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, and countless other nations the U.S. has invaded? Get a grip.

The SDF reports that Turkish forces have already violated the ceasefire by attacking Ras al-Ayn, killing at least one SDF fighter. SOHR repots that a series of Turkish airstrikes targeted the town, killing 4 SDF, 7 civilians and injuring 21. Syrian media reports that the Turks have used chemical weapons in their attacks on the Kurds in Ras al-Din. The SDF say the Turks used phosphorus weapons:

After meeting with US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien in Ankara on Wednesday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that "information emerged that terror groups are intending to use chemical weapons and blame it on Turkish military".

"Turkish military does not have any chemical weapon in its inventory, everybody knows this," the defense minister added.

The Turkish-backed jihadists have been using U.S.-made TOW missiles against the SDF.

Erdogan will meet Putin on October 22:

"There will be a meeting with Putin in Sochi on Tuesday. Our aim is to identify an acceptable solution. We want the areas under the control of the Syrian government to be cleared of militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK] and the Self Defense Forces [YPG]," told a news conference in Istanbul on October 18, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The Turkish President went on to state that he has no objections against placing the "safe-zone" under the Damascus government's control.

UPDATE - DAY 11

After talking with Trump, Erdogan has promised a "new page" in relations with the U.S.:

"My counterpart is Trump. Just as we hold necessary talks on the phone, we will also hold face-to-face meetings that will turn a new page in Turkish-US ties, a new milestone," he said on Friday. "Trump's circle supporting his positive approach will make our work easier."

Though he initially vowed he would "never stop this fight, no matter what anyone says," Erdogan has backed off somewhat in recent days. With the incursion paused for 120 hours starting Thursday, the Turkish leader has signaled his willingness to negotiate with Washington, and will involve Russian President Vladimir Putin in discussions.

He also promised to "crush the heads" of any Kurdish militias who don't leave the area by the end of the 5-day pause.

The Turkish military accused Kurdish forces of violating the ceasefire, carrying out "14 attacks in the last 36 hours". The Syrian army reportedly clashed with Turkish-backed jihadists near Ras al-Ayn, preventing the terrorists from taking a village. Here are some videos and pictures of the Syrians entering Kobani for the first time since 2012:




Assad again has called for the withdrawal of all illegal forces from Syria:

The Syrian President made the statement during a meeting with a Russian delegation headed by special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev in Damascus on Friday.

"Assad confirmed that efforts should be directed at ending this [Turkish] aggression and the pullout of all illegal forces, including the Turkish and American soldiers, from Syrian territory since they are considered occupying forces under international convention," the press service pointed out.

Lavrentyev, in turn, underscored Russia's firm support for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Friday meeting came a day after Assad pledged that Damascus would give a relevant response to Turkey's military operation.

"No matter what false slogans could be made up for the Turkish offensive, it is a flagrant invasion and aggression. Syria has frequently hit [Turkish-backed] proxies and terrorists in more than one place. Syria will respond to the assault and confront it anywhere within the Syrian territory through all legitimate means available", Assad stressed during his talks with Iraqi National Security Adviser Falih al-Fayyadh.

Hilariously, Macron says he found out about the U.S. withdrawal on Twitter. He called the Turkish offensive "madness" and criticized NATO's reaction:

He also criticized NATO's position in the debacle and its inability to react to the unfolding situation as a "serious mistake" that "weakens our credibility to find partners on the ground who will be by our side thinking they are protected in the long-term."

"So that raises questions on how NATO functions," Macron added.

Trump has caused some confusion by claiming on Twitter that the U.S. managed to "secure the oil" in Syria. Will U.S. troops remain in eastern Syria, and not just in al-Tanf? A military source told Al-Masdar News that U.S. forces aren't withdrawing from the oil-field regions of Deir Ezzor and don't plan to.

And finally, some videos of Russians in the abandoned U.S. bases:

The journalists included a correspondent from Zvezda, the official television channel of Russia's Defence Ministry. The correspondent gave a tour of what remains of the base, which was built about three years ago, and is situated about 7 km outside the town of Manbij itself.

Along with an estimated 300 US servicemen, the base housed about 15 vehicles, which US forces used to patrol the area.

"It appears that US forces managed to evacuate only their weapons, ammunition and vehicles; they weren't even able to set fire to the base. However, it seems they understood perfectly well who would come to replace them. Across the base one finds messages for Russians," the correspondent explained, pointing to a makeshift drawing of a bald eagle with the phrase "America is watching - always watching" written on its feathers. Separately, he pointed to a book with the message "With love from the US Army" written into its cover.

Zvezda's reporters weren't the only ones to make it into the base, with News-Front posting another video featuring several more of the so-called "messages to Russians" mentioned by the outlet, including a whiteboard with the message "WE LOVE USA, heart, Russia @realDONALDTRUMP" and "#TheComrades" and a separate whiteboard proclaiming that American Nike was better than Adidas (the German clothing brand preferred by Russians, according to US pop culture) and that whiskey was superior to vodka.

At about 9:50 into the video the correspondent discovers a notebook with the phrase "I expect Nothing from this deployment, and I'm still let down," in the cover.

The videos also showed other areas of the base, including a soundproof room believed to have been the base's command centre, the canteen, laundry room, barracks, and more.

For previous analyses and updates, see:

• Syrian Kurds are not helpless victims, they gambled, and lost
• Sorting Facts From Fiction About The US Withdrawal From Syria
• Turkish Invasion of Syria, Day 9: Erdogan Trashes Trump's 'Don't be a Fool!' Letter - UPDATE: Ceasefire Deal Reached! Turkey to Halt Op For 5 Days
• The Kurdish deal with Syria explained
• Pundits, politicians didn't care about US-caused chaos in Syria under Obama, but now that Trump can be blamed, they're outraged

Comment: The whitewashing of another political criminal has already begun. Pause a moment and review the man's record of accomplishments:

• NEW EMAILS could send Democrat Elijah Cummings to prison for targeting voter rights group
• Trump says billions in taxpayer dollars wasted, stolen in Cummings's district
• Not just Baltimore, American cities are inundated with rats
• A litany of Democratic scandals makes the Mueller investigation ludicrous
• Maxine Waters & Elijah Cummings sign secret MOUs to target Trump

Comment: See also:

• 'Something's amiss': Risk of recession increasing, markets similar to last year's before the collapse - Morgan Stanley
• Trucking recession: heavy-duty truck orders collapse, production slashed, cancellation orders soar
• Paul Krugman: US wildly unprepared for imminent recession
• Plummeting stocks at Dow, S&P & NASDAQ, signs of 2008-style crash up ahead?

Comment: More from RT:

Responding to the revised Brexit agreement, brokered between UK and EU officials at the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, Farage ostensibly dismissed the proposals, saying they represented a "very bad" deal for Britain.

Notably, in what may raise a few eyebrows among Brexiteers, he believes a delay to the UK exiting the bloc is preferential to accepting the deal.

"Would I rather accept a new European treaty that is frankly very bad for us? Or would I prefer for us to have an extension and a general election? I would always prefer the latter option."

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), a key ally of Johnson's government, has also rejected the deal and stated that their MPs will vote against it. The party is upset that the deal doesn't include a unionist veto in Northern Ireland's Assembly.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, reaction from EU officials has been markedly different, with Michel Barnier, their chief Brexit negotiator, in upbeat mood. He declared that he was confident that the deal agreed can be ratified by the October 31 deadline.

Barnier told reporters that he sees Thursday's agreement as "the best possible one." He also revealed that Johnson had told President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker that he was "confident" he could gain enough support in the UK's parliament to see the deal signed off.

Barnier confirmed that the recent meeting between Johnson and Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar in the Wirral, England, where the two agreed that there would be no customs checks on the island of Ireland, was crucial in securing a settlement.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized the new UK-EU Brexit deal, claiming that it was a "sell out" agreement that "won't bring the country together and should be rejected."

"The best way to get Brexit sorted is to give the people the final say in a public vote," he added.

If popularity polls are anything to go by, the public do not support Corbyn's proposal: Polls show Corbyn is the most unpopular opposition leader since 1977

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that her party, the SNP, would be voting against it, when it's put to UK MPs on Saturday to debate.

" For Scotland, this deal would take us out of EU, single market and customs union - all against our will."

Earlier on Thursday, Juncker announced via Twitter that a "fair and balanced agreement" had been struck between the two sides. Meanwhile, Johnson declared that a "great new deal that takes back control" had been brokered and urged the UK parliament to sign it off on Saturday.

Juncker rules out an extension - even though he doesn't have the power to do so:

President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has ruled out another delay to Brexit, declaring that "we have a deal" and there is no need for a further extension to the intractable process.

London and Brussels agreed a new Brexit deal on Thursday morning with both sides lauding the achievement. UK PM Boris Johnson is still facing the prospect of being forced to ask for an extension from the EU if British MPs fail to back the agreement in the House of Commons on Saturday.

However, on the subject of an extension request, Juncker told reporters in Brussels that no further delays would be granted.

"We have a deal. So why should we have a prolongation (extension)?"

In reality, Juncker does not have the power to unilaterally refuse a request from the UK government for another extension to Article 50; that decision rests with the 27 EU leaders.

Asked what happens if UK MPs vote down the new agreement on Saturday, Junker simply replied: "I'm not in charge of Westminster."

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), a key ally of Johnson's government, has rejected the deal and stated that their MPs will vote against it. The party is upset that the deal doesn't include a unionist veto in Northern Ireland's Assembly.

It means Johnson may struggle to gain the support of 320 MPs, the threshold required to win the vote, barring any abstentions. He'll be hoping that he can convince enough former Tory 'rebels,' as well as Labour MPs who represent 'Leave' constituencies, to back his deal.

Tusk seems deliriously confident in the deal:

Speaking after final negotiations wrapped up, Tusk said the deal become possible because it was "positively assessed by Ireland."

The key change in the new deal is that British PM Boris Johnson agreed to replace the backstop with a four-year regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and the EU. This was always a major sticking point in negotiations, with British Conservatives an unionists in Northern Ireland opposed to having the region treated differently to the rest of the UK.

Tusk said the new deal ensures the integrity of the single market, avoids chaos and safeguards peace and stability on the island of Ireland.

The European Council president said he was happy and relieved that a deal had finally been struck but "sad" because he will "always be a remainer." He added that if the UK decides to return one day, Europe's door "will always be open."

The task now is the wait for votes in the UK an European Parliaments.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar said he too had mixed feelings and regretted that Britain was leaving the EU, but that the negotiations had taught him about the "strength of unity" in the bloc.

The new solution to the Northern Ireland issue could become permanent with the consent of the Stormont assembly in NI, according to Varadkar.

Britons had grown sick and tired of Brexit negotiations dragging on with seemingly no end in sight for the past two years. The issue sparked deep divisions in both society and parliament, even costing former PM Theresa May and a number of government ministers their jobs.

Comment: See also:

• Die or ask the Syrian government to take them in: The Kurdish militias simply have no other options
• Kurds face stark options after US pullback
• Sorting Facts From Fiction About The US Withdrawal From Syria
• American Jewish Congress opposes US decision to withdraw troops from Syria

Comment: See also: Prior to G7 Summit, Trump once again supports Russia being allowed to rejoin alliance

Comment: See also:

• Ellen DeGeneres shredded by fans for failing to understand why being friendly with George W. Bush is worse than 'problematic'
• Secret internal memo warned 17 years ago that Bush's Iraq invasion would create a "perfect storm"
• George W. Bush: 'Borders should be respected' says ex-president who invaded and bombed 4+ nations
• Bush and Blair's Iraq war was key that opened door to Syria's current hell
• Social media users humanize war criminals because George W. Bush passed a candy to Michelle Obama