The discussion, if one might even call it that, regarding the apparent President Donald Trump decision to withdraw at least some American soldiers from Syria has predictably developed along partisan, ideologically fueled lines. Trump has inevitably muddied the waters by engaging in his usual confusing explanations coupled with piles of invective heaped upon critics. The decision reportedly came after a telephone call with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but what exactly was agreed upon and who else might have been present in the room to report back to the intelligence community remains uncertain. Trump clearly believed that he had obtained some assurances regarding limits to any proposed Turkish military action from Erdogan, who almost immediately launched air attacks followed by ground troop incursions against the former U.S. supported Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
It should be observed that the Syrian incursion by the American military, which was initiated by President Barack Obama and his band of lady hawks during the so-called "Arab Spring" of 2011, was illegal from the gitgo.
Syria did not threaten the United States, quite the contrary. Damascus had supported U.S. intelligence operations after 9/11 and it was Washington that soured the relationship beginning with the Syria Accountability Act of 2003, which later was followed by the Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2015, both of which were, at least to a certain extent,
driven by the interests of Israel.
Comment: On the flip side, it is quite possible this indicates the beginning of some real action showing the US pulling out of the Middle East and elsewhere. The pertinent question though is: Will Trump be
allowed to do this? There are likely thousands of individuals in Washington whose bread is buttered by war, and who quite probably feel threatened by the risk of peace and common sense.
See also:
The Kurds make a deal with Damascus: Trump's checkmate in Syria
Comment: Bouthaina Shaabana, political adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad, told RT that Turkey should be blamed for the heightened risk of an ISIS resurgence in Syria: Erdogan has accepted an invitation to vist the Kremlin for talks. Meanwhile, he refused to speak with the Pence/Pompeo delegation planned for tomorrow, saying he would only speak directly with Trump. But hours later, Erdogan's comms director did some damage control, saying Erdogan was speakig of a different delegation, and would indeed peak with the two P's. Erdogan had the gall to say the following, unironically: We suppose Turkey just uses terrorists to fight its wars - without sitting at the same table.
He's still not that worried about U.S. sanctions: Qatar is so far the only Arab state supporting Turkey's decision: Russian journalists got an inside peak at one of the American bases abandoned in a hurry by U.S. troops:
The U.S. military destroyed another of its bases (near Ayn al-Arab/Kobani) after abandoning it. Russia and Damascus have politely ensured the safe pullout of foreign troops from the northeast.
Manbig has been fully turned over to Damascus troops. Just look how sad the residents are:
See previous updates and analysis: