Syria pullout slows

Trump back-pedals on withdrawal after bipartisan criticism

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said yesterday.

“I think we’re in a pause situation,” the South Carolina Republican said after lunch with the president.

Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2000 troops from wartorn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly.

The president had declared victory over the Islamic State, although pockets of fighting remain.

Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump’s decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also shocked politicians and US allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey.

“I think we’re slowing things down in a smart way,” Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds.

Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president’s plans.

During his appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the Syria pullout.

“I’m going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don’t turn Syria over to the Iranians. That’s a nightmare for Israel,” Graham said.

“And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, who’s going to help you in the future?”