In the aftermath of Trump’s decision to abandon our Kurdish allies in Syria and pave the way for Turkey to begin the wholesale slaughter of the people who fought with us against ISIS — a decision made to protect money he’s making from Trump Towers Istanbul — the nightmare scenario everyone warned him about is coming to pass.
One of the primary concerns expressed by people who know more about foreign policy than Trump ever will was the likely creation of ISIS 2.0. Members of Congress on both sides of the issue, even those who agree in principle with the idea of ending our involvement in international conflicts, warned Trump that abandoning the Kurds to be massacred by the Turkish military would not only create an opportunity for ISIS, but would leave a security vacuum that Russia could exploit.
Turkey’s actions will only benefit ISIS, Iran, and Russia, and creates a nightmare for Israel.
Turkey is NOT acting as a good NATO ally.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 13, 2019
President Trump long ago could (and should) have withdrawn from Syria and worked to keep out Turkey. Instead, he pulled back a few troops (no withdrawal) and green lighted Turkey’s attack. His sudden concern about endless wars is just cover for his having facilitated a disaster.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) October 13, 2019
Concerning ISIS, the terrorist group is already regrouping and has claimed responsibility for at least two attacks in Syria since Turkey invaded last week. This past weekend, hundreds of ISIS-related detainees escaped from a prison camp in northern Syria — a situation Trump tried to blame on the Kurds even though Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Turkey was responsible.
Though Trump denies any culpability for giving Turkey the green light and creating the environment for ISIS to regroup, his former US envoy for the fight against ISIS, Brett McGurk, says Trump’s denials are simply lies:
Here is the statement from Sunday night with no warning whatsoever. That’s called a green light.👇 pic.twitter.com/uf5I2Ni5r3
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 15, 2019
Concerns about Russia moving in to fill the void created by Trump’s retreat are also being realized.
Faced with the reality that Trump’s betrayal was a “stab in the back,” the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have begun talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, talks that are bing moderated by the Russian government.
“After the Americans abandoned the region and gave the green light for the Turkish attack, we were forced to explore another option, which is talks with Damascus and Moscow to find a way out and thwart these Turkish attacks,” senior Kurdish official Badran Jia Kurd said.
Almost as if it was a part of his plan all along, Trump applauded his buddy Vladimir Putin for his victory in Syria and invited the Russian leader to have his way with the Kurds — essentially handing them over to him on a silver platter.
….and Assad to protect the land of our enemy? Anyone who wants to assist Syria in protecting the Kurds is good with me, whether it is Russia, China, or Napoleon Bonaparte. I hope they all do great, we are 7,000 miles away!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2019
Putin wasted no time accepting Trump’s invitation; Russian troops are already claiming bases left abandoned by US troops after their hasty retreat, even using the situation as anti-American propaganda. In a tweet by Fox News’ National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, she shared a video that she called a “Russian propaganda coup.”
Russian mercenaries give video tour of abandoned US base in Northern Syria, laughing at the hasty US retreat, showing unfinished meals on dining tables and heavy military equipment left behind. A Russian propaganda coup. https://t.co/9WHrmEe1Xc
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 15, 2019
When Trump first made his arbitrary and capricious decision to abandon the Kurds, Brett McGurk declared:
Donald Trump is not a Commander-in-Chief. He makes impulsive decisions with no knowledge or deliberation. He sends military personnel into harm’s way with no backing. He blusters and then leaves our allies exposed when adversaries call his bluff or he confronts a hard phone call.
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 7, 2019
Not a Commander-in-Chief? Impulsive decisions with no knowledge or deliberation? Leaves our allies exposed?
Sounds exactly like what we’re witnessing in Syria to me.
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative.
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