One month ago President Donald Trump surprised many, including some in his own administration, by announcing, "We'll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now." He insisted that the time had come for the U.S. military to shift its focus away from Syria.
But on Tuesday, it was clear that something or someone had changed Trump's mind.
The president said at a White House news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at his side that before the U.S. withdraws from Syria, "we want to leave a strong and lasting footprint." This long-term approach, he added, was "a very big part" of his conversation with Macron, who told reporters that he and Trump now agree that the Syria problem involves more than Trump's priority of ridding the country of Islamic State extremists.
The two leaders indicated that they see Syria as part of a broader problem of instability in the Middle East, which includes Iran's role in Syria and Iraq.
That kind of strategic thinking bears little resemblance to Trump's words in late March when he said it was time to leave Syria to others.
Comment: Iran, Iran, Iran. Expect the discourse to be all about this country from now on - especially as the 12th of May comes and goes - the date when Trump is said to be scrapping the Iran nuclear deal.
Well, somebody, not necessarily Macron, convinced Trump into staying in Syria and shifting his attention to Iran. Saudi Arabia and/or Israel, perhaps?