My initial reaction to Trump pulling out of Syria was one of disgust, after years of labor alongside the Kurdish people the move felt like abandonment. I’ve formed an affinity for the hard working men and women of Northern Syria and even if you believe our support misguided, one point remains true: the Kurds played an important part in the downfall of ISIS.
What is President Trump’s reasoning behind the withdrawal from Syria?
I had arguments with quite a few friends as to the reasoning behind the move, I could find no bright light at the end of the tunnel. Surely, to turn our back on a partner would later nip us in the behind. So why would Trump do it? Well here are a few points I’ve come to understand:
- The Turks and Kurds have been at war for over four hundred years. Are we to involve ourselves in an age old dispute?
- The Kurds want one thing, to have an autonomous and free nation, lands they own alone. But how do they plan on supporting such an endeavor, ongoing American air support?
- Turkey had been planning an incursion for years and the only thing propping up the Kurds was us. Are we in the business of propping up the Kurds?
- ISIS was impeding on Kurdish territory, truth be told they benefited by our assistance, no vice versa.
After some thought I determined that while these points may be true, the Kurds just finished a five year battle against ISIS. All of this alongside American troops. The least America could have done was support the Kurdish in a short respite, Turkey is attacking while the iron is hot and their foe exhausted. Smart but brutal.
What are people saying?
In search of other thoughts on the topic I came across Bryan Dean Wright, intrigued I decided to paste it here. While the below may make sense, with Trump’s new sanctions I don’t believe Turkey is responding as planned. Let me know what you think in the comments below:
Remember: We‘re in Syria to keep ISIS at a low boil, to minimize the terror threat.
Not to counter Iran. Or Russia.
(We can do that by simply withdrawing. More on that in a bit.)Trump is thus asking: Can we leverage Iran, Russia, & Turkey to kill ISIS & achieve our goal?
Yes.
— Bryan Dean Wright (@BryanDeanWright) October 14, 2019
Will Trump’s gamble work?
Quite possibly yes.
And if it doesn’t — ISIS / Islamic radicals again take root — we’ll work with the Israelis & others to take them out.
We’ve done it before.
We’ll do it again.
— Bryan Dean Wright (@BryanDeanWright) October 14, 2019
For DC “experts,” no Trump policy will be enough.
They want a democratic Syria, built by gunpoint. Or mass confrontation w/ adversaries.
And that’s why they all hate Trump’s move.
But remember: they’re the same “experts” who sold us the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.
How smart.
— Bryan Dean Wright (@BryanDeanWright) October 14, 2019
Caught in the fight are the Syrian people & many refugees who have fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, & Europe.
That is a cost created by Obama (Mr. “Red Line”) & Germany’s “Momma Merkel.”
Not Trump.
When nations get tired of fighting, diplomats will talk. People will return
— Bryan Dean Wright (@BryanDeanWright) October 14, 2019
Bottom line: Trump and his team have a credible foreign policy supporting this withdrawal.
We can still kill ISIS.
We can bog down the Russians, Iranians, Turks, & Syrians.
Yes, we lose a Kurdish ally made up of both honorable & terroristic fighters.
But there is a strategy.
— Bryan Dean Wright (@BryanDeanWright) October 14, 2019
