Tag: Trump abandoned our Kurdish allies

Trump says U.S. will lift sanctions on Turkey, calling cease-fire in Syria ‘permanent’

Washington Post logoPresident Trump announced Wednesday that the United States will lift sanctions on Turkey, saying that the Turkish government has informed the White House that it will abide by what he characterized as a “permanent” cease-fire along the border with Syria.

At a hastily organized event in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Trump also used the occasion to justify his “America First” foreign policy agenda, pushing back against critics by arguing that he is removing U.S. troops from a region where they should not be involved.

“Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand,” Trump said.

View the complete October 23 article by Felicia Sonmez and David Nakamura on The Washington Post website here.

Trump Just Gave ISIS ‘Its Biggest Win In More Than Four Years

Trump continues to claim credit for single-handedly defeating ISIS, but his reckless and chaotic decision to withdraw from Syria was a big win for ISIS and greatly improved its prospects. After inheriting a successful anti-ISIS campaign, Trump is risking the reversal of hard-fought gains by the U.S. and our allies.

TRUMP, TUESDAY: “ISIS was all over the place … It was me…who captured them. I’m the one who did the capturing. I’m the one who knows more about it than you people or the fake pundits.”

TRUMP, ALSO TUESDAY: “When I took over ISIS was all over the place. You know that better than anybody, two and a half years ago. I went in and when I started I got rid of that whole thing. All those prisoners, all that — those are my — they were captured under Trump.” Continue reading “Trump Just Gave ISIS ‘Its Biggest Win In More Than Four Years”

Trump’s enormous gift to Erdogan

Washington Post logoIt’s a startling turn of events. For years, Turkey watched with frustration as more distant powers — from the United States to Russia to Iran — imposed their will on the bloody Syrian conflict to its south. For years, to no avail, Turkey demanded that the United States end its support of a controversial Syrian Kurdish faction with alleged links to an outlawed separatist group within its borders. For years, Turkey fumed at a hostile Washington, a putative ally whose politicians, for a host of reasons, often cast Ankara as an adversary.

All of that has suddenly changed, largely thanks to President Trump.

It was Trump who, less than two weeks ago, acquiesced to a Turkish invasion of northeastern Syria, abandoning those in the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. It was Trump who, despite a vociferous backlash in Washington, started to echo Turkish talking points about the SDF being “communists” and “terrorists.” And it was Trump who on Thursday hailed a “deal” clinched with Turkey that effectively satisfied most of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s demands while also relieving him of the looming threat of U.S. sanctions on his country’s vulnerable economy.

View the complete October 17 article by Ishaan Tharoor on The Washington Post website here.

US Agrees Turkish ‘Cease Fire’ To Cleanse Kurds From Syria Region

During a live press conference in Turkey on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence announced a “deal” with Turkish President Recep Erdogan to give Turkey … everything it wanted.

With great pride and voluminous sucking-up, Pence announced a 120-hour “cease-fire” agreement with Turkey, during which time the United States will “assist” Turkey’s Kurdish targets in fleeing the region Turkey is attacking. In other words, Kurdish forces, their families, and others have five days to withdraw from their own homes, after which Turkey will control the region. It is unclear where those forces are expected to retreat to. Pence’s announcement amounts to an agreement for Turkey to ethnically cleanse a Turkish-demanded “safe zone” with the United States’ approval, and possibly its assistance.

In “exchange” for a cease-fire agreement—an ultimatum to Turkey’s Kurdish targets to withdraw, or else—Pence announced that the United States “will not impose further sanctions” on Turkey for its assault.

View the complete October 17 article from the Daily Kos on the National Memo website here.

Trump Says Border Wall More Important Than Defending Kurdish Allies

As Turkey’s military actions intensify in northern Syria, Trump is defending his decision to abandon Kurdish allies by claiming he wants to focus his attention on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Some people want the United States to protect the 7,000 mile away Border of Syria, presided over by Bashar al-Assad, our enemy,” Trump wrote on Monday. “At the same time, Syria and whoever they chose to help, wants naturally to protect the Kurds. I would much rather focus on our Southern Border which abuts and is part of the United States of America. And by the way, numbers are way down and the WALL is being built!”

After an Oct. 6 phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump announced U.S. troops would withdraw from northern Syria, giving tacit permission for Turkey to begin military action in the area. Trump abandoned Kurdish allies in the region who had been pivotal to America’s fight against ISIS, knowing Turkey would attack the Kurds.

View the complete October 14 article by Dan Desai Martin on the National Memo website here.

Trump: Let Assad, Russia or China protect the Kurds

The Hill logoPresident Trump on Monday said other countries — including China or Russia — should be responsible for protecting the U.S.-allied Kurds in northern Syria amid a groundswell of bipartisan criticism over his decision to pull American forces out of the region.

Trump took to Twitter to argue against a U.S. presence in the region, even as some of his staunchest allies in Congress assert that his strategy has opened the door for Turkey to slaughter the Kurds and for a resurgence of ISIS.

“Let Syria and Assad protect the Kurds and fight Turkey for their own land. I said to my Generals, why should we be fighting for Syria and Assad to protect the land of our enemy?” Trump tweeted.

View the complete October 14 article by Brett Samuels on The Hill website here.

Five ways Trump’s Syria decision spells trouble

The Hill logoPresident Trump this week showed no sign of backing down on his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, stoking fears in Washington of worst-case scenarios from abandoning a crucial defense partner.

Trump’s move, which has paved the way for Turkey to proceed with a long-planned offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces who were instrumental in the fight against ISIS, has far-reaching implications both at home and abroad.

Critics, including many from Trump’s own party, argue the president is irreparably damaging the country’s standing as a reliable partner by abandoning a U.S. ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to be slaughtered by Turkey as well as fueling mayhem in the region that could allow ISIS to regain its footing.

View the complete October 12 article by Ellen Mitchell on The Hill website here.

Senators demand briefing on Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria

The Hill logoSens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Christopher Coons (D-Del.) are demanding an all-senators briefing immediately on President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from key positions in northern Syria.

“We are concerned that this was an abrupt decision taken in the face of reported opposition from military and diplomatic advisers, and that thousands of hardened ISIS fighters and thousands more ISIS supporters currently in detention may become free to fight again as their Kurdish captors turn to defending themselves against a Turkish incursion,” Graham and Coons wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.).

Trump’s decision, announced Monday morning in a series of tweets, caught lawmakers by surprise and appears to give Turkey the go-ahead to move against U.S.-allied Kurdish forces.

View the complete October 8 article by Alexander Bolton on The Hill website here.