With Putin pulling his strings, Trump undermines US in Syria
One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s puppets is threatening to undermine the U.S. in Syria, a move that would allow Russia to gain a major strategic victory in the Middle East. Sickeningly, that puppet is President Donald Trump.
In saying last week that the U.S. would withdraw “very soon” from Syria, Trump not only surprised and alarmed U.S. national security officials but broke his often-repeated vow not to telegraph the nation’s strategic military intentions.
It also suggested that Trump was willing to abandon the Kurdish people, which could doom them. That would be unconscionable given that their forces fought alongside U.S. soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere against ISIS.
What else are Americans supposed to make of this other than that their president is aiding Russia?
Keep in mind, Trump’s remarks about withdrawing completely contradict the Pentagon’s assessment of the situation in Syria. Trump on Tuesday seemed to grasp that, saying he was willing to keep forces in Syria in the short term but maintained that he wanted a withdrawal. That’s somewhat encouraging, but his impulse to telegraph military strategy is nonetheless damaging. Top U.S. officials say this is not the time to consider backing out, as it would weaken forces fighting Syria’s barbaric leader, Bashar al-assad, and give Russia an almost free hand in expanding its influence in the region.
A withdrawal would end what’s been an uncomfortable dance between the U.S. and Russia to avoid skirmishes that might lead to a direct conflict. With the U.S. out of the way, Russia would have the breathing room it needs to step up its military presence, which currently includes air crews and a large number of boots-on-the-ground paramilitary contractors.
The move also threatens to bolster Iran, whose soldiers have been fighting with Russia in Syria.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Armed Services Committee, nailed it last weekend in assessing a pullout.
“It’d be the single worst decision the president could make,” he told “Fox News Sunday.”
Graham pointed out that in addition to strengthening Russia and Iran, removing the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria would allow ISIS to rebuild. American troops have been fighting against ISIS in support of Arab and Kurdish militias.
“There are over 3,000 ISIS fighters still roaming around Syria. We’ve got troops there to protect us and to protect the region,” Graham said. “If we withdraw our troops anytime soon, ISIS would come back, the war between … Turkey and the Kurds would get out of hand, and you’d be giving Damascus to the Iranians.”
Another problem with the move is that it would have come at an unstable time for the National Security Council, which is expected to undergo personnel changes, as Trump is replacing national security adviser H.R. Mcmaster with John Bolton. Making a major policy shift makes no sense until the ground gets less shaky.
So here’s hoping Trump was simply having one of his frequent off-script moments, when whatever squirrelly thought that squirms into his head springs immediately out of his mouth.
Even with Trump’s half-baked attempt Tuesday to walk back last week’s pull-out declaration, though, it remains troubling that the White House recently suspended $200 million in stabilization funding for Syria.
The worst case is that this is yet another sign that Trump is under the Kremlin’s control.
There’s no denying that Tump treats Putin like his master.
This is a president who was against new sanctions to Russia after the nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in the United Kingdom, and who even made a congratulatory phone call to Putin for winning a sham election after that incident. More galling yet, he invited Putin to a summit at the White House after the attack occurred.
Furthermore, U.S. intelligence has confirmed Russian infiltration of the U.S. power grid, and Trump has done nothing. But sadly, that’s nothing new: Trump repeatedly has defended Russia from allegations that it interfered with U.S. elections, by saying the claims were simply aimed at discrediting his victory in 2016.
Against that backdrop, Trump’s statement about Syria screams that he’s looking to Russia in calling his shots, not to U.S. security and defense officials.