He knows exactly what his Syrian policy is,
for this week.
1
Isn't Turkey our ally in NATO?
@Bill P
We’re kinda divorced
2
Donald Trump is a pain for almost everyone in the short-term, but he is the best thing that happened in American politics for the long-term, if you are China.
1
Erdogan referred to Trump's "unmatched wisdom" and there you have it.
3
@megan If deciding to pull troops from Syria constitutes wisdom today -- it being the only sensible thing to do -- the world indeed has been turned upside-down, most especially at the NY Times.
Trump has always tended to change his firm opinion or policy according to his most recent conversation. Now that he's not just stiffing contractors or bankrupting casinos, but running the world's most powerful country, that has consequences for millions of people, and it's disastrous. Moreover he seems to be getting more unhinged by the day. Congress must act to get this lunatic out of power!
3
What our we missing here? The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the area without their own country. They are the best fighters against dictators and terrorists. To make things better they already believe and want democracy and free trade. They should be natural allies with the USA, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, and all other citizens of the mideast that want freedom and democracy. Its a no brainer. Give them northern Syria, northern Iraq and they will be your best neighboors.
3
I am a physician, and for anyone to seriously (and I see nothing in the tweet to suggest it wasn't serious) say something like "I, in my great and unmatched wisdom" is delusional, and I mean that in the medical sense of reflecting significant psychopathology.
14
What a coincidence that Trump Tower Istanbul earns him $3+Million a year? And Erdogan's phone calls seem to trigger these sudden decisions against all past policy.
3
Recep Erdogan must have agreed to dig up dirt on Joe Biden
2
So let me get this straight. The Republicans are finally up in arms about the mentally ill, morally defective idiot because of chaos and destruction he may be unleashing in the mideast, and rightly so. But the chaos and destruction he has unleashed and constantly drives within his own country? Not so much.
9
The Turks better be waiting for the body bags of soldiers that will be transported back. The Kurds will hit them.
1
The country (our country) has put itself in the hands of a tv reality star and bankrupt real estate investor (whom everyone in New York knew was a bogus shyster), with no policy experience, no knowledge of international affairs, and no understanding of the map of the world (I would challenge him to find Syria on a map of the Middle East) and decided that he is the person who is responsible for global security.
Why oh why? Why not--all you Trump supporters--why not go to him, for example, with your cancer diagnosis, or to fix your car? He knows everything, right? In his Great Wisdom? He sounds like the Wizard of Oz.
5
WHEN!!!!!!, Mitch?????
2
@Barry
Shussssssh.
He’s napping.
Or are we protecting his twin tower in Istanbul?
1
In answer to the question at the top of your editorial:
No
1
Weak, Weak, Weak...
This is what happens when we have a "paper tiger" commander-in-chief. And the worst part is that the paper tiger doesn't know when to shut his paper mouth!!!
3
Surrender monkey? Seems that term is appropriate here.
Trump will get a bonus few hundred million in his Xmas stocking for this betrayal. from his boss in the Kremlin.
2
Trump seems to act in accordance with the last voice he heard, tempered only by whatever fantasy is in his head at the moment.
Time to leave, Mr President. Time to leave the White House. Forever.
Erdogan is not afraid of attacking the Kurds at this point. Trump gave him the impression that the United States would do nothing to stop the Turks if they did invade Syria to clear the border area, and nothing he has said since saying that he would impose sanctions upon Turkey has impressed Erdogan.
The stable genius might just have to decide between using the military to block the Turks or letting the Kurds be slaughtered. He's not going to escape the kind of criticism that makes him feel humiliated.
Trump has a property in Istanbul. He obviously is again self-dealing at the expense of the nation.
This is a win for Turkey, Russia and Trump, Inc.. plain and simple.
1
Which one of the trump kids gets the exclusive franchise to import Pistachio Nuts and Dried Apricots from Turkey?
1
"...I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!)" Obviously a sign of mental illness and the inability to hold the office of president. I don't understand why Congress hasn't invoked the 25 Amendment, which seems to have been written for exactly this purpose. We have had stupid presidents in the past, and evil ones too, but seldom if ever have these qualities been present in the same president. He HAS to be gotten rid of.
4
Erdogan thinks himself some Islamic savior. This isn't what America wants.
Trump’s initial response was, “If children get inoculated against Syria, they might get autism. Very bad.”
Trump is walking around throwing lighted matches on piles of leaves.
If President's supporters still think that their man is a person of 'great and unmatched wisdom', they are probably crazier than him.
Please send a padded wagon and two strong guys to take this lunatic away to a safe place. It is time to invoke Article 25.
2
An American president who announces, "[I}f Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!)” has clearly proven himself to be mentally unwell and must be removed from office by any legal means possible.
3
While reasonable people can differ on whether or not eventually scaling down U.S. support of the Kurds in Northern Syria is a sound foreign policy decision, there are ways to implement the strategy in a measured way using a balance of diplomacy, guile and military strength to manage the many diverse interests involved. What is not debatable is that President Trumps decision process and implementation is another in a string of foreign policy disasters. His handling of this matter is so deeply flawed that even sycophants like Lindsay Graham have had to voice doubts about the soundness of the approach. No doubt foreign allies are scratching their heads. Unfortunately, it is simply another example of a “commander-in-chief” with a Napoleonic complex implementing global strategy in a manner more akin to an episode of the “Gong Show” than to any form of statesmanship.
1
Is there any doubt at this point that the Russians and Turks have information about Donald Trump or his business that they're using to blackmail him? Just takes a 1-1 phone call and Trump is swayed to act against our national interests. Could it not be more obvious?
931
@bruce
The answer to your closing question is a resounding NO! Your point is well taken, true, and poignant.
29
@Bruce - I suspect it’s simpler than that: a bit of flattery and an appeal to his baser instincts, and Trump’s mind becomes as malleable as clay. He’ll then simply parrot the desires given to him in his last conversation. The man has no real convictions.
41
@bruce
Trump apparently knows what his Syria policy is, the same as Putin's Syria policy.
9
I'm trying to think of 1 (one) basic decision Trump has made on behalf of the common good, one serious contribution his presidency has made for the betterment of us all. I cannot. Can you?
4
If Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell are outraged by this move it makes me wonder if it couldn’t be the right one.
3
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?" Donald Trump's [Syria] policy is to be reported on and photographed in the context of [Syria].
@Jonathan: "I, in my great and unmatched wisdom" - context enough for you?
We’ll, if people didn’t think he was an egomaniac before, it’s hard to deny his insanity with his latest “wise” comments. At what point do decent Republicans, and I assume there are one or two left, stand up and say enough is enough.
Trump is a dictator...he’s gotta go.
3
Am I the only one on the planet who didn't KNOW this? THIS, from Fast Forward, by (Boston) Globe Staffer Teresa Hanafin, dated today:
"Speaking of northern Syria, Trump has another reason for letting Turkey have its way there: In my great and unmatched wisdom, I read that he has a big conflict of interest in Istanbul, where his name adorns two massive residential/office towers, a licensing deal that has paid him up to $5 million a year since 2015. During the 2016 campaign, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan easily manipulated the candidate by threatening to have Trump's name removed from the towers, endangering that revenue stream. Wouldn't you know it, Trump soon was praising the strongman. He found nothing wrong with Erdoğan's brutal crackdown after a failed military coup (that some think was staged), imprisoning political opponents, jailing journalists, stripping Parliament of most of its duties, and increasing his power and iron grip on the country. "I do give great credit to him for turning it around," Trump said. Isn't that sweet."
It's an OMG if you didn't know it, and a good refresher if you did. I hope the $5 is worth Kurdish blood, and our long-ago--and-far-away allies and their safety. That's stupid of me to posit such an irrelevant matter, isn't it. I keep forgetting it's not the real world, anymore.
6
It's whatever Putin wants it to be or else the video gets released.
2
This is a knotty problem, sullied by partisanship. There is some merit to Trump's thinking but his method is that of an amateur.
It is true that we are over-extended and that conflicts in which we find ourselves involve age-old tribal rivalries where it feels like we are playing whack-a-mole. We erred in getting into them originally. We've done some good. Populations have grown to depend on us, maybe not desirable. If we leave, the age-old rivalries, often murderous, will gain strength once more. But staying can be endless and not the wisest national priority for us. Were Trump truly a leader, given his view on this matter, he would work toward a withdrawal that is not impulsive or reactive to something said during a telephone call. By such hasty response, he undermined his own legitimacy as a decision-maker on this matter. Worse, he fails to understand that.
1
"Great and unmatched wisdom"! I've been resisting the simple notion that Trump is mentally degenerating (from his previous "stable genius" height?), but this is enough to make me rethink skepticism.
1
No one is safe as long as Trump is President.
He has single-handedly destroyed the global economic growth that was raising millions out of poverty for nearly 74 years.
We will reap the whirlwind.
1
When are we going to focus on mental instability at the helm of
the most powerful Nation in the world.....and all that that power means?
6
Just another example of Trump's daddy issues playing out on a grand scale. He looks up to strongmen/despots/dictators and desperately craves their approval and acceptance. He'll do absolutely anything for it- gladly sacrifice blood and treasure for it; gladly throw any ally under the bus. If only Fred Trump had found it in himself to nurture this sick child of his, the world may have been spared this utterly inept and wholly embarrassing president.
2
The question is rather a silly one to ask about someone who is demonstrably out of touch with reality.
1
The US - republicans and democrats - want to break up Syria. They have already destroyed Iraq, Libya and Syria under the neoconservative banner of "spreading democracy". There would be no ISIS if the US/UK had not invaded. Oil and Israel are the driving forces.
2
@Dominick Eustace
Thank you for your voice of wisdom. I will fall on deaf ears ... because Trump!
I wouldn't be surprised if the Democrats are writing up an impeachment inquiry right now for wanting to pull troops out of our illegal Syria adventure... because Putin!
1
@Chris: "I, in my great and unmatched wisdom..."
Trump fiddles while the US (and the rest of the world) burns.
"in my great and unmatched wisdom"...pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
2
I fear we are witnessing the collapse of United States constitutional democratic experiment at the hands of the vindictive, small-minded, self-serving, morally bankrupt, ethically impoverished, and intellectually vacuous Republican party. Putin is smirking all the way to the bank.
3
Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride
“Great and unmatched wisdom”? Does he think that he is “The Great and Powerful Oz”? That was a fantasy also!
2
Seems Putin has gotten more for his money than he could have possibly expected.
4
Wonder what Erdogan said that triggered this sudden policy change. Something to do with Trump Tower Istanbul?
2
No 45th does not know what his Syria Policy is, because he is ignorant and unlike Ronald Regan does not take his advisors advice. And now he is surrounded by all IDIOTS.
All at the direction of Putin. Our President is a dirty traitor.
3
American liberals cheering on endless war is quite an astonishing sight. And they rationalize their warmongering with the bizarre notion that Trump is somehow a Russian agent, while at the same time arguing he's just trying to make a buck for himself. International law, like the fact that our presence in Syria is completely illegal, doesn't seem to bother them. Under the phony pretext of caring for the Kurds, one of our many mercenary forces in the ME, they are attacking Trump from the right, aligning themselves yet again with the CIA and the military/security/surveillance/corporate/political complex. None of that "care", of course, was at display when Obama extended W.'s 2 wars into 7, obliterating Libya and starting the genocide in Yemen amongst other things. And, when everything else fails, they justify their warmongering by claiming it is the "process" of troop withdrawal that’s wrong here. When it comes to war and the care and feeding of defense contractors, there is but one political party and that's the war party. The Democratic Party voted unanimously to support Trump's $739 billion military budget (despite being a Putin puppet), the trillion dollar "nuclear train-wreck" initiated by Obama, and the additional billions for private detention centers. In fact, the Democratic Party has actively promoted regime change wars in Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Iran, and Venezuela. Apparently, the relentless propaganda machine has also turned the entire electorate into warmongers.
2
@Chris: "I, in my great and unmatched wisdom,... "
@ Anna
Is there a message to this? Please elaborate.
Trump has said more than once that he's a "stable genius." Now he tells us that he has "great and unmatched wisdom."
This is not a joke, or a TV reality show. This is the world, and its future--and the U.S. President is the most powerful person in it.
I used to be a Republican. But the thought of ANYONE voting for Trump in 2020...or voting for a third party candidate...or not voting at all...is simply incomprehensible to me.
467
@bnyc
Don't forget that the rest of the Republican party supports Trump and all he stands for, with very rare exceptions. Think about your votes at all levels of government.
16
@bnyc
Mr Ed was a stable genius compared to Trump
9
@Thomas Zaslavsky Only those who are truly unwise and way short of genius self describe with such grandiose claims. Wise and genius can only be ascribed to us by others. The President likely boasts he is the humblest and least self centered person on earth.
4
I wouldn't mind the Trumpies cheering on Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria. Except that they were the same demographic who excitedly supported our incursion into Iraq for made up reasons. Back then, two-thirds of them believed that Saddam was responsible for 9/11 (really, they did) and needed to pay. The rest of us thought we were going to war on pretenses and lies and opposed it. And we created a regional catastrophe.
To paraphrase Colin Powell: if you break it, you buy. We broke ten of thousands of soldiers; we bought them. We broke hundreds of thousands of lives in the region; we bought them. We broke a region; we bought it.
And as much as I oppose further incursions into Syria or other such misadventures, we made a commitment to allies there; we should honor those commitments. It is only fair. The next time our leaders start pounding the drums of war, we should carefully think about how Iraq turned out. (Celebrities like Ellen and Michelle Obama should also refrain from rehabilitating George W. Bush.)
And the people who cheered on Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld into Iraq should should shut up and sit down.
1
@bm1877
"And as much as I oppose further incursions into Syria or other such misadventures, we made a commitment to allies there; we should honor those commitments. It is only fair. "
I am tired of passive aggressive warmongers and their "I am against war, but we should not stop being involved".
That's exactly how wars become, you know, endless.
Washington has and still is making a mess of the entire world through their endless wars for corporate profits which are returned as campaign contributions. It's how the system operates and nothing will change except the body count. Until Americans see their own children lying bloody, burned and dismembered in the rubble, then they may get a clue of what others are suffering right now, in their name, with their stolen wages.
2
When it come to foreign policy, Trump is guided by impulse. It's as if he makes decisions based on cocktail party discussions or a single telephone conversation. He has no foreign-policy strategy and never has had. The only time he comes up with a strategy is when he is fighting legitimate investigations into his misdeeds - and that strategy is to obfuscate and obstruct.
@Whole Grains
The oh-so-carefully thought foreign policy "strategy" of "the best and the brightest" has mostly been a disaster...
Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria...
Cheers to Trump for wanting "to bring out troops home" if "the best and the brightest" will allow him to.
1
"...and the Kurds would dismantle fortifications in those areas that were designed to defend against a possible Turkish incursion."
We, the citizens of the United States, are responsible for whatever lives are lost due to the trust the Kurds put in us. We have put a madman in office, and now that this is clear, we've delayed in disempowering him.
“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
3
In abandoning the Kurds, Trump is channeling his inner Nixon, who did the same thing in the early 1970s.
As soon as he gets a guarantee that he can put TRUMP on the great mosque, he will give Turkey anything they want, even more weapons to use against the Kurds.
1
I think Trump wants to please despots all over the world who remind him of his father. He is still looking for his dad's approval, and to be seen as "strong" in his father's estimation.
The result is that he is easily played by despots like Erdogan, who is chomping at the bit to fulfill his agenda, attack and wipe out the Kurds. Soon we won't have any reliable allies left and Trump still won't have his father's approval.
7
What's strange is that the President appears to cherish his tough guy, hardball, expert negotiator image, but the minute he gets on the phone or sits down with a real despot he wants to be liked so much he can't help but give something away.
120
@Jonathan Trump is a coward...
1
Don the Con perhaps doesn't even KNOW where Syria is on a map!
3
Can you spell distraction?
2
I'm all for stopping being the world's police. But accomplishing this must be done with forethought and LOTS of input from people actually knowledgeable with both the history and present circumstances - none of which is Trump, despite his (and his alone) claims of being a "stable genius" or his "great and unmatched wisdom."
2
@SMcStormy
"I'm all for stopping being the world's police", but since Trump is for it I'd rather stay with endless wars, like the one in Syria that was and still is completely illegal according to international law. And I'd feel so much better if Trump was listening to the experts at the CIA, State Department, and the Pentagon that got us into this illegal mess in the first place.
Is that what you’re saying ?
1
@SMcStormy 'I'm all for stopping being the world's police'
I hate to brag, but...
No. He's a dullard.
1
Given the president's history of allowing himself to become compromised by foreign governments, I must ask; is President Erdoğan blackmailing him somehow?
1
That Trump knows anything about anything including government and politics is not possible. The man is desperately mentally ill and the Republican owned Senate has known that for years and had hoped to use him as a puppet in their scheme to stay in power.
I actually have more pity for our Pinocchio madman president than for the fascist cabal trying so desperately to control him. These devious criminals include above all Moscow McConnell, Barr, Giuliani, Miller and especially Pompeo who definitely aught to know how to be a human being.
2
Are you serious!!! He doesn't know and he does not care!
Of course he knows. It’s whatever Daddy Putin says it is.
1
Donald Trump is imbuing our country with many of his own characteristics: discriminatory, heartless, bullying, unpredictable, changeable, and now - faithless ally.
1
“Does Donald Trump Know What His [insert anything here] Policy Is?”
No. He doesn’t.
We need the Erdogan transcript too!
2
Trump's foreign policy is whatever his Magic 8-Ball told him this morning. He has no policy regarding any subject. He's a know it all boob who personifies the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Now it's the Kurds turn to pay the price for Trump running out on bills or policy. It's what he does.
1
Republicans should be thrilled that our foreign policy is now determined by the last dictator he talks to.
3
And what was Obama's? A series of crossed red lines in the sand that created ISIS.
1
@M Remember when the current president -- Trump -- just in the past couple of months tolerated Iran shooting down a U.S. drone without consequence? And then tolerated them bombing a large Saudi oil facility? What do you think Erdogan learned from Trump's tough talk, which he never follows up on? He learned that he will be able to attack the Kurds in Syria without consequence, even though it will result in the re-creation of ISIS.
Trump's foreign policy: a square dance with a caller who doesn't know left from right or forward/ back. Bow to your henchmen and dosie Dow.
2
Start more basic...does Trump know where Syria is?
97
@JRB Yes, it's somewhere east of Jersey.
1
Does he know what POLICY is?
2
I heard on radio news that Trump threatened Turkey's President Erdogan with repercussions if any USA troops are victims of the impending military action against our (former) Kurdish allies.
Just when did American lives matter so much more than others?
2
This Sunday phone call with Erdogan is almost as horrifying as his Ukraine phone call. It has been reported that he "got rolled". Remember Trump has a hotel in Turkey, so he is compromised here. Betraying the Kurds should be anonther article of impeachment, and if the House announced that, it might keep the Kurds from turning against us forever. This is exactly why the Emoluments Clause is so important - Trump's policy in Turkey and Syria is driven by his personal financial interest, not by the United States' interest.
5
Wrong as it is, it's one thing to look the other way as trump pays off woman to keep his affairs secret.
Quite another to sit idly by as he endanger lives, weakens our national security and betrays our allies.
The Republican capitulation to this man is sickening - and dangerous to every person on this planet.
6
The chickens are coming home to roost for the criminally incompetent and unethical Republican Party that has acquiesced in every immoral and insane Trump initiative. They are as much to blame for the current turmoil in this country and the world. Trump's dangerous and evil corruption cannot exist without their support. If they are not held to account in the next election I fear the worst for humanity.
6
The title gave me pause for thought immediately. What makes anyone think he knows where Syria is?
2
djt has neither a foreign policy, nor a domestic policy. Furthermore, his so-called "America First" policy is a misnomer - it could more accurately be called a "Me First" policy. His only concern is how things affect him. My question is, how long will his cynical enablers and deluded fans see fit to go along for the ride? It must be harder and harder to justify selfish short term gains and simplistic feelgood ethnonationalistic tropes in light of the damage the he is doing to our nation, our democracy, our allies, and the delicate world order - a world order that in his great and unmatched wisdom, he makes no effort to understand.
1
The policy seems clear to me. The simplest answer is Putin.
As soon as possible, because he might not serve a second term, payback Putin so the kompromat his henchmen have never comes out.
This necessitates a fast, hard gesture while people are distracted elsewhere—his impeachment proceedings provide that. And there might not be another moment to get it done.
His Ukraine policy and Syria policy are of a piece and make perfect sense — both give Putin what he wants.
1
Trump works for Putin. There’s back-channel communication between them through their kids. It’s that simple.
1
His actions shouldn't be surprising, since he's been a coward all his life; he abandoned his country when it called him for Vietnam, why wouldn't he abandon an ally who is actually fighting for something they believe in? It's not Trigonometry, people; elect a coward, expect a coward's actions.
2
Trump, like all criminals, has only two priorities. First, and most important, is staying out of jail. Second is continuing to commit crimes to enrich himself as much as possible. His Sunday announcement was not about policy; he has none. It was to distract a ratings driven press from his impeachment troubles. He is a buffoon about almost everything, but he plays the press like a cheap fiddle.
3
NYT, Your ethnic double standard is showing. The editorial ignores the interests and actions of Israel, who relying on US diplomatic cover, repeatedly conducts air attacks on Syrian soil and has now claimed permanent possession of Syrian territory, the Golan - which used to be a region of small Syrian communities. What has become of these tens of thousands of Syrians, occupied against their will by a state that recognizes only Jewish sovereignty and Jewish self-determination? Who cares!
2
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?"
No, but it's great and unmatched wisdom! Worship Him you right thinking real Americans!
Gee, could you have been wrong all the time?
1
And of course the impotent dems won't be able to make hay of this and other on going presidential malfeasance during this campaign season.
Where's Chuck?
2
It's terrifying to see how easily Trump is swayed -- by Erdogan, by Putin, by Kim, by his crooked son-in-law, by the increasingly odd and twisted Giuliani.... We should all be frightened by having this weak lying man/child in the White House. His ouster, by election or impeachment (if the Spineless Republicans ever find a moral center), can't come soon enough. Every day we find out how weak, how corrupt, how unfit he actually is -- and it's worse than we knew.
5
Trump has no policy. This is just another one of his distractions to take our focus off his impeachment. Somehow I doubt that Nancy Pelosi is distracted. This may work with the media and his small minded base but the rest of us are laser focused on his impeachment.
4
This is the difficult task of finally removing us from the disastrous quagmire foisted upon us by the Bush family and their associates. It was too difficult for Barack Obama, who was elected based on similar promises but quickly capitulated and actually furthered the wars. Mainstream wisdom to the contrary, deplorables elected Trump to get us out of these wars once and for all and remove those vestiges of that whole neoliberal apparatus once and for all.
2
@Edwin
If Trump stays his course he will be the first President in my lifetime that hasn't started a new war. Imagine that.
2
Of course he does not know what his Syria policy is. He doesn't know anything about any policy. There are great comments here, considerations we all need to contemplate in moving forward to get this man out of the White House.
That said, because he doesn't know what is going on around him near nor from afar, he will say and do anything outlandish in an attempt to divert attention from impeachment. That what he has done is unconscionable, indefensible, immoral and destructive is all the more reason to push forward with impeachment or even more urgently with Article 25. This fellow is unbalanced and not fit for office.
3
Of course Donald doesn't know what his "Syria Policy" is. Hasn't been clear for years now that he doesn't do "policy?" He wings it, relying on his intuition and his last conversation on the matter at hand? What next? An editorial wondering if he is finally going to "pivot" and become Presidential?
2
His policy is to give Syria to Putin and distract the public from his impeachment while looking like he is the big cheese. It's that simple.
86
@Putinski
Russia and Syria have been partners for close to 50 years.
6
@Putinski Thank you . You saved me from writing the same comment.
3
@Putinski
Syria does not belong to the US.
Trump cannot give Syria to Putin or anyone.
Russia is a longtime ally of Syria, and was asked by Assad to help protect Syria from regime change by the US
A diplomatic cable leaked in 2012, revealed how the US had been working since 2006 to destabilize Syria, wanting a Syria president who was submissive to US "national interest".
As early as 2007, it was reported that a US-Saudi-Israeli conspiracy to overthrow the governments of Iran and Syria by arming sectarian terrorists, many linked directly to Al Qaeda, was already set in motion, described by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his 2007 New Yorker article, "The Redirection,"
The US action in Syria has been immoral and illegal.
Cheers to Trump for trying "to bring the troops home".
The CIA/ Military Industrial Complex and the Washington Foreign Policy Establishment will probably not allow the troops to come home.
For them it is Long Live War!
in vain hopes of winning something, sometime before the US is a totally broke pariah nation full of angry, alienated, unhealthy, poorly educated citizenry.
4
Mr. Trump has no policy on anything, let alone Syria. He makes this clear every time he flip-flops within hours of an announcement. Leading with his gut is no way to govern a large, formerly influential country.
When will his base understand that speaking their anger is too little to effect change?
2
Obama got us into this mess and he never had a "Syria Policy".
He couldn't even figure out who our enemies and allies were in that conflict. Many of the weapons given to the "rebels" ended up in the hands of ISIS.
We SHOULD just get out of there and let the Syrians attend to their own business. We can't solve all the problems of the world.
Viet Nam started with "a small troop presence".
2
This is exactly the type of mess that a nation creates for itself when it tries to be the world's policeman/peacemaker/enforcer of values. And although Trump is operating in his typical bull-in-a-China shop manner, he is right to get us out of this endless quagmire.
Here we are confronted with assistance to two purported allies--the Kurds and the Turks--who are at each others throats, again. The Turks are the most war-prone nation on earth. Over the last 400 years they have fought at least ten major wars with the Russians, just to name one of many opponents. That's right, the Russians, a major historical US adversary. Now we are committed by treaty to be on the Turks side in the next, potentially nuclear, war with Russia. Yet on the other hand we are similarly committed to the Kurds against the Turks.
None of this makes sense since US national interest in the Middle East disappeared with the advent of US energy independence from Middle East oil. This situation is emblematic of the foreign policy insanity puts the US in the middle of every armed conflict throughout the world. Trump is owed a debt of gratitude from our nation for finally reconsidering this suicidal folly.
9
So you’re arguing that although Trump has no earthly idea what he’s doing, has now sold out our ally, has acted without the slightest thought for the future, and has spent the last day or so weaseling out from under what he’s done, we owe him a debt of gratitude.
Fascinating. Tell me more of your people’s strange lore.
45
@Chuck French
"The Turks are the most war-prone nation on earth. Over the last 400 years they have fought at least ten major wars with the Russians"
A profoundly ignorant statement. The nation you refer to has only existed since 1922. It is no more equivalent to the Ottoman empire than the US is equivalent to the British empire.
Since 1922 Turks have deployed troops in one foreign war only, and that was the Korean war, on the side of NATO, which it later joined.
We are not "committed to the Kurds against the Turks." We are committed to the Kurds as a vital ally in preventing the resurgence of ISIS or similar groups in Iraq and Syria. Their conflict with the Turks is not our conflict, and the situation between the two is relatively stable as long as we our present and our relationships with both players is clear.
Trump proposes to blow up that relationship on a whim, and at the bidding of a would-be Islamist autocrat who is thankfully losing his grip on Turkey our ally. Erdogan intends to shore up his control the way autocrats often do, by fomenting a conflict elsewhere.
30
@Chuck French
" None of this makes sense since US national interest in the Middle East disappeared with the advent of US energy independence from Middle East oil."
You forgot about the presence of ISIS in Syria. The suicidal folly would be ignoring them. Mr Trump deserves no credit.
17
This is classic Trump - create an unconscionable diversion to take media attention from a previous indefensible...or in this case impeachable...one. And this time, again, people will pay with their lives.
3
"if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
This sounds a lot like those threats from the God of the Old Testament.
U.S. bombing missions in Syria are inhumane. People before politics.
4
Of course he does not know what his policy is with Syria or any other place. I'm willing to bet he can't locate Syria on a map, or Ukraine for that matter.
5
Since when did all the liberals become so pro-war? Why is the media not presenting the viewpoint of anti-war leaders and activists? Obama should never have gotten us into Syria in the first place. Some will always argue that it is too soon, that we need to have our troops there just a few more years. Bring our troops home now.
4
“… [I]f Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
The man who shamelessly boasts that he is a “stable genius” now shamelessly claims that he also has “great and unmatched wisdom.” This is the kind of language one expects from tin-pot dictators, not from the leader of a well-developed democratic polity. Isn’t it time he is forcibly made to undergo a psychiatric evaluation? And isn’t it time those who are in his inner circle and his own family members took this question seriously?
The point raised in the editorial is very pertinent: “… what foe could look at it [the United States] and fear a determined adversary?” The world knows how one foe, dictator Kim Jong-un of North Korea, dealt with similar threats unleashed against him by the same man. All that he had to do was send a flattering letter (we still don't know its contents), and Trump “fell in love with him.” The butcher of North Korea was left to continue his nuclear activities, which still pose a threat to world peace. We have yet to hear a word of condemnation from Trump about Kim's renewed nuclear activities.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone if President Erdogan of Turkey borrows a page from Kim’s playbook and makes Trump fall in love with him, too. Is the "stable genius" going to look the other way when Erdogan executes his plan and start butchering Kurds? The thought is very, very scary.
2
President Fox's policies are whatever his favorite hosts say they are.
1
For those who don’t get the big deal, the answer is Russia and the worlds oil supply. They take a foothold in Iran and Syria and then what’s to stop them? The Saudi’s and Iraq? What a joke. Especially if the US has significantly reduced its forces. Russia has yet to even roll up its military sleeves; its all being handed to them through propaganda and a bit of email hacking...... Israel is being uncharacteristically silent, I imagine to see how this plays out.
Trump...he knows little or nothing about Middle East politics, tribal differences, religious difference or the history. His hubris ideology based on real estate will make the area into a hotbed of insurgency, possible war and genocide (against the Kurds).
Trump is truly a danger to world peace and stability. I seems Trump is a instrument of Russia..doing their geo-political objectives...
People..please speak out..please standup..and speakout.
LTC, US Army (Iraq/2005-6;Afghanistan/2003-4)
2
The appropriate headline for this piece ought to be "Does Putin's Donald Trump Know What A Policy Is Other Than Whims?"
Congress could rid themselves of Trump in 24 to 48 hours. First the House votes a single article of impeachment for dereliction of duty, and the next day the Senate convicts him immediately after reading the charge. Done. Just send the secret service to escort Trump out the front door of the White House. Stack his belongings and the bags of cheeseburger wrappers next to the driveway. He can call an Uber. (I assume a disgraced president doesn’t get Secret Service protection or a pension.)
I guarantee there will be dancing in the streets for days. Of course Mike Pence would also have to go (unless he turns out be Anonymous and actually part of the resistance - wow, who would see that coming). Anyway, Nancy and Mitch can negotiate an acceptable presidential placeholder, maybe a former president.
At least the NYTimes isn't crying alligator tears for these Kurdish terrorist mercenaries the US government hired. But they are still adhering to the big lie that the US needs to maintain a presence in Syria in order to control those scary ISIS fighters. Most of those ISIS terrorists were bled away from the Syrian terrorist mercenaries that the CIA put on task to topple the Syrian government -- in case any of you were wondering how they got their hands on all of those US-made weapons. But here's the thing, there were no ISIS terrorists in Syria until the US showed up and put them there.
3
LOL. Good one. The Putin conspiracy theories here are astounding.
1
Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?
Short answer: No.
It very obvious to me that this just another gift to Russia, who has deep interest in Syria. Why else would he do it? Wake-up
…. I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits..... Was that a quote from the Wizard of Oz?
What a mess! Why dd anyone ever vote for this unbalanced person? The sooner he leaves office, the better, whether by impeachment or the 2020 vote.
This article's title question assumes that Trump knows what policy is...
Putin supports Assad. Turkey is buying missals from Putin. Trump has a licensing deal on “twin towers” in Turkey. Trump loves Putin. The refugees and the Kurds don’t stand a chance.
Does Trump know his Syria policy? That would be highly unlikely. Based on his behavior he lives from minute to minute with scarcely little continuity. His mind is scattered. He’s a pea on a hot griddle. Bottom line: How do we get a crazy and dangerous president out of the White House?
1
Having heard the usual Trump supporters like Lindsay Graham criticize the president's position on the Kurds, I think it might be time to consider the 25th amendment. Trump's rash and ill-considered actions have geopolitical consequences. He's more than stupid, he's dangerous.
1
Ergodon threatened to stop billions of dollars of Arm buys if Trump did not allow him to get the Kurds. Trump has millions of donations from the Arms guys and so he saw the light very quickly. Kurds? do they donate? Can they vote?
17
Trump's Syria policy has always been solid, as solid as his border wall has been- As in, not at all. I think we all recall that Trump first blasted then President Obama for having drawn, "A red line in the sand" against Syrian dictator Assad's atrocities, Assad was fighting the Syrian Rebels. One year later however, after Assad used chemical weapons to kill hundreds of families in Rebel held territory, Trump made a 180 degree turn around, and excoriated Obama for not having enforced the Red Line strongly enough.
Once the Islamic State was defeated, we also recall that President Trump swore to protect our Kurdish allies who so valiantly and effectively turned back and halted the Islamic State's forces along the borders of Syria and Turkey (when both Turkey and Russia forces refused to or were unable to do so); and in fact, the Trumpian's had negotiated a "Safe Zone" along the border for the Kurds protection against reprisals by their reactionary enemies in Turkey.
Currently for the sake of political expediency, and the now all too familiar Trumpian backroom maneuvers ( this time with Turkish President for Life Erdogan), it seems Trump Inc has conveniently forgotten their promises to the Kurds, and abandoned yet another US ally just when they needed them most.
1
What about resentment towards the U.S. for abruptly abandoning the region? This could end up in favor of terrorist groups in so many ways.
2
Why people are surprised by this? It may not be Trump's dementia acting up this time, but an erratic, flip-flopping US foreign policy toward the Kurds over the last century. I expected the US to throw the Kurds under the bus during the last administration. Why? If history is a predictor, the Kurds will continue to be pawns of the CIA in the region and continue to be betrayed by promises of long-term US support that will never come. The US won't give up on Turkey, under any administration, it won't give up as Erdogan purges intellectuals, targets minorities, and dismantles democratic governance. Erdogan's AKP party is effectively the Turkish branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and he is a US ally.
What could change things is if the SDA decides to create an alliance with Asad and Russia. They may do this because no one will stand between them and an ensuing blood bath spawned by Turkey's pathological hatred of Kurds. As recently as 2015, Kurdish parts of Turkey were reduced to rubble looking as bad as Syria and the international community did nothing, not a thing. So, there is nothing new here, just the same old disregard.
1
“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
If this tweet doesn't disqualify Trump from serving as POTUS, what does? This statement is not only bizarre and incoherent, it is dangerous and destabilizing. Once again, Trump throws gasoline on a fire and then tries to take credit for trying to put out the fire. This is madness.
1
When it became clear that Reagan was mentally incapable of making policy, his staff and others gave him a script, said something like you have a new episode of I'm the President to film today, so go out there and say your lines. Otherwise, they kept Reagan under wraps.
I know with Trumps obsession with Twitter that type of control would be nearly impossible. However, it has become crystal clear that Trump is suffering from a form of dementia that causes some rather severe delusions.
We do need to get out of the Middle East all together. The best thing we can do is redraw all of the nation/country boundaries, this time with the peoples of the Middle East drawing the lines and the US involvement is to referee so that all the fights are fair and by the boxing and mma rules.
1
Why will we not test the strength of our Constitution? What are we afraid of? This is our bulwark, provided by the founders to protect the republic. We either believe in this document, or we do not.
A mad man is threatening the course of human events. The Constitution was written for this moment. Twenty fifth amendment. Now.
4
This is the biggest danger, the critical error I've witnessed people making over and over: Operating under the assumption that Trump's words & actions are the product of some sort of well-informed world view, strategic thinking, vision, wisdom, principle, etcetera, all carefully applied to ultimately serve America and the planet's best interests.
The reality is that Trump expresses none of those qualities. He never has and never will.
So let's stop wasting precious time and devoting millions of words politely, continually trying to find deep meaning and intent in Trump's actions. Trump isn't "doing" anything. There is nothing there, and to persist in believing otherwise is beyond dangerous.
8
He orders a withdrawal, blindsiding his troops, his government and his long-time allies and then writes "in my great and unmatched wisdom"
We have an unstable president in dangerous times. What precisely will it take for the Cabinet to conclude that Article 25 must be invoked?
9
It's obvious that Trump, in his infinite wisdom, doesn't know what he is doing, and that it is easy for adverse foreign powers to pull his strings. The Senate has some strings to pull here as well and they need to start tugging. With bipartisan support for Trump to abandon this reckless plan, Mitch needs to start whispering the "I" word in Trump's ear and reel back some power into the legislative branch. Blackmail may be the only thing Trump understands. Isn't that how it's done in government these days?
5
Part of Trump’s campaign platform in 2016 was disengaging the US from costly and unnecessary wars. US taxpayers have spent $ hundreds of billions on Syria. What has been the return on their investment? To quote Joshua Landis (www.ou.edu/cis/ias/faculty/joshua-landis)- ‘The notion of a permanent US satrap in N.E. Syria was always fiction. We raised Kurdish expectations beyond the possible, much as we did in Afghanistan by promising secular Afghans a rose garden. It is unsustainable. This mistake will now cost the Kurds doubly.’
It is time for the to US disengage itself from the astronomically expensive, strategic debacles the Pentagon now faces in Afghanistan (longest running war in US history), Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen (Iran next?). These conflicts are not only bankrupting our country, they have irreversibly weekend the strategic position of the US internationally. See- Worried for Kurds in Syria, abandoned by US? 7 Oct, 2019; Link:
www.rt.com/op-ed/470406-kurds-turkey-trump-syria/
17
@Paul
The deployment of US special forces in support of local forces, most prominently the Kurds, is not a "war" and it is by no measure "costly," either in silver or US casualties, especially in comparison with the cost of a resurgence of ISIS.
22
@Jasr
So what do you call it when militaries roll out weapons of war and kill people? An accident, party, what?
My father was KIA in north of Saigon in April of 1968. That wasn't a declared war either but it sure did look like it. There have been US and Kurdish casualties so the cost is exceptionally high for those families. I know what it is like to have a father die in battle along with good friends and loved ones. From an armaments point of view, there too our costs are in the billions. And what of the cost for civilians caught in the crossfire? Aren't their lives worth something? I believe they are.
5
@Paul
It is nonsensical to say that the US involvement in the Middle East is bankrupting our country.
7
We never had a good and consistent policy in the Middle East. Our policy in the recent past resulted in thousands of civilian causalities and misery in Iraq and Syria. So far Trump's Syria policy has been better than Obama's policy which resulted in civil war and millions of refugees.
7
@Turgut Dincer .
The whole mess in the "Middle East" is traceable to the Bush/Cheney/Bolton decision to invade Iraq. I disagree that Obama should be blamed for what Bush started.
43
@Turgut Dincer We never had a good and consistent policy in the Middle East for the same reason that pigs don't fly. The recent calming in Syria is because the vicious dictator, Assad, has won his battle against the insurgents, even if he had to gas his own citizens to do it. The reason President Obama didn't act decisively in Syria is he didn't know which group to support, does anybody ? We acted decisively in Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan to what effect ?
14
@Turgut Dincer- Are you suggesting that Obama's policy towards Syria caused their civil war? "...Obama's policy which resulted in civil war..." - ? Astonishing. We await your dissertation on exactly how the Syrians followed Obama's lead to enter into a civil war.
26
Go Trump! Now get us out of Iraq and Afganistan that quagmire the Bushes created.
5
I don't understand why the NYT is against getting out of these miserable never ending wars having nothing to do with our security. The NYT usually in the lead to not go into these Tribal Civil wars but because president Trump might get some credit for withdrawing the NYT is against it. Seems like a strange coalition with NeoCons like Lindsay Graham/McCain politicians who seem to like or support every war going on. remember NYT when you wanted US out of South Vietnam and you were proven 100% right at that time?. Now Vietnam is a peaceful nation having good relations with the US.
4
I only saw the headline and could not read the story because it made me so sad about the 6 elephants that died falling over a waterfall trying to save one of its own. How tragic I thought to myself and then on the exact same day I saw Ron Johnson (GOP) trying to explain away Trump’s famous Ukraine phone call to Chuck Todd on Meet the Press and even worse and on the same read that Mitch McConnell (GOP) assured his fundraising (GOP) fraternity that the impeachment of (GOP)Trump will die with him. Maybe be it’s just me but does anyone else see the incredible coincidence of six real elephants dying to protect one of its own and our famous pachyderm political party trying to save its young inexperienced commander in chief from falling off a cliff too? You can’t make this stuff up,
3
“The Kurds fought with us, but were paid massive amounts of money and equipment to do so.” - Donald Trump
Apparently, the President believes our Kurdish allies are just another subcontractor that he can stiff.
11
Outstanding analog!
2
Trump's ongoing incompetence aside, let's also call out the culture of war and mayhem that exists in certain regions of the world no matter what decision is made by a US President
1
Does he know where Syria is? Never mind what his policy is.
3
Let me get this straight: now the American intelligencia and the Times are *for* continued Anerican military excursions in the Middle East? ...but somehow still admire Germany with its convenient 21st century guilt (for mid-20th century deeds) as it remains "pacafist" and forces its partner states in the EU to, similarly, dawdle and dither in international affairs but accept unlimited "refuges" - mostly economic-opportunity seekers
5
Just a reminder: it's not funny.
3
Not ony is he incompetent, but he is actually dangerous.
2
Of course he has no idea of a policy. But he has distracted everyone for another couple of news cycles, hasn't he?
Don't you get it yet?
5
Of course he doesn’t know anything about a Syrian policy, his or anyone else’s.
He has a scatterbrain and a word-salad mouth and Twitter finger.
“If Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey.”
These are the words of a deranged megalomaniac who is more than “a clear and present danger”—and must be removed, and removed quickly.
4
Trump deserves a new nickname - Imp. Right now it stands for impulsive, impervious and imperial. Soon, hopefully, it will also stand for impeached.
5
"I didn't say what you thought you heard me say. I actually said, what I later said I said."
3
@Charlie "Think, Curly, think!"
"I'm tryin' to think, but nothin' happens!"
1
I suspect he wouldn’t be able to find Syria or most parts of the world on a map.
5
In Trump's misguided and to be fervently wished for, "unmatched wisdom," we find instead, "unmatched stupidity." And riding the same horse is the unmatched turncoat Republican Congress that has turned its back on America and their constituents.
In a desperate attempt to take attention away from the impeachment threat, Trump has again added to his list of utterly failed foreign policy missteps.
"If I can just get their minds off impeachment for a few minutes, let me think, what can I do? Oh yeah, what about ISIS and the Kurds? There's an idea."
4
Warning: do not cooperate or join forces with the US. They are an untrustworthy ally, capricious, flaky, and demanding. They will use you, then throw you away like a used Kleenex. A fish stinks from the head.
2
The traitor has a YUGE hotel in Istanbul, so he caved to Erdogan (AGAIN!) when he was pushed. He has NO CONCEPT of the results of his cowardly (hopefully soon-to-be-reversed) action. The Kurds have THOUSANDS of ISIS fighters in holding (along with many of their family members). Guess what will happen with them if the Kurds decide they've been betrayed BY US? The Kurds fought ISIS as our allies, right beside us in Syria. We CANNOT throw them to the wolves of Turkey. They will be murdered.
3
USA Today stepped up and declared Trump unfit. The Times editorial board is past due to take this stand. Enough of this polite and measured hand-wringing while our country and our allies burn.
4
"[M]y great and unmatched wisdom. . . ."
Trump cannot, but the rest of the world can, understand just how pathetic that statement is. As a dear friend once said to me, "He's not as smart as his mother told him he was."
2
Based on Trump's waffling "foreign" policy with the Kurds in Syria, he is concurrently throwing Russia the welcome mat to invade Ukraine without consequence--remember he is a big fan of Putin taking Crimea. Trump's weakness and stupidity is what is unmatched for a "strong man" and terrifying to us and our allies.
3
Trump’s Syria decision reflects that Trump is a mole for Putin. Putin thinks he can rebuild his paper empire with golden showers, and Moscow Mitch blocks anyone to stop him. Don't fall into the GOP's fake outrage on Syria, they are poodles to Putin's poodle.
2
The shame of the misbegotten decision to abandon our allied Kurds to Turkish genocide is boundless. The USA has (or better I should say, had) one true ally in the Middle East and that is (was) the Kurds. Without steadfast Kurdish support, ISIS would never have been kneecapped -- but not yet defeated -- in Iraq and Syria. Full defeat is now a more distant prospect.
What about "ally" Israel, you ask? Under Netanyahu, Israel is a Trump ally; it is not an American ally. During the Obama administration, Israel gladly raked in billions of dollars in US foreign aid with one hand while smacking President Obama's face with the other.
Elsewhere in a different thread, a commenter observed that s/he is beginning to believe that President Trump truly is a Russian asset -- or a useful idiot. This is entirely possible, but our president seems to harbor favor for many brutal dictators, the more murderous the better, so Trump might be a Turkish, North Korean or Saudi asset.
Unless we count Russia, North Korea, the Bone-saw Kingdom or Turkey, America is becoming a nation isolated without allies. Boris Johnson might think of Trump's USA as a trading ally but Boris would be as sadly mistaken in this quaint fantasy as the Kurds were in trusting America to stand by them in the face of awkward political expedience on the home front of lunacy.
3
TRUMP'S Ordering US troops out of Turkey by presidential order is a terrifying deterioration in his already severely impaired judgment. First it's Trump's madcap orders withdrawing the troops out of Turkey immediately without consulting any of the remaining military experts at the Pentagon (they're gone from the White House). What's next? NOO KYUH LER Bombs over North Korea? A man-to-man contest of weapons, the ultimate phallic symbol. Whatever happened to Trump and Kim's lovefest? I guess Trump wants to spice things up a little. After all, when he got outraged with his first wife he ripped her scalp. I doubt he'd be able to do that to his bromance partner Kim. The 25th Amendment MUST be invoked immediately. Trump represents an ever growing clear and present imminent existential danger to the US, along with the planet Earth.
2
"In my great and unmatched wisdom"
Who says that? Certainly not anyone I know.....thank God.
trump has got to go.
3
@Jane "Ixnay on the ottenray!" Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks.
1
The Editorial reflects an odd self-importance as NYT looks to discern and impart meaning to its readers about Trump's actions when in fact there is none. With "in my great and infinite wisdom", Trump's mental illness has been fully distilled and revealed.
Occam's razor.
3
@JL Another day, another example. Still, no one speaks up.
1
Look to a 2015 interview that's surfacing, all about his "Trump Towers" in Turkey... He even admits he has a "conflict" of interest...
4
For once it appears that he knows that he promised his base once they elect him he would end these unnecessary wars and bring our troops home. He is doing what he promised his voters, why all this fuss then. His bringing the troops back home will result in less expense for the Pentagon and that money could be used for social programs? Not really as he is spending more money in contracts with the Military Industrial Complex than ever before- they love him and work for his re-election in 2020.
Syria for Trump is something that he doesn't see the need to be there because Putin and Erdogan has offered to ensure the continuation of our policies.
We have active ongoing conflict in at least 27 countries, are we using these wars/conflicts to keep our forces sharp? Or just to keep providing more funds to the Military industrial Complex run by the friends of Senators and Congressmen.
Trump should bring our troops back from Afghanistan, Syria, and Abolish the African Command as it is not needed. The more command structure the Forces develop the more money is needed to fund them.
3
The most frightening part of the story is that Trump does not understand, or even perhaps recall, our reasons for protecting the Kurds and maintaining a US troop presence in Turkey. He has no grasp of policy or international relations.
His phone call with Erdogan was not going well, so he pitched Erdogan a bone, also perhaps hoping that any troop withdrawal would play well with his base and deflect attention from the impeachment inquiry. He did not make a decision to change US policy, but was totally ignorant of that policy and its purposes.
Now White House counsel has ordered diplomat Gordon Sondland not to testify before Congress in the impeachment investigation. Even while disrupting foreign policy - putting allies at risk and further diminishing their trust in US promises - Trump continues to obstruct the investigation into his alleged efforts to bend foreign policy to serve personal political ends.
This is all of one piece: ignorance, impulsive arrogance, placing perceived personal interests against those of the nation. The GOP leadership has finally spoken out against Trump, decrying the abandonment of the Kurds. Trump will, of course ignore them.
If the GOP does not recognize that, so long as they refuse to consider removing Trump from office, they are disempowering Congress, leaving the nation helpless to prevent Trump from undermining US security, then we will continue to descend into the chaos of one-person rule- by a despot who is likely out of his mind.
122
@RCT
Reads like the screenplay of a bad movie, doesn't it? And it's not even good drama. You're fired!
History repeats but US betrayal of friends certainly repeats.
The administration is leaving the Kurds in cold and helpless. These Kurds, men and women, fought so courageously against the ISIS, the bloodthirsty fanatics from the dark ages. These young Kurds gave their lives for the common cause: Defeat the murderers of ISIS. And now, same fate awaits for them what happened to Afghans, who fought so bravely against the Soviets.
Afghan were trained and equipped to fight against the spread of Marxism. Like Kurds, they gave their lives to this cause. And once the Soviet Union was no more, US left, leaving behind the poor and hungry Afghans. The vacuum was quickly filled by Talibans. And as a result, Afghan suffered generations of death, destruction and despair.
Is there anybody, any (thinking) person in the State Department to warn the administration about the likely consequences of this move??
3
Trump's policy is to have no policy and The Republicans are complicit. Trump has lied for almost three years and no one has had to courage to call him out on his lies. To see Senators telling the media that Trump was only kidding when he asked China to investigate Biden was painful. When are we supposed to believe the de facto leader of the free world? Trump who has done his best to dismantle the free world because he could not take the jokes Obama savaged him with is now a comedian? Trump's new best BFF Lindsay Graham is looking like a real rube now for his joined at the hip love of Trump. As impeachment closes in on Trump he will be acting more and more like a cat on a hot tin roof.
2
McConnell and Graham help create a monster, and then act surprised when said monster doesn't do what pleases them. They're fine with his random destruction of so much, how shocked can they be that he runs roughshod over our allies? Republican leadership is responsible for this mess. Trump didn't become dangerous on his own.
3
" I, in my great and unmatched wisdom..."
Wow, this is scary
The Great and Powerful Oz behind the fake tan is getting crazier by the day.
5
The "great dealmaker" was again swindled by some foreign king. Trump should have been fired for incompetence long time ago - he's a massive liability.
4
It should be remarked that Turkey's status as a NATO ally is being compromised by Erdogan's authoritarian moves. He's been moving close to Russia; the acquisition of an S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia is a real problem.
https://nyti.ms/2LQIoGA
It has forced the U.S. to kick Turkey out of the F-35 program - why sell our most advanced aircraft to a country which could then help Russia fine-tune the S-400 against them?
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/07/17/turkey-officially-kicked-out-of-f-35-program/
As an ally, calling Turkey problematic is an understatement. Trump's inability to deal with complex international issues on anything but the most simplistic, transactional terms, is causing irreparable damage to our national security. The betrayal of the Kurds is just one more example that Trump's presidency is going to be a long-term disaster for us and our allies.
It's hard not to see how every move Trump makes bolsters Putin's agenda.
1
My belief is his “Syria Policy” delights both Erdogan and Putin, while netting the Trump brands some future undisclosed Turkish/Russian real estate developments or valuable re-election dirt on an opponent. Trump idolizes authoritarians, seeks their approval, and acts in his own self-interests — ignoring his presidential oath.
2
"In my great and unmatched wisdom?" Seriously? I wonder now if McConnell and the other Republicans are purposefully letting Trump go and making it so that America will accept anyone to replace Trump no matter what their political stance is just to get this lunatic out of the White House.
2
Wizard of Odds. In a Trump Casino.
Sad.
5
President Trump has (inter alia): (i) moved the American embassy to Israel in Jerusalem; (ii) destroyed the agreement with Iran; (iii) supported an intervention by Turkey against the Kurds (a fundamental ally in the fight against the Isis); (iv) closed his eyes on the atrocities of MBS (see the brutal intervention against Yemen and the cowardly murder of Khashoggi). Is there a political vision behind this, or has Trump completely lost control of both the Middle East situation and himself? In the second case, please do not promote the impeachment procedure but remove Trump from the office under the 25th amendment. ASAP.
2
In his "great and unmatched wisdom," Trump is making a case for invoking the 25th amendment. Impeachment is a disgrace, but disability is not his fault. Sure he'll go down screaming, but let him keep his delusions as he's wheeled out of town.
3
Trump knows nothing about ANY policy. He does not read. He does not care. He is incompetent. He is destructive of international alliances and the fabric of American society. He is acting as though he is beholden to the dictator, autocrat, or oligarch to whom he is beholden at any given moment.
Cabinet: The 25th Amendment. Congress: Impeach. Senate: Convict. You have no choice. The Trump presidency is the greatest threat our nation has ever experienced -- even greater than the Civil War.
Cabinet: The 25th Amendment. Congress: Impeach. Senate: Convict. We have no choice. Our nation and, indeed, world order, depends on it.
2
Houston, we have a problem. The ship of state has a big fat loose cannon careening in all directions. At some point it may very well fall through the hold, splitting the keel the holds the ship together, and sink us all.
2
McConnell and Graham help create a monster, and then act surprised when said monster doesn't do what pleases them. They're fine with his random destruction of so much, how shocked can they be that he runs roughshod over our allies? Republican leadership is responsible for this mess. Trump didn't become dangerous on his own.
Yet more evidence that this fool doesn't have even the slightest clue which end is up. There is most certainly under-the-table dealing with this move as trump has never had an original thought in his life. Erdogan is telling him what to do.
What country in its right mind would enter into a treaty, etc. with the US under trump?
1
It is what he says it is, and that depends on what he had for breakfast. His wisdom, he says is unmatched, and that is so, except if wisdom found in an insane asylum is counted.
2
i wonder how the voters will respond to pictures and videos of Kurds being killed by Turkish troops? I wonder if Republicans will feel at that point that all their kowtowing to Trump was worth it?
2
" I, in my great and unmatched wisdom,..." I hate to disappoint you Trump but your above self-proclamation harkens back to other curious odious self pronouncements... "I alone will do it, am a stable genius." None of the above - more likely, a person without wisdom, foresight or reflection; incapable of really working with colleagues (i.e., he never has had to - he's the boss) or listening to the voices of measured reasoning and experience. But of course this would be the case as he is smarter than anyone on the planet, just ask him. All this would be rather humorous except for the fact that he has picked the wrong person to back (i.e., Erdogan) and is abandoning a courageous ally, fanning the flames of likely ISIS resurgence and once again acting on some sort of whim. Syria policy, foreign policy... any sort of rationale policy, not to ever be the case with Donald the deal maker. For once I applaud the feckless duo - McConnell and Graham for standing up to their ignorant, incompetent leader.
@Horseshoe Crab " McConnell and Graham for standing up to their ignorant, incompetent leader."
They did no such thing! Merely issuing a soundbite is totally meaningless, especially coming from Moscow Mitch and Ms. Graham.
The 25th Amendment exists for a REASON. Use it!
1
Did Obama ever have a Syria policy?
He couldn't even figure out who the bad guys were. A lot of the weapons sent to the Syrian "rebels", ended up in the hands of ISIS.
We should just leave and let them settle things for themselves.
2
I have high school students who could beat the President on a geography map quiz, for goodness sake! Why is this man, with his level of ineptitude, permitted to crash about? The GOP has an enormous amount to answer for if they continue to support Trump. What will it take for the GOP to act? World War Three?
Trump is saying all this crazy stuff about Turkey/Syria, to distract from impeachment news. Pure and simple. He wants to change the news narrative.
2
The age-old wisdom that one needs to stand on one's own feet is proven true here too . There are no permanent friends or foes in politics or nations. So Trump goes his way.
Trump is so foolish to state he will destroy Turkey if she doesn't"behave". Trump is unable to behave himself ! So Turkey will wait for Trump to fall to do whatever they want. Trump has failed to make North Korea, Iran and China behave because his transactional and economic pressures which he thinks he knows do not work on long-term leaders determined to successfully kill such moves. Trump is so naive that I'm amazed at his administration not to steer this man from serious failures every time he tries to do something.
1
There were reasons why General Mattis resigned. Now that Trump has shown his true essence - one who will abandon those who bravely fought side by side with US forces, losing lives (many more) along side US forces - it is much more clear why Mattis resigned: he knew Trump would do this, all to deliver on a foolish and uneducated campaign promise he never should have made. And now, with the right knowledge, he should have the guts to tell the American people it won't happen. But this President is short on guts and bravery. So like a coward he will leave allies to die in the hands of Turks, Russians and Syrians.
Note also that along with his conduct of withholding Ukraine assistance needed to fight against Russian aggression, this blunder is another win for Russia.
This President has been the best thing that ever happened to Russia.
1
How can you normalize Trump’s behavior by not even mentioning, let alone condemning as clear evidence of his inability to execute the duties of president, Trump’s megalomaniacal pronouncements and threats? This cannot stand. The Times has an obligation as an arbiter of truth and thought leader for the nation to call out this outrageous and unstable behavior that begs the 25th amendment question.
1
Why, oh why, does the media, attempt to analyze this man's motives. Here's what happened. He gets on the phone with Erdogan, who, complains about Kurdish terrorists on his border being protected by American troops--what can you do Donald. After a morning in his tanning bed, combing his hair, and a couple of egg McMuffins, sees a big decision on the table---he hasn't made one in weeks, since the call to the Ukraine. So...he leans back in that big Oval Office chair--tells the dictator of Turkey, no problem, I will fix this for you--those troops are gone. What a morning--almost time for lunch.
1
He had nothing to do last night and he’s upset that he may have to release his taxes. So, he’s having a meltdown.
This is not a fully formed mature person. He is an undeveloped, narcissistic man/baby who doesn’t know the meaning of impulse control. He is also feeling the stress of his criminality catching up to him. He’s afraid he’s about to be revealed for the fraud that he is. And, he’s scared that he’s going to lose the election. Thus the crazy decisions and ridiculous tweets.
If he wasn’t so extremely dangerous I’d feel sorry for the pathetic guy in the Oval. But, he has the nuclear codes and he is the most powerful man on the planet. We are in real trouble now and it’s only going to get worse.
2
Does Trump know what his Syria policy is? No.
Does he know what ANY of his policies are? No.
The pundits keep overanalyzing it all, trying to figure out Trump's logic.
There isn't any.
And it's killing our country.
2
@yogi-one - Yes. His “policy” is what makes him feel powerful and in charge in any given moment. He has no impulse control, no ability to contain his anger. He acts without thought. He is incapable of listening to others if he interprets anything they say as criticism. AND he is getting worse.
2
@Kathryn One move that might help mitigate the madman: END HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT!
CEO Jack Dorsey has a lot to answer for, PERSONALLY.
2
The hypocrisy of the Republicans in accepting a feckless mercurial leader cannot be overstated. What is small-c conservative about this administration? Nothing. It's reckless, fickle, vindictive, emotional and myopic. Fox news would attack any Democrat that did any one thing that Trump does, instead they defend every immoral action.
He has no plan and no endgame for the trade wars, the border crisis, the budget or the wars. It's completely aimless and we know how this ends - everything he leads comes to grief. He's rich despite his behavior, not because of it. Sin still isn't good for you, and a lazy, immoral leader is still bad for the nation.
1
He has no policies. People are toys to him.
3
Not only doesn't DT know, he doesn't care about lives. He is only into soundbites such as, remove troops from the Middle East, put up 50 ft. of the border wall, drain the swamp by cutting those working for his administration by firing, or bullying them so much they leave, and pressing the trade deals in such a schizophrenic way, that our country will by next fall be losing jobs. Making America Great Again, I think not. Worse than sad, a total disaster.
1
Anyone who works with the intellectually disabled knows that Trump's wisdom is most certainly matched.
2
It’s impossible to know for sure what’s going on in Trump’s mind. But something is, for sure. Most consider the unfavorable effect of Trump’s decision for troop withdraw from Syria in relation to abandoning Kurds, leaving them vulnerable to Turks, their enemy, as betrayal of trust that applies broadly in the future. And, of course, resurgence of ISIS and ramifications of this. These are not likely entirely overlooked by Trump (he’s not that stupid). It just may be that these aren’t that important in his world view. And so the matter becomes, What is/are his obsessive concern(s) presently? What’s driving him? Well ... first, what we’re now bothered by from his troop-withdrawal decision is certainly a major distraction from impeachment, if not his extensive corruption problems (such as tax evasion). Second, money has to come into the picture somewhere. If there’s anything known about Trump for certain, it’s his paramount concern with money ... not necessarily for what is can used for, but as a metric for distinguishing “winners” from “losers.” Loser that he is, he drives to be seen as a “winner” ... hence, all the lying.
His tweet about destroying the Turkish economy was insane. How can anyone be comfortable with him in the White House now. He really is losing his grip now. I’m frightened for our country.
2
Is anyone surprised here? This coward has been shirking his duty since he defrauded his Selective Service Board in the late 60's with his laughable "bone spur" excuse to avoid serving his country. And here he is all these years later again shirking his duty by throwing the Kurds under the bus and misunderstanding foreign policy agreements and responsibilities. Although there is one explanation that would explain his recent "decisions".....think about the one person who truly benefits from his recent "orders". That would be Vladimir Putin. Russian asset anybody?
1
"President Trump let all that be destroyed when, succumbing to pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, the White House announced that Mr. Trump would not stand in the way of a Turkish invasion to expel Kurdish forces from the border region. The language of the announcement made it seem as if he was even endorsing the move."
What was this "pressure" that Erdogan of Turkey was able to apply to Trump, the president of the United States? It could range from payoffs to prostitutes to investigating the Bidens to a lucrative golf club deal outside of Istanbul...
What was the Quid Pro Quo?
1
@Dan88 Not removing his name from that hotel in Istanbul.
1
I truly believe that the answer to so many mystifying Trumpian stupidities looks very rational when you realize he really is Putin’s puppet.
2
And here's the thing about Trump/Ukraine - how do we know that Turkey doesn't have something on Trump that would be embarrassing or illegal? We have forgotten why America once desired a paragon of virtue to be our president. It is not just that they were to be a role model or demonstrated values that are admirable, or that they were disciplined, or that they were God-fearing. It was that a moral, honest person is less susceptible to blackmail or manipulation.
It was so obvious how corrupted Trump was in all the dealing that he had in his life. So many sordid details and stories and evidence of his avarice and pride and greed and envy and lust and gluttony and ignorance and dishonesty. He was a living, breathing billboard of sins but people ignored that because they thought he would be tough on those that deserved it.
Sadly when you know what your opponent wants and know that they have no moral barriers to get it they are rife to be exploited. Trump wants respect more than anything else as he believes he is the greatest and anything that shows him weak or impotent must be destroyed or hidden. And anything that demonstrates his power is invaluable.
By extorting Ukraine for information on a political rival, Trump has exposed all sorts of weaknesses and must be removed before every country pulls a Turkey and we lose everything for the vanity of one pathetic man.
3
If Erdogan or Putin told Trump to drink a gallon of toilet water, he’d do it — just to demonstrate his fealty to the autocrats and oligarchs of the world. Unfortunately the consequences of such sycophancy are grave, as the Kurds now are facing potential slaughter at the hands of the Turks, thanks to Trump’s deadly, ignorant decision to abandon Syria. Not only has Trump made America a cauldron of misery, but he is turning the world into a toxic porridge of destruction and bloodshed — all so he can personally profit from the agony. History will record that this is the worst time in America since the Civil War. THe tragic part is that all of this could have been prevented, had men and women of conscience spoken up and denounced America’s puerile leader before he launched his scorched earth policy. God help the Kurds, and all those impacted by greed and myopia,
1
Trump just betrayed the Kurds because:
1. He has business interests in Turkey
2. His boss, Putin, told him to
3. Erdogan, an autocrat he admires, told him to
3
Trump’s greatest gifts are impulsivity, willful ignorance and a bevy of lickspittles who are wholly willing to look the other way when his words and deeds are embarrassing and/or detrimental to the nation’s wellbeing.
2
Trump's Syria "policy," if that's what it is, seems dependent on whomever speaks to him last. Erdogan must have flattered him and sympathized with his victimization at the hands of his enemies, and Trump told him to go ahead a wipe the Kurds off the face of the earth. The Kurds mean nothing to Trump, anyway. He has claimed their victory over ISIS as his own, and now that he doesn't need them anymore feels no compunction to protect them. Surely, anyone needing evidence of how unbalanced Trump is, how ignorant and how cruel, need only look at this one episode to see the danger he poses.
1
"President Trump...succumbing to pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey." This sentence is almost unbelievable. The de facto dictator of an erstwhile ally is putting the arm on the president of the United States, dictating American foreign policy for his own ends. But, of course, I'm being naïve if I suspect that arm-twisting, bribery, threats, buying and selling of trinkets and toys--or elections--is unheard-of in international diplomatic circles.
Donald Trump is an absurdly amateurish man and it doesn't matter which sphere is soils, whether its commercial, industrial, banking taxation, politics, morality, diplomatic, military, he is the baseline for ignorance, incompetence and untrustworthiness.
The Turkish president has his own problems and sees Uncle Sam as the key to unlock the doors of his own country's internecine warfares. He trashed President Obama for "creating ISIS" and then walking away from the "red line" in Syria which, to his twisted and incorrect summation of the affair, begat the terrorists who continue, like poison, to sour the landscape.
American lives have just been jeopardized by an American president who, it says here, agreed to Erdoğan's demands because he needed a breather from the Ukraine scandal that is devouring his presidency. But he knows more than "my generals." He's the "very stable genius" who "alone can fix it."
When the planes from Frankfurt land at Dover with their sad deliveries, I hope he'll be there.
2
The world has learned who Trump is. When he tweets some announcement inviting international catastrophe, the reaction from world leaders is “calm down, wait a few days. The man’s a fool, and his handlers will sort it out.” Sad.
1
Completely agree with Trump on this one. These Never ending wars in the Middle East And Afghanistan are ridiculous. We have nothing to gain and much to lose. Declare victory and go home.
2
Everything Trump does appears to be on behalf of Putin. The second shoe of what Mueller and the public record have shown us is being revealed through what Trump, Barr, Giuliani, Pence have been doing to create false information about why the sanctions should be lifted.
They are trying to get people to believe that Ukraine was behind the election interference to get the sanctions lifted for those crimes. Trump is trying to pressure Ukraine to drop its issues with the invasion of Crimea and suggest to the world that the U.S. and E.U. should drop the sanctions against Russia.
Putin doesn't know how to negotiate using common sense and ethics and transparency but essentially is using the tactics of the KGB and fascism and all sorts of cheating.
Real champions can win without cheating and evil practices.
Instead, he is managed to place an agent in the White House and create an alliance through big Oil. It was no coincidence that Tillerson was made Secretary of State.
Big Oil wants to do business with Russia. If Putin wants the sanction to be dropped he should:
a. pull out of Crimea
b. stop the guerilla war in the Ukraine
c. admit to the interference and give verifiable evidence that all intelligence operations against our democracy and that of all of Europe is halted
d. show that Russia is committed to honest dealing and that starts with admitting that Trump has sold out.
Putin will never make an effort to be an honest broker. He is cut from the KGB cloth.
1
“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
He's out of his mind. This is a statement from a madman. Forget impeachment, go straight to Article 25.
3
This is a mooted approach: it is his cabinet that must initiate A25. Fat chance of that: all the grownups have already jumped ship.
1
Erdogan is as desperate as Trump to pull something out of his hat that will save his skin. The devastating (double) failure to win key urban areas in the elections, along with populist (e.g. numbskull) decisions on the Turkish economy, have driven him to raise the spectre of the Kurdish boogie man to stay in power. Turkey is not the secular bastion it used to be, America is not the country that could stand up to Putin's sabre-rattling any more, thanks to Trump's slavish stroking of the bare chested bolshevik. Include Assad with that lot, and you have four leaders who all are actually on borrowed time.
1
Hmm, So did Erdogen offer Trump asylum once Trump flees America as the US Marshalls close in on him?
Or did Trump buy the favor?
2
So the US is supposed to just stay in Syria for the next 100 or 1000 years, until radical Muslim would have their Illumination and become less radical? I understand that while the Califphate is gone the ideology that hates the West is not, but one cannot fight it with weapons. I am glad POTUS decided to remove our forces from Syria.
1
“Great and unmatched wisdom”. Well I’ll be. We have ourselves a stable genius in the Oval Office chair. What an amazing brain is dwelling under Don’s flap of hair. Stoopendous.
1
The answer to world peace seems clear, we just need to keep Trump away from telephones. We need to give trump something to occupy his energy, like station a Marine or a Navy Seal in the Oval office with one of those laser penlights that cats like so much to keep Trump "occupied". And a conveyor with never ending hamburgers.
1
The four most frightening words I have heard in years -Commanded by Donald Trump!
1
This is not Trump's Syria Policy, this is his insurance policy. If the GOP try to take him out, he's gonna take Pence with him and deliver them a Nancy.
If any more of them step out of line, he will give them what the Kurds are getting. Nothing but permission for foreigners to target their political futures with, what does he like to say these days? Total destruction? Time for the elimination round!
This is the GOP he's telegraphing, Inspector Morse.
1
Trump's policy on Syria is what Putin tells him to do.
1
Does Trump know what his Syria policy is?
No, Sean Hannity and not told him yet.
1
We the People: Do we need further evidence that our 45th president is acting against the interests of the United States of America than his kowtowing to Recip Erdogan, President (read Dictator) of Turkey? Trump has no idea of what our Syrian policy is.
Trump has proven we can't trust his errant and malign governance by Tweet and by guess and by golly.
Whoever heard of an American president bragging about his "great and unmatched wisdom"? Not even G.W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished!" matched Trump's monstrous hubris. The sooner we rid this presidency of Donald Trump and his Republican cadres, the better for Democracy and us.
2
“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz has Spoken...
1
Can Trump find Syria and Turkey on a map?
Does Trump know the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam, and which one ISIS stems from?
Does Trump know ANYTHING about the history of the Middle East from WWI? After WWII? After 9/11?
Pompeo is guiding him by reading—misreading—biblical
eschatology as if it is a blueprint for tomorrow’s newspaper, a strategy employed by heretical movements littered throughout Christian history, and now obsessing American evangelicals.
Between Trump and Pompeo it is difficult to decide who knows less about actual facts n the ground.
The GOP mandarins are balking at this latest piece of Trump insanity, but THEY ARE HIS BULWARK AND DEFENSE.
Without Moscow Mitch, and Spineless Graham, and their cohorts, THERE IS NO TRUMP.
Evangelicals—the GOP—Trump: you are all in this together. The issue is not Syria; THE ISSUE IS TRUMP. IT IS TIME TO CHOOSE.
2
A few conclusions:
1. Donald Trump is acting in the interests of Putin, and has been doing so since his election.
2. There is no "policy" in Trump-land----only tweets, ignorant statements, lies, and reactions.
3. Whatever the reaction today, it will be different tomorrow.
4. The GOP leadership has no interest in serving the American public, our strategic interests, or democracy----power is all. They will allow our nation to be destroyed rather than challenge Donald Trump in any honest way.
5. Filling a Presidential cabinet with grifters, liars, cheats, and self-serving sycophants does not serve our nation in any way, and destroys the fabric of American society.
6. If we don't remove this sociopath from office, things will very quickly get much worse.
3
Might this blundering bungling finally wake whatever sane and patriotic Congressional Republicans still remain, after years of world historic dereliction, to seize the present opportunity and help use the urgent and imperative Constitutional remedy of impeachment (and fear of conviction or actual conviction) to remove the most dangerously unfit, inept and corrupt president from the office he never should have gotten anywhere near?
1
Actually, it must be a clever gambit in Trump's 4-dimensional chess strategy.
"...if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey"
Send in the men in white coats - time for the 25th amendment.
1
It is a great goal to bring the troops home safely, but withdrawing them in the face of the enemy without a plan or idea as to how you will accomplish is suicidal. Where are our allies in this? Where are agreements that prevent even more bloodshed? When you pull a plug out of a drain all the water will flow into the whirl pool created by the empty space and this is what Trump is doing in his foolishness and arrogance.
2
The first question should be: Does Donald Trump Know Where Syria Is?
After that everything would fall into place, since its geophysical location on the map explains why it's so hotly contested not only by Russia with its multiple military bases there and neigboring Turkey -- but by Iraq and fledgling superpower Iran, which is bound to get involved sooner or later.
The fact that this president has no foreign policy, no diplomatic skills and has all but gutted the U.S. State Department is well known, but this latest move is nothing if not pure idiocy.
Especially given Recep Tayip's Erdogan's meglomanical plan to turn Turkey into his own personal Caliphate and his troubling history of ethnic cleansing.
And the Kurds are first on his list. Again.
Add to that the brutal and unending reign of terror by Bashar al-Assad, and you have a People in crisis with no escape.
If anything, this is a genocide in the making and the U.S. will never be able to wash its hands clean of it.
The U.S. has become its own worst enemy.
Of course he doesn’t know anything about a Syrian policy, his or anyone else’s.
And that makes him a "clear and present danger".
1
GOP caves to Trump on almost all domestic issues, but on foreign and military policy matters, especially one concerning the Middle East, they can demonstrate that they don't always have to be spineless invertebrates! Curious!
Maybe that "military-industrial complex" is really more powerful than any other force in American politics--you cross them at your own peril, even if you're Trump the fearless tweeter-in-chief.
I know what my Donald Trump policy is; purge and never repeat.
Another news outlet today quotes Trump in 2015 when asked about his Turkey vs Syrian view. He stated that he had a 'conflict of interest' in that he owned a Trump Tower in Istanbul.
So, perhaps, once again, his policy for the U.S. is decided by what is best for his personal bottom line. His phone conversation with Ergdogan must have been quite interesting.
I suppose the quote attributable to General George S. Patton — 'I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me', can now be repurposed and applied to the once stalwart ally of democracies everywhere.
From the vantage point of the Kurds:
'I would rather have ISIS terrorists in front of me than the American military behind me'.
How far we have fallen in the eyes of the world.
The Great Oz has spoken. "Great and unmatched wisdom"? Say what? How much more proof does one need of this man's megalomania. He should be in a padded cell to protect us, not him
"Great and unmatched wisdom".
This phrase appears in a threat to another nation.
This is the kind of thing that a normal person might say while joking with a friend, I suppose.
But, in a military threat to another nation, this phrase is, frankly, absolutely crazy.
Republicans are supporting a madman.
Wonder what Erdogan has on Trump? And Putin?
And the GOP sits on it hands.
Pray for us.
Is anyone surprised here? This coward has been shirking his duty since he defrauded his Selective Service Board in the late 60's with his laughable "bone spur" excuse to avoid serving his country. And here he is all these years later again shirking his duty by throwing the Kurds under the bus and misunderstanding foreign policy agreements and responsibilities. Although there is one explanation that would explain his recent "decisions".....think about the one person who truly benefits from his "orders". That would be Vladimir Putin. Russian asset anybody?
The Trump Administration. The Lannister regime in Game of Thrones. It's getting hard to tell the difference.
We keep saying, this is it, his defenders must see 'this time' for sure how wrong they were to have allowed an ignoramus with delusions of grandeur into our White House. But no, they will grumble briefly and Trump will pivot, and our stature in the world will sink yet lower.
What is the nitwit's next tweet, will it be even more inane, dangerous to our security, and curiously as always, something that will make Vlad smirk?
Deflection from the impeachment investigation, pure and simple.
Look for more as the days go by... but don't stop investigating!
Change the news, change the news - that's Trump's Syria policy, change the news from Ukraine and impeachment to anything else.
Not if he doesn’t have one.
"I, in my great and unmatched wisdom..." - SERIOUSLY???
Anyone who thinks that of themself is unquestionably mentally ill. And anyone who says out loud needs to be institutionalized.
Genocide. This word is what will happen is this decision is implemented. Erdogan's troops will enter a densely populated swath of Syria. The area chose by Erdogan is 90% kurdish. Turkey has long oppressed, and often slaughtered, the Kurds.
Erdogan will shell and bomb civilians.
Mothers, daughters, sons ,fathers, babies, toddlers, elderly people : all will die.
This decision, again, means : genocide.
PS : I know what I speak about. I have spent May and June in North East Syria, interviewing dozens of people. I have seen with my own eyes the long turkish border wall, which reminded me of the Berlin Wall I crosses many decades ago.
I know what I speak about.
Maybe we want to hear/read those phone transcripts as well, God knows what he asked Turkey to do in exchange for this very sudden policy shift?! Desperate times call for desperate measures. He is acting like a mad king!
Republicans read the signs and move away from this man. He is burning down the house and best you get out now while you can.
My God, we have become what we once said we disdained! We have turned our back on those who stood with us. We are a traitorous, deceitful lot led by he who we chose.
To see the enemy of what once was a hopeful experiment in governance we need but look in a mirror.
One would hate to believe that Kurds will die because there is a graphic and compromising tape occupying the drawer of Putin’s night stand. But there’s that. Maybe.
Why do republicans defend this fool? I have to believe that if they were honest, they'd admit that they can't stand the man, and that he is absolutely hopeless as a leader.
I also believe that they are way overestimating the threat that a tweet from trump poses to them. If there were a condemnation of trump from a significant number of republicans, I suspect that his public support would evaporate pretty quickly.
Why?. Maybe it is what Putin would have wanted him to do.
Trump has outed America. The world now knows our dirty little secret, that you cannot now, and will never again be able to make a serious deal with the US. We automatically reserve the right to renege on it. The system provides the President (of whatever political shade) with that absolute ability.
We have given you notice, world.
We’re out of the closet.
Does the Editorial Board honestly believe that Trump is interested establishing a cohesive foreign or military policy for Syria? ? Or doing anything that would demonstrate productive foreign or military policy that would strengthen our country? Seriously? Three years on, in this train wreck of an administration?
So why does this Editorial Board continue to treat Trump as if he were a sane, intelligent, decent man? He is none of these things. What's worse - his voters know this, and they simply do not care. Trump has been able to careen this nation to the very edges of disaster - more than once - for only one reason: his base.
So let's skip with trying to manufacture some reasoned assessment of Trump's "policy". These kinds of editorials do nothing but enable Trump. Enable his "administration". Enable his rabid base. Because these columns assume, and continue with the fiction that Trump and his base care about any of the foreign policy or military issues facing us in the Middle East.
News flash: They don't. The only things motivating Trump are: his racism, his insane hatred for his predecessor, and his desperation to stay out of prison.
So for these past three years, he has done exactly what he's needed to do to keep his base. Keep feeding them his bigoted racist screeds. Keep telling them that all their problems are caused by "those brown people", here or abroad. This Editorial Board is continuing to enable a mentally deranged tyrant. And it is way past time to stop.
1
Trump's actions here are more easily explicable when we recall that the Trump Organization has been propped up by dirty Russian money ever since he burned through his inheritance.
And Putin has all the cancelled checks.
I too wish we could “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain”, but he is a danger to any semblance of domestic and foreign policy. At least the Republicans woke up on this today and spared us the “only kidding” excuse they tried with trump’s invitation to China to find dirt on Biden yesterday. But, Now it is the time to face the music. He is both incompetent and dangerous—not to mention unhinged. Republicans, wake up and smell the swamp. When the dust settles on whatever is left of our democracy, do you really want to be remembered as one of the lemmings who followed him over the edge? Please think and think fast. The magnitude and frequency of his egomaniacal missteps is increasing exponentially. We are running out of time. Speak up on each act—not just this one. Otherwise be remembered in history as profiles in cowardice. Shame.
Who actually says "in my great and unmatched wisdom"? Is this the Wizard of Oz? That a President of the US would say such a thing really points to a disturbed mind.
We have no skin in this game. Our intervention was never going to benefit the Kurds. The Turks would never allow that.There is a sort of foolish naivete that permeates our relations with other countries involved in the Middle East. Our interventions there have resulted in the death and displacement of millions of people. We are an incompetent, bumbling giant and President Trump is doing the entire world a favor by getting us out of there.
2
Clueless. Not an atom of comprehension. His actions endanger us all.
1
I thought Jared had solved all the Middle East issues?
1
Yes. Trump’s Syria Policy is crystal clear...
It’s a tweet-storm called Impeachment Distraction.
1
trump Tower, Istanbul. If he wants to keep it he has to do the bidding of Erdogan.
Trump is fully compromised. Everything he does is from Putin's playbook.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is still taking the blue pill.
Freedom is not free. Justice and Truth are always together. The liars create great stories, understand influence, manipulation at the highest level.
Reciprocity, blackmail, and every method known to intelligence is being employed and getting Trump into the office and bribing the likes of McConnel and aligning with the Kochs and the Federalist Society, and most of the Congressional Republicans are all aligned with Putin's oligarchic ambitions. The likes of the Kochs and their huge influence in Politics and a fascists operator for the 24x7 propaganda anti-news network and the ongoing brainwashing of the leadership of many churches all are working to use very ancient dark techniques to try to turn the world back to the dark ages.
Let's use light, truth, eloquence, and un-ending courage and bravery to fight them on the land, on the beaches in the hills and wherever these liars are working to destroy our freedom and our nation.
It seems a phone call from a foreign dictator to tell him how smart he is, is all it takes for Trump to do their bidding. He has no plan. No strategy. No “great, unmatched wisdom.” He is truly a pawn and a puppet.
Trump sounds more like a tin pot dictator each day. Having just seen the play" The Last King of Scotland" Idi Amin Dada comes to mind except that Idi Amin was a soldier and did fight in a war.
Trump is clueless when it comes to foreign policy and diplomacy and has no idea where his knee jerk reactions will lead.
Trump is weak to his jellyfish spine. He blusters and threatens to "destroy" and "obliterate" Turkey and then, as always when he's in the presence of genuine tough guys, he does what they tell him they want him to do. When will his followers take off the blinders and see that what we have for a putative "commander in chief" is a man so cowardly he can't even summon the courage to fire someone face-to-face. Look at his body language around Putin and Duarte and Kim and Erdogan: insecure and submissive -- in a word, weak.
Trump's question, in all matters foreign and domestic:"Can I make a buck off of this?"
End of story for the billionaire in debt billions, spoon-fed from birth.
Side note: We have not had an ambassador to Turkey since 2017.
Trump doesn't need to know his Syria policy. Putin knows and tells Trump
Trump has lost his mind. He really has gone crazy. Republican senators - you must act to get this crazy man out of the White House before he does more serious damage.
In his tweet Trump says "if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
This is the language of someone who is totally unhinged.
1
When will Americans rise up and say "Enough!" ? Trump is making your once courageous country into an unprincipled and untrustworthy pariah. You only have yourselves to blame if you allow him to continue in office.
Bob
Singapore
1
We need a new leader. Regarding 18 U.S. Code § 2385. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2385 Advocating overthrow of Government, at least in the abstract, getting rid of Trump might be legal -- must (at least) not use "force or violence". How about a boycott of his properties, and those of his sycophants?
I don't advocate "overthrow of the government," but frankly, in light of the 25th amendment, I wonder if DJT will be part of the government for long.
VP Pence -- this is your time to step up.
trump doesn't believe in policies at least not the ones that you live by. He gives lip service to meaningless promises. His policies change with the wind. The only sure steadfast policy he lives by is keeping his boss happy and what's in it for himself. This madman needs to be stopped. Otherwise he will keep going leaving carnage and destruction in his path. He's out to destroy America not make America great again. We have a crazed lunatic in the White House.
His Syria Policy? Future Trump Hotels in Turkey and Russia.
1
Trump: "if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey"
What kind of person -- let alone President -- expresses themself like this?
Outrageous decision making, dishonorable man.
"“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”"
This isn't about confusion about policy. This is about having a madman in the White House. It's past time for Republicans in the Executive and Legislative branches to take action
Dear Republicans,
As you can see from the comments, many of us believe that Trump acts on the orders/suggestions of Putin and is a Russian asset.
Your indifference to his rapturous admiration for Putin and other despots is deeply unsettling. It makes us wonder what it is in for you? Are you also Russian assets? We know the NRA is.
This is not good for your party. Sure, you think impeachment is going to backfire on the Democrats and you will win both the WH and the House in 2020, but how likely is that, really?
Time to rethink your do-nothing strategy. Time to think about the good of your party more deeply. The short-term gain of Trump is a sugar high that could leave you in the wilderness for decades.
That distant sound? It is the sound of the anvil hammering plowshares in to swords and they are coming for you.
Trump's play in Ukraine and Syria seem to be to Putin's advantage.
it is I the great and powerful Wizard of Oz!
Mr. Trump is a student of the Ignorance is Bliss school of policy and thought.
1
The answer to this question ...
“Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?”
... is another question:
Does Trump understand anything about foreign policy at all?
1
"But what ally could look at the United States now and see a stalwart partner — and what foe could look at it and fear a determined adversary?"
Well, I can answer that.
If by "ally" you mean an ally of Putin's chosen Hump, the answer is Russia.
And if by "foe" you mean foe of Hump then it is the free world.
Wonder why the American president would announce policies that seem to benefit Russia.
What must Trump do to finally force Congress to set partisanship aside and defend the “Greater Good”, if you will? The Greater Good, the American nation as a whole? Defend American national interests at home and abroad, not betray them to Big Coal, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Ag, Kim, Putin and Erdogan?
What new outrage, crimes and insanity will finally force Congress to intervene for all our sakes by removing this temperamentally unfit, incompetent (if not psychotic) Chief Executive before he literally destroys everything?
Yes, Trump DOES know what his Syrian policy is: whatever Putin tells him it is!
Obviously, the policy is to deliver the biggest and best of birthday presents to Putin.
Donald's Syrian policy is whatever Putin tells him it should be.
Did Trump really say “his great and unmatched wisdom”? God help us all.
If Trump’s expansive views of executive privilege and attacks on the truly legitimate press is not reined in, it will become impossible to remove from office through impeachment and subsequent conviction or be voted out of office a closet Benedict Arnold or a Quisling! Any removal from office has to clued the Vice President who many regard as a “Trump, but with brain!” And Barr.
Hey, Republicans: maybe Trump isn’t calling for a real withdrawal. Maybe it’s as Senator Rubio said, “I think he did it to gig you guys. I thinks he did it to provoke you guys to ask me and others and get outraged by it.” I’m surprised you can’t tell when Trump is being serious as opposed to when he’s just saying things to outrage the snowflakes in the fake news, like every time he mentions the Ukraine.
Does Trump know what any of his policies are?
After the “unmatched wisdom” bit, hardly an unusually odd remark, The Times still thinks of Trump as a “thinking” person?!!?
While the GOP is busy looking at their puppeteers hoping for a glimmer of palatable instruction.
Maybe Trump’s bonkers billionaire backers will begin to see this train is going off the tracks? If they do, bye-bye Mr Trump. Fox and Friends won’t be taking his calls.
1
Donald Trump's Syria policy is to keep his ventriloquist masters Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin smiling and smirking so that they will help the Trump Organization profit from his occupation of the White House.
Among the most effective motivated foes of the Sunni Muslim Wahhabi ethnic Arab extremist terrorist likes of al Qaeda, ISIS, the Saudi royals and the Gulf Arab states are the Shia Alawite Muslim Arab minority in Syria led by Bashir al- Assad.
Along with the Sunni Muslim ethnic Kurds in the Middle East and the Shia Muslim Arab majority in Iraq and the Shia Muslim ethnic Persian majority in Iran you have an axis of natural American allies. Allies who have the same interests as America in defeating Sunni Muslim Wahhabi ethnic Arab extremist terrorism.
1
The answer to such query is no, he does not know what goes on in Syria and those pesky Kurds, but Putin knows best and Trump is Putin's man!
The answer to such query is no, he does not know what goes on in Syria and those pesky Kurds, but Putin knows best and Trump is Putin's man!
No, he doesn't.
Editors
Yes, Trump is doing what he has been ordered to do by Putin. If you see all his actions and ask; would Putin be happy : There is a clear answer : YES.
That's Trump's foreign policy.
It's completely crosses with American national interest, and it pains me but I do see that Trump is giving more and more proof every day that he lives for Putin and becoming more and more treasonous every day.
WITH THE HELP FROM GOP and #MoscowMitch
Dear mental health professionals:
If a patient comes to you and uses the words —
“I, in my great and unmatched wisdom...”
— would you let him roam free or would you recommend that he be committed?
Asking for a friend.
2
The Nation shudders when a lunatic thug with a history to match beats four peaceful homeless people to death with iron bars while they slept defenseless on Bowery sidewalks and alcoves. The No Nothing occupying the White House steps aside for a bully in Ankara to do the same to amongst our most loyal and decent allies in the Middle East, who were willing to get their hands dirty, seeing 10,000 of their sons slaughtered fighting ISIS for themselves as well as for the West, and while Ankara was content to mark time and play both sides.
Americans of all political persuasions are rightly experiencing revulsion. Please consider standing shoulder to shoulder with our friends to show them that no matter how more despicable Trump shows himself to be with each passing day, the people of this land themselves remain both decent and loyal. Please consider calling your Senators on the toll-free switchboard: (202) 224-3121 to stand up and speak out for what’s right. Sunshine patriots we are not.
That depends...what day is it? What does Putin want? Will it benefit me personally?
1
Wonder which Cabinet member DJT, in his great & unmatched wisdom, will throw under the bus this time?
1
Another transcript of a phone call with another leader Congress needs to see
The thousands of Isis prisoners will soon be released if the Turks go after the Kurds . Any new blood shed by these freed radicals will be on trumps head .
Hey Senate Republicans — you know Trump is unfit and corrupt. Isn’t it well past time to impeach him before his damage to our country’s international standing is permanent? Why are you waiting?
Erdogan, mbs , Vlad and unmatched wisdom walk into a bar.... or hold a perfect telephonic conversation about the journalist who screamed and the music played on. Why couldn’t it be about Syria ? Erdogan has audio tapes that can crumble empires !
1
Trump is the Wizard of Oz exposed at the end of the 1939 Judy Garland classic.
That Jerusalem Post article you have linked to as the source reporting attacks have already started has a headline saying the attack occurred in Iran (I presume they mean Iraq), and says this:
“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights denied a report by Syrian state news agency SANA earlier on Monday evening claiming that Turkey had conducted airstrikes in Syria against the Syrian Democratic Forces. According to the SOHR, the airstrikes hit targets in Iraq.
A White House official stated later on Monday night that the US has not seen any signs of a Turkish operation in Syria yet, according to Steve Herman, a reporter from Voice of America news.”
Trump's "great wisdom" has sure put this country in a heap of trouble.
A lot of blood will be on trump's hands when Erdogan sends in his goons to massacre the Kurds.
Remember when Erdogan came here and unleashed his goons on American citizens who were protesting.
As usual, the republicans will cave on this matter, after putting up "opposition" to it to look good.
Note to republicans: no one trusts you, at home or abroad.
trump may have made the decision, but you own it.
Republicans railed against Obama and now trump is doing the same thing, but that's okay with them.
Republicans = hyprocrites = traitors.
We don't even know if he ties his own shoelaces! How could 45 possibly even know how to spell 'policy'? One must learn not to ask for too much from this one.
Trump loves to flatter himself that he's a skillful player of "the grand game" of international diplomacy, when in fact he keeps bringing a knife to a gunfight. Even the language that he uses--"...I, in my great and unmatched wisdom..."--shows what a juvenile and clueless "player" he is.
And how about "...I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I've done before!)." Once again, he sounds like a tin-pot third-world dictator, not the President of the United States. How much more evidence do the Republicans in Congress need to convince them that Der Trumpenfuhrer is totally off his rocker?
So who was present and observing this
phone call between trump and Erdogan? All world leaders know we have a foolish child of a president who is easily manipulated. Until he quits his impeachable occupation of the White House, perhaps at the very least trump should be banned from all telecommunications and given instead a play phone to occupy his remaining time.
Trump pulls US forces out of Northern Turkey on October 7th which benefits Russia.
October 7th is also Vladimir Putin's birthday.
Coincidence?
“I, in my great and unmatched wisdom,...” !?! I’ll NEVER stop laughing at that as long as I live.
148
@Jay
Why is the use of that phrase not indication enough that he needs to be removed from office via Article 25? What sane, thinking person, says that of himself?
37
@Jay It's sadly not funny at all. Well balanced people only use the phrase "in my great and unmatched wisdom" facetiously. The fact that the President used it in a serious sentence is evidence of derangement.
34
@Jay
I'm glad you find it amusing. I find it terrifying.
22
Ambassador Haley is wrong, Turkey is a member of NATO, meaning it is a U.S. ally. The Syrian Kurds are likewise U.S. allies. We have seen our allies at odds before, e.g. Greece and Turkey, and we have managed to help them restore the peace. Unfortunately, we currently have a president who demonstrates, time and again, that he is completely incompetent when it comes to matters of international relations. If our Kurdish allies are attacked by the Turks, because he abandoned them, then he will bear much of the fault for those deaths and casualties. To make matters worse, he has a conflict of interest in that he owns two Trump Towers in Turkey. Any other president would have divested such interests before taking office, but he refused. The appearance of impropriety is palpable.
2
The Trump Organization has hotel properties in Istanbul. Isn't that the litmus test for any interaction Donald Trump has with most foreign leaders?
Trump needs to stay on the good side of the Erdogan so he can keep the money pouring in. And we can substitute Putin for Erdogan and for the same reason.
When the history is written about this tumultuous time in our nation's history, I am hoping there will be a chapter about how lucky Donald Trump's life has been, and about how he has amazingly avoided any accountability both legally and civilly.
2
Quite possibly, Trump's "policy" on Syria or anything else is what Putin encourages him to do. Trump has shown he is incapable of developing policies or plans. The Wall was a bad idea to start with, and nearly 3 years later it remains less than half built. Professional climbers say it will be easy to climb over, anyway. With North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Ukraine, Trump has flipped and flopped like a fish out of water. His trade war and his tax cut and his chaotic behavior have unsettled the economy, damaged soy bean farmers, and created huge US debt that may take decades to resolve. He has no immigration policy other than cruelty toward all immigrants, legal or illegal. As has been clear since January 2017, he is a fake president who has no idea of what governing or leading are about.
3
This decision puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of Kurds at grave risk. Erdogan has promised to exterminate the Kurds. Since the Kurds are fighting ISIS on our behalf, it would be appalling to do what Trump has proposed. In his great and unmatched wisdom. Does he even know what a policy is? He has a couple of memes, and that's pretty much it. The Bush administration WMD lie sent us into Iraq for a second time. All of us are on the hook for doing the best we can to rectify that terrible dishonesty.
1
Trump is once again aiding genocide.
When the Ottoman Empire, one of Germany’s allies in WW I fell to Western European forces, it should have been divided between the Turks, Kurds and Armenians, and not allowed to become a single nation.
In 1947, when the British divided their colonies, parts of Syria and Iraq should have been added to A Kurdish state.
Instead, the people were divided and have been the victims of Muslim Turks and Syrians and
In Syria, the genocidal “president” fought against his own people, a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran - leaving the Kurds holding the only stable region as the Russian-backed government fought US backed “democratic” rebels, and both ISIL (aka ISIS, a western insult to its radical Islam), while the Kurds formed a stable line across their region and, yes, attempted to reclaim land in Turkey and Iraq, left almost lawless after GW Bush demanded destruction of its dictatorship, years after his father had only evicted Iraq from Kuwait, a kingdom we protected by treaty, which had been drilling sideways to tap Iraq’s oil.
No, it is no simple situation and Trump, a fool at the game of diplomacy, has no idea what to do.
Except he likes Turkey’s dictator the way he likes the dictator of North Korea so much he pulled out of a multilateral treaty that was blocking that nation’s strongman - and told the world his wife (who never met Kim) “loved” him.
US/North Korea talks collapsed leaving a new nuclear power behind.
2
Why does it seem that Trump is constantly groveling to anti-freedom dictators?
He runs to North Korea to directly "negotiate" with Kim (for nothing, it now seems). He gives a pass to the murderous ABS in Saudi Arabia. His Putin-love has been well documented. He invites Victor Orban to the White House. He publicly compliments the murderous Duterte. And now he kow-tows to Ertogan, an Islamist who has done everything he can to wipe out secularism and curtail media and other freedoms in Turkey.
I think Trump has man-crushes on powerful dictators who have the ability to order people around under threat of bodily harm. After all, Putin doesn't have to tweet about his enemies; they just seem to wind up disappeared or dead. To Trump, a man who just yesterday referred to himself as having "unmatched wisdom" relating to his decision to abandon the Kurds, that's real power.
3
President Trump articulated very well his policy and why he is calling for our troops to come home. God bless him. It's way past time. Let those who think we should remain there go and fight. How fast they would change their tune.
6
@Cynthia starks You have no idea what you're talking about and you obviously didn't read the facts outlined in this editorial. The Kurds fought ISIS with us and for us and now that we have abandoned them, they have no reason NOT to release the 10,000 ISIS prisoners they are currently guarding.
By betraying the Kurds, our only regional ally in the war against ISIS, we are setting ourselves up as future targets for ISIS terrorists once they reform and regain strength, which they now will!
43
@Cynthia starks Real leaders do not desert their allies on the battlefield. But then again, there's no Trump Tower in northern Syria, only lots of poor people who look different than us.
We can all imagine exactly how that last phone call between Trump and Erdogan went. They each have negative political realities they'd like to change and business interests they'd like to protect.
16
@Cynthia starks: Yeah, let's betray the US allies, the Kurds, so no ally will trust the USA again when the country needs them. Let's roll over and play dead for Putin.
5
I don’t understand why NATO is not intervening. Turkey doesn’t need the ok of the US to attack the Kurdes, it needs the ok of NATO. Nobody in Canada or Europe will agree to this.
What will NATO look like without Turkey and the US?
Yep, we will have to pay more for our defense but Americans and Turks also.
On the other hand, we will be safer knowing we can rely on our allies which is not the case with Trump and Erdogan.
“…just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
Completely crazy, right? Scary too. It’s time the powers that be demand Trump get a psychological assessment, the results of which will surely provide the evidence needed to pursue the 25th amendment. His rampaging malignant narcissism is definitely a clear and qualifying "disability". The longer the republicans fail to reign in their “mad king” the worse it's going to get.
1
Republicans in the house and Senate will not do anything to stop this man for one simple reason. It does not deserve their self interest. This is not even party over country. It is personal interest over country.
2
What ally could look at the United States now and see a stalwart partner? What foe could look at the United States now and fear a determined adversary?
Those good questions were solved long ago, between January 2017 and even up through last month, through meetings in Hamburg, Helsinki, Singapore, Buenos Aires, and Osaka, and on numerous telephone calls between DC and Moscow and between DC and the Ukraine.
3
Mr. Trump knows where he want to enrich himself next. That's the extent of his foreign policy.
4
Trump's Syria policy benefits the same country as his withholding aid to the Ukraine: Russia. This is now a pattern which is vastly and unpatriotically understated by Republicans in Congress who - when questioned- characterize it as "troubling." It's as troubling as lung cancer.
1
Trump has two towers in Istanbul. Five will get you ten that Erdogan threatened to nationalize his towers unless Trump opens up the Syria border and allows Turkey to eradicate the Kurds. Let’s get the transcripts to his conversations with Erdogan. Trump has proven time and again that he only serves his interests, not ours.
1
Policy schmolicy, Trump doesn't mess around with intelligent, thoughtful, reasoned, fact-based, strategic decision-making. He goes with his gut (where the fast food goes), impulse and the desire to please whatever despot he just had a beautiful and perfect conversation with. And if there's a good chance to make some extra money off of the deal, even better. If you think he cares about regional allies who have done the dying for our "cause" there, or the collateral damage, or the further destabilization of an already chaotic mess, you are experiencing a severe pipe-dream.
Isn't it now abundantly clear that Trump is deranged? His "great and unmatched wisdom" is straight out of the playbook of any of the autocrats in history. There must be a legislator or two who think it's time to rid us of him and his "great and unmatched wisdom."
The ISIS fighters came out of the defeated military of Saddam's Iraq. A gift from another Republican President, remember, the one who also almost destroyed the financial system.
Trump's quixotic decision to pull out the few remaining US troops in Syria is clearly absurd, treacherous and dangerous. But can I just focus on the President's tweet for a moment?
"...my great and unmatched wisdom"
He actually said this out loud, or the equivalent thereof in the digital era.
I'm sorry. He's insane. Not just "a bit of a megalomaniac" or "lacking self-awareness" or "slightly eccentric". Actually, certifiably, bring the guys with the padded jackets, insane.
And he's in command...
2
Trump’s Syrian pullout is a manufactured distraction to refocus the voters and media’s attention away from the growing flames of Trump’s impeachment and hush money controversies. It show the depths to which Trump will stoop to save his own neck.
1
Trump's Syria policy is the same policy for all countries: 1) what is best for me, and 2) how do I make money from this?
Trump is not only the worst president ever by large margin, he has disgraced the country to the rest of the world.
Every move Trump makes, makes hay for Putin. It’s a sadly simple arrangement that rightly embarrasses us around the world while eroding the foundations of our democracy.
Republicans that insist on looking the other way will be viewed by history as traitors.
2
One is forced to wonder what Turkey offered Trump in order to get the U.S. out of Syria. Was it dirt on a political rival or just cold, hard cash?
1
Trump's policy is fluid. Let's wait until his tweet tomorrow morning.
The US and the west have abandoned the Kurds more times than you can shake a stick at it. The Kurds by this time should be expecting the duplicity shown by the US as purely a matter of course. My theory is the religious types are still getting even for Saladin taking Jerusalem in 1185 or so, because nothing else makes sense in treating the Kurds continually this way.
Trump does not know what his Syria policy is because he hasn’t got one. Except benefiting his hotels in Turkey of course.
“...in my great and unmatched wisdom...”
With a sane, rational, normal, human being one would think the speaker was demonstrating a sense of humor.
With Donald Trump...no.
1
This is why Ukraine matters.
How are we supposed to believe that this decision comes honestly from some inner conviction that it's best for U.S. foreign policy and not from some "deal" he struck with Erdogan for some future personal/political gain?
I know. Trump only has one inner conviction, " how do I benefit from this" but if Republicans were anything but bootlickers they'd see and admit the risk to the republic that Trump has become.
1
Trump cannot be trusted to oversea foreign affairs — or anything, for that matter. In addition to Trump Tower Istanbul, Trump is compromised by all communications with foreign leaders who also recorded his inflammatory and twisted comments. He cannot be trusted to execute the duties of his office. The ultimate payment to Putin: release of sanctions for repayment for Presidency.
1
"Great and unmatched wisdom" sounds like eerily like the babbling of Stephan Miller that got him ejected from a TV studio.
The issue that is surprisingly not emphasized enough in this article is, and let me be explicitly clear, Trump DOES NOT know anything about what he is doing! He doesn't know a thing about what makes a successful foreign policy, or the Kurds, or Syria, or keeping the American image abroad strong, or really anything about being President for that matter. It is one thing to scream incoherent nonsense at a rally of people that seem to cheer you whatever you say. It is a VERY different thing to steer the course of a super-power on a world stage with deft hands and a strong message. This fact when combined with no idea about what his goals are and a refusal to listen to others leads to a perfect storm that Erdogan and others exploit to the hilt. An ill-informed man-child with no clear ideas about what to do who doesn't value the advice of his own administration who is highly susceptible to the manipulation by people who actually have real abilities (the general assumption that dictators/strongmen/authoritarians like Putin and Erdogan are not idiots and are on some level charismatic and can manipulate others). In short, Trump is highly susceptible to manipulation because he doesn't have the necessary knowledge or sincere beliefs to steer foreign policy.
1
Incompetence has a price. We will be paying it long after Trump is gone. The next time the Republicans pick a figurehead to sell their kleptocratic agenda to their uninformed and grievance entitled base, perhaps they should consider someone sane.
Occam's Razor, the simplest solution is most likely.
Trump is trading American foreign policy toward Ukraine (and Russia) for his own personal gain--dirt on his likely opponent.
Trump is most likely doing the same thing with Turkey. Erdogan has something on Trump or has something that Trump wants.
Trump has no morals or ethics. OPEN YOUR EYES!
Curious which individual wrote this one—sounds fed up, it’s eyebrow more arched than in previous notes from the Board.
I welcome the sharper tone. It’s appropriate.
1
Long over due Trump is right and all the warmongers (Times included) are dead wrong. These endless wars must end and I applaud the president. Of course I have skin in the game where as I can safely bet the warmongers don’t!
Republicans are afraid to do their duty and provide constitutional oversight supervision of Trump and wing nuts like Jim Jordan now suggest that Trump just kids when he bribes aid to a foreign country and all the rest of Trump's unconstitutional breaks with his oath of office. His supporters approve of all Trump's lies and actions because "They all do it" according to one of John Kasick's Christian buddies.
As a 74 year Vietnam Era Vet and someone who worked for 15 years in three of Ohio's prisons, not much about human nature surprises me anymore as I am living out the last years of my life. I have given up on older white people of my generation ever coming to their senses and seeing the destruction Trump and his supporters (above all, the latter) are doing to our Democratic way of life in America.
Four more years of this guy?
1
Enlisting a rebel group in a fight against a common tyrannical enemy, then leaving them to fend for themselves once we're satisfied the fight is over: Isn't this almost exactly what set the stage for Afghanistan to be taken over by the Taliban in the aftermath of the Soviet-Afghan war?
How many times do we really think we can leave the Kurds twisting in the wind before a similar situation arises in northern Iraq?
And does anyone seriously think that the Trump Organization's numerous business deals in Turkey—along with Trump's professed admiration for the dictator Erdogan—had nothing to do with this decision?
2
The US should get out of Syria, another attempted regime change disaster initiated by Hillary Clinton (worst Secretary of State ever) along with the phony "hope and change" Obama.
We are in Syria illegally. We have no Security Council mandate, were not invited by the government nor did Congress approve it. Very illegal according to post WW2 treaties. But that doesn't seem to matter and barely gets mentioned in the hawkish media.
Trump is correct in wanting US military involvement in Syria to end, regardless of his motives.
The original idea was to break Syria up into tribal fiefdoms. This is in line with the Israel/America strategy of Mid-East disruption, intended to destabilize all of the Arab "confrontation states" thereby assuring hegemony for the Jerusalem/Washington axis. It's failing.
Since the Russians and Iranians were actually invited into Syria, how about they take up the cause.
Unlike ours, their involvement there would be completely legal, strengthening what's left of the post-Nuremberg trials framework of international law.
Without the US standing in the way of a negotiated settlement, the Kurds may finally have to cooperate with the Syrian government and negotiate in good faith. The Kurds took advantage of a country that was preoccupied with the existential threat of ISIL, and made a massive land grab with the country's best oil fields.
That's a recipe for more conflict down the road.
Peace loving people should support Trump on this.
2
Does Trump understand his Syria policy or, in fact, anything else about foreign policy? The short answer: no, unless he has real estate interests in that country - and even then his comprehension is questionable.
Now, what is the rest of our government going to do about that?
Mr. Trump is very stable...in the same way that he is a genius.
1
Can't help wondering what was the quid pro quo for this.
2
trump is ceding control of the entire mideast to putin and his allies.
how should we behave as an ethical countervailing empire?
while we should not further pursue the failed dick cheney oil grab in iraq that shattered the country and created Isis , we should suppress Isis and support kurdish independence from turkey and the new USSR putin wants to build.
2
Maybe Graham and the rest of the GOP clowncar can spin this as another case of him"just kidding."
1
“and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
"in my great and unmatched wisdom", really? These are the words of an unhinged dictator. He has to go.
2
Is that a quotation? "In my great and unmatched wisdom..."! For heaven's sake. He really has simply lost it, hasn't he.
2
Re: restraining Turkish actions “that I,[Trump] in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits,” Whoa! Isn’t this statement enough to invoke the 25th Amendment? Aided and abetted by Pompeo and Barr, Trump is revealing himself as a megalomaniac sociopath gone off the rails in a very public and embarrassing way for the United States as a country.
And why would any country’s leader engage in any dirt digging for Trump if his abandonment of the Kurds, a longstanding US ally, in the face of a Turkish invasion is any indicator of Trump’s concern for quid pro quo?
2
"Bruce" suggests that Trump is being blackmailed by Putin/Erdogan. But what could we possibly find out about the stable genius that's worse than what we already know? Oh, wait, don't tell me.
1
“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
Has a President of the United States ever written anything so pathetic and yet dangerous at the same time? Nikki Haley has it right, if inelegantly stated: "Leaving them to die is a big mistake."
Turkey is a dubious and tricky ally that is in a very difficult situation. Trump's impetuousness and incompetence is sinking our ship of State, and our economy.
His "great and unmatched wisdom" is flashing code red.
1
Give him a break.
He has just found out 8-years of his tax returns are being handed over to the Manhattan DA.
He can't think straight.
2
Trump was probably fed that 'great and unmatched wisdom' line by Erdogan. Yet another strong man who is playing Trump with compliments and promises of expanded Trump real estate ventures. Sorry Kurds, but the US is sticking a knife in your back. Again.
1
I cannot think of an Alley as helpful and trustworthy as the Kurd's. They have lost so many people in our fight against ISIS.
Leaving them to Turkey will be a stone around the neck of our international relations long after he is gone.
This is what happens when all the Generals and adults leave a toddler in the Oval Office.
1
"...in my great and unmatched wisdom..."
Sounds more like "I am Oz, the Great and Powerful!" I guess we just need to "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! The Great Oz has spoken!"
“But what ally could look at the United States now and see a stalwart partner — and what foe could look at it and fear a determined adversary?”
Answer to question part one: Russia
Answer to question part two: not Russia.
1
His policy is whatever Erdogen told him it was.
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?"
Rather a moot question, don't you think. None whatsoever, this is a fly by the seat of your pants Presidency, always has been.
Tomorrow or the next day, he'll back off, the troops will remain, and his hold on his base and the Republican Congress. In another few days China will be the focus of the Administration with trade talks. Trump will remind the world that Joe Biden is not being used as barter with China, even though he did a lot of bad things.
In the weeks ahead Trump will.......
Trump's foreign policy is whatever Putin says it is.
3
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?"
Yes, it is the same as the movie Joker. Create as much confusion and chaos as possible.
2
The Commander-in-Chief does not read, including his briefing books; he does not listen to our military and foreign policy experts; and he makes impulsive decisions after talking with manipulative strong men. I do not feel safe.
2
shutting down a forever war is a bit like scuttling a nuclear reactor--you have to do it right. there are no magic wands or magic tweets. it requires a coordinated plan hashed out by all the principles. if trump wants to make the proper effort to get this right, i could easily support the decision. the order in it's current half-baked state, however, should be resisted. we used to have adults watching him that would stop most of this garbage.....
I can't help but wonder how Trump Towers Istanbul factors into Trump's decision.
Were sales at Trump's Turkish condos down?
1
he doesn't need to. he goes with his gut.
Our foreign policy is whatever putin wants it to be. Moscow mitch is complaining right now but after his handler speaks to him, he'll be ok with it.
1
Please don't overthink this. Donald Trump Knows exactly what he is doing. This policy is going to be fantastic for Donald Trump personally AND great for his handler Vladimir.
2
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?"
Wrong question. The correct question: "Does Donald Trump Know Where Syria Is?
1
“As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”
DJT must be confronting the fact that he just did a really stupid thing with the Kurds, but since he can't admit it he doubles down on the opposite. He always does this. The fact that these defenses are getting more and more absurd and transparent shows how desperate and unhinged he is at this point.
It's a "I am the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz" moment. Right before Toto pulls back the curtain.
This is not the first time that the U.S. has betrayed the Kurds--but the reasons for the betrayal are unique.
In the 1970s, the Nixon Administration supported the Kurds' uprising in Iraq, but later abandoned them to be slaughtered. The first Bush Administration also supported the Kurds' assault against Saddam Hussein, and again abandoned them. The Clinton Administration more or less funded Turkey's massacre of the Kurds in the mid-'90s in southeast Turkey. In each case, the U.S. was guided by the same principle: the pursuit of its strategic foreign policy as it existed at that moment. In each instance, the Kurds were used to advance U.S. power, and sacrificed when they were no longer useful.
Trump is different. He is betraying the Kurds yet again--but this time, the guiding principle is not U.S. foreign policy. It's Trump's reelection. He promised his base an end to U.S. involvement overseas, and he is making good on his promise, at the expense of a U.S. ally. The Kurds' destruction at the hands of Turkey will be blood on Trump's hands, as will the loss of any advancement toward a functioning society in northern Syria, which the Kurds now control.
1
It’s not hard to imagine that Erdogan promised trump political help in the coming election.
1
It’s very strange how often Trump’s policies — Syria, Russian sanctions, withdrawal from TPP, cozying up to authoritarian dictatorships, etc. — align with Putin. I in fact hesitate to call them Trump’s policies for that reason.
1
This is entirely on the cowardly Republicans that continue—in the face of all reason—to support this lunatic. November 2020 cannot arrive soon enough.
9
@angus
Since 2016, I've been of the opinion the Russians dirtied the GOP and Mitch has been doing all he can to prevent his treason from coming out. They all know it and Trump threatens them with it all the time.
I suggest we visit that aide of Nigel Farage who joined him in Cleveland for the GOP Convention, but got arrested leaving with him and found himself cooperating with the FBI in Phoenix.
This aide's talent was blackmailing his money laundering clients on the dark web of fools. So, for all we know, these tools are still squatting on criminal referrals which Barr flicks away like flies.
Waiting for someone to point out that Putin, Rouhani and Erdogan met on Sep. 17 and two weeks later, right after a phone conversation with Erdogan, Trump pulls out of Syria telling nobody before the fact. Sayin.......
11
'Matchless wisdom'.
How can you top such an incredible claim. It is now clear we are dealing with the incarnation of the Greek god Narcissus. Trump is not a mere man, he is a god. He makes no mistakes, has no need for advice from experts. He emulates autocrats like Erdogan, El Sissi, Putin, Muhammed Ben Salman. Kim Jong Un...The USA is at his mercy
4
"[M]y great and unmatched wisdom." That's just sick. Trump obviously has delusions of grandeur. No person of even normal intelligence would utter such arrogant nonsense.
6
I would hope that the Republicans hiding in the corners and keeping their silence will finally realize this President is a clear and present danger to the United States and the world order. I understand that a sitting President cannot be impeached for bone-headed and possibly corrupt decisions that seem to routinely further Russian interests, but can be impeached for asking a foreign government for illegal assistance in the upcoming election. To those Republicans whispering and wringing their hands in private, this is my plea to take the opportunity in front of you and remove this man from office.
If Erdogan does what he wants to do, the blood of thousands of people will be at Trump's feet, and at the feet of those who enable these decisions. What do you think Trump will do for an encore?
1
This is Trump's Syria policy - the one his Boss Putin would want. Trump now realizes he may well be impeached and convicted. So he has little time to come up with reasons for his anti-American actions. Why bother? Just do it! With the coalitions of the world deteriorating, Russia may soon be a greater actor on the world stage than we are.
1
Why did Trump do this? What was he offered? What business deals has he been pursuing in Turkey? A Trump tower? What strings are being pulled? Who is whispering in his ear? We don't know, so we need to investigate. Since POTUS can't be trusted and we do not know his motivations, I think we need to see transcripts of this call, too.
3
PC (from SF) thought they were being cynical? I was being even more cynical with my thoughts which are:
Trump already knows he's out as President, probably by the end of the year. This "whispered request" from Putin - as suggested by PC in their comment - may come with a large "retirement benefit" for Trump . . . Enjoy the new dacha in Rublyovka! From Russia with Love, Vlad.
2
Trump has a large real estate project in Istanbul ("It's actually two towers!"). I believe it began operating around 2012. It could not possibly have been built without Erdogan's help. Is it possible Erdogan knows something about that project that he is able to hold over Trump's head?
Count on it.
5
Policy schmolicy, Trump doesn't mess around with intelligent, thoughtful, reasoned, fact-based, strategic decision-making. He goes with his gut (where the fast food goes), impulse and the desire to please whatever despot he just had a beautiful and perfect conversation with. And if there's a good chance to make some extra money off of the deal, even better. If you think he cares about regional allies who have done the dying for our "cause" there, or the collateral damage, or the further destabilization of an already chaotic mess, you are experiencing a severe pipe-dream.
2
As reckless as this decision appears, let's not forget that the last Republican in the Oval Office started a needless war that killed well over 500,000, sparked perpetual turmoil in the middle east and cost this country over $6 trillion.
3
Mr. Trump has no strategies. In his unmatched wisdom, he needs none. This man really believes in the infallibility of his gut decisions. As many a potentate before him, his actions reflect the firm belief that he is not merely above the law, but rather, he is the law. Until someone calls his bluff.
1
Has anyone asked Putin? He certainly seems to benefit from Trump’s largesse, greed or myopia - maybe all three.
2
Mr Trump‘s lack of knowledge, his tweets and unbridled instincts put lives at risk. What worked for him in real estate transactions does not work in governance. We are witnessing this in real time. As a nation and the one time voice of reason in the world, we had Presidents that would formulate policy and diplomatic relations/ actions based upon the collaborative research from the intelligence experts at their disposal. This man ignores and demeans those serving and working for the safety of our nation because their unbiased ethics challenges his conspiracy theory world. What would one expect from a man that is reported to confide in the likes of Sean Hannity? The Republicans have created this scenario because they have abandoned their Constitutional duties. Their abandonment of oversight and fear of being on the receiving end of his venomous tweets , is about to create a catastrophe in the Middle East. They are responsible. As a lifelong New Yorker, we have had a sense of the vapid Trump persona. I am not surprised at this defining moment of his Presidency....a man devoid of intellect and reason.
2
There are several aspects to this chain of events. First, abandoning the Kurds is foolish, risky, and a betrayal. Secondly, the GOP is livid with Trump not just for policy reasons, which is what they would like you to believe, but partly because the military contractors who make money off American involvement in military conflicts have received GOP support since the (W.) Bush days in a cozy relationship that smacks of corruption. Finally, although Trump clearly does not have a grip on reality, what he does get is that this is another tactic to take the attention off the impeachment news cycle. What a mess.
1
Trump has a disturbing and recurring tendency to act on whatever the last person he spoke with asked him or told him to do. This is “followership,” not leadership.
2
The Kurds fought isis to free their territory. They are communists who have leaned on the former Soviets and will now form an alliance with Assad of Syria. Our enemy was their enemy. When and if the refugees in Turkey move into Syria remains to be seen. Russia has pledged to help Assad reclaim all of his former Syrian land. If Turkey is smart, they will only go into the 5 mile zone dedicated to the "re-settlement". If the President is smart, he won't waffle on this. It would be nice if Congress became as excited and concerned for the thousands of Americans dying from drug overdoes as it seemingly does for the Kurds.
Donald Trump claims "my great and unmatched wisdom."
The article says "Mr. Trump’s determination to withdraw those remaining troops led to the resignations of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the special envoy to the coalition fighting ISIS, Brett McGurk, last December."
Obviously, Donald Trump never learns anything.
That has been clear for decades, because he was the same way - pig headed - as a kid.
"my great and unmatched wisdom"?? THAT is a joke. A very sad joke.
1
It is the Turks who are terrorists--state terrorists. They have killed many Kurds in Turkey, wiped out towns and homes, and tried to suppress their language and culture.
After WWI, Wilson backed a plan for Kurdistan, but when he got sick, it was abandoned. It is long past time for Kurdistan to be recognized, beginning with Syria and Iraq.
3
Donald Trump has two dimensional thinking. His unmatched wisdom and stable genius is better suited to Whack-a-Mole than to Chess. He rarely notices consequences beyond those that might actually affect him. He also never met a deal he actually respected.
Is he a compromised president? The Mueller Report stated as much. Like a mafia don, Trump understands the quid pro quo of business. He's not motivated unless he sees a benefit or detriment to himself. The Kurds in Syria, the Kurds in Iraq, have been staunch American allies in both war and peace. To let them to be slaughtered at the hands of their perennial enemy, Turkey, is not just a ridiculous foreign policy blunder, it’s murder. It’s a crime and an atrocious one at that.
2
Trump has no policy other than self-enrichment and self-aggrandizement. Anyone who abandons our most loyal allies in the Syrian war by bagging about his "great and unmatched wisdom" is not only a pathological narcissist but delusional. Forget impeachment. It's time to invoke the 25th Amendment.
3
Trump hates bad press more than anything else. He'll walk this back, to the point of even saying that he never said it in the first place, it was all fake news.
1
Donald Trump doesn’t know what any policy is. He just goes Day by day, making stuff up, and having taxpayers hand over their hard earned money to the Trumps....
3
Trump doesn't care. He has clearly abandoned pretending to put American interests first and is only protecting his own assets. There is no 'Syria policy confusion'. What Trump did benefited Turkey/Russia/Syria, not the US. The Turkish dictator can not force a sitting President to remove troops. Trump did that all on his own.
Add this to reports that the Trump administration is quietly trying to remove the US from the Open Skies treaty, a move that will only benefit Russia, you have to assume that either Trump is preparing to exit stage left or someone pulling the strings thinks Trump will be losing his power shortly.
Obama got us involved in Syria, but he never had a "Syria Policy".
He couldn't even figure out who the enemies and allies were in that conflict. Many of the weapons given to the "rebels" ended up in the hands of ISIS.
We SHOULD just get out of there and let the Syrians attend to their own business. We can't solve all the problems of the world.
Viet Nam started with "a small troop presence".
1
Yes, to aid our NATO ally, the Turks, not the Kurds.
1
Trump's policy in Syria makes perfect sense if you assume that everything Trump does must benefit Putin.
2
Here's the short answer: no. Resoundingly, NO. He doesn't know what anything means. Unless it relates directly to him.
It is unproductive to continually question why and when the Republicans are going to finally do their jobs and follow the law. The answer is by and large, never. The corruption in this administration is so vast in depth and breadth, including so many, that their only chance of escaping unscathed is to stay in lockstep with him and continue to lie and defend him and hope no one individual breaks their oath of allegiance to the capo.
2
I have been rendered groggy by the continuing, unending, outrageous behavior of the president of the country I am a citizen of.
1
Trump's Syria policy? Simple, whatever Putin tells him it is.
3
Sorry, but while he's a terrible president, Trump's instincts are right on this one. "We can't leave or ISIS will come back" will always be true, and that 'logic' will lead us to stay in Syria forever. The U.S. has been lurching into ill-advised Mideast wars like a drunkard for decades, squandering blood and treasure. The only solution is to leave the oil bar.
But never fear, Trump's convictions are weak; he'll crumple and reverse course soon. If only the 'liberal' media wasn't siding with McConnell, Graham and company to prevent any US withdrawals from our forever wars.
1
Does Trump know what his Syrian policy is? Sure. He knows it right this minute. It may change, for no discernible reason, in another minute,depending on whether he spoke to the NRA, Kanye West or Putin today.
If there is a consistent policy for anything, it’s brag (with no regard for facts), deny, deflect, ignore. Then blame Obama and the emails.
I find it entertaining how Trump toadies like McConnell and Graham finally hit their horribleness limits, FINALLY criticizing the failings of the orange one on this issue or that. What's depressing is that they put their blinders back on when the pet issue fades from the headlines, as if the horribleness is limited to small corners of presidential power.
Oh please my GOP brothers and sisters, wake up! This election-winning machine you have lashed yourselves to will take you down and eventually the rest of us. Tell your GOP representatives there's still time to salvage some shred of honor, for the good of the nation.
4
Once we accept that #45 is a Russian asset, everything he does--or tries to do--makes perfect sense.
4
@James Siegel
My theory since 2016, and he keeps on delivering!!
Trump's wisdom is unmatched, so much so that it is hardly wisdom at all. In fact it is a near-synonym for 'foolishness' but tempered with a healthy dose of 'corruption'.
1
Let's look at facts. Erdogan is an authoritarian strongman, the type Trump admires. There is also a Trump hotel in Istanbul. The Kurds are lacking oligarchs and dictators Trump can pal with, and, perhaps most tellingly, they lack ability to patronize Trump hotels.
So it seems appeasing Erdogan is preferential to standing by vulnerable US allies and continuing our critical fight against terrorism. In making this cavalier and unilateral decision, his callous abandonment of the Kurds to potentially support his business and to foster his bromance with authoritarians is grossly transparent and reprehensible.
1
If there was any doubt that Trump is a Russian asset, this move in Syria obliterates any reservations. It’s patently obvious he’s a Putin puppet. Nearly 40 percent of America is fine with this faux president. Shocking and beyond disheartening. His policy on Syria is to appease Putin, prop up Erdogan, and personally profit from whatever foreign policy nightmare he proposes. What a total disaster. Why doesn’t the U.S. military rise up against his edicts? “No, we will not abandon our allies the Kurds!” I wish it were that easy.
1
I wonder which of Trump's political opponents Erdogan agreed to investigate in return for the US pulling out.
2
35% of Americans, mostly Republicans but some calling themselves Independents to make us believe that they are very thoughtful in their approach don't care that the President is taking such drastic decisions without consulting anyone with actual knowledge of the subject. They don't believe such knowledge is needed. They also don't believe that you should have good character to run the highest office. You can be practically a criminal but they will support you as long as you appoint the conservative non-biased political hacks posing as independent judges. But we can not call these 35% deplorable. The mainstream media will demonize you if you dared to say the truth that this segment of American Population is at least deplorable if not unhinged lunatics which are a danger to our society and should not be allowed to vote in next elections !
Trump has no policy. He just repeats what the last person or last Fox talk-show host said to him. Then McConnell complains and Trump changes his mind again.
1
Betrayal pure and simple. So much to answer for. Who will be backstabbed next?
Look, Trump has never been a Republican, and Trump used the GOP to get to the presidency. Many Republicans knew this and used him to get their ways once he would be in power...
Now that he has the position and feels finally free to do as he wants, he is exposing who he really is, an arrogant, self important, narcissistic individual who does not care about anything but power. That's who he really is... take a look at his last tweet to Turkey and see the words he is using which seem to be coming out of the mouth of Kim Jong Un than from an American president... Both Trump and GOP got what they wanted, now he is beginning to act like an Autocrat which is what he really is...
He is applying this "new" approach to all matters and therefore he feels free from the control of "his" party...
I certainly hope that there would be some republicans that can see this clearly and oppose him and reject him as his candidate for the 2020 elections. It sounds like a big step yet not impossible. Republicans are becoming more and more divided and this is the chance that Trump may loose support from "his" party and get rid of this destructive person that is doing so much damage to the US and to the world at large...
This behavior by the president ruins our relationships with allies and endangers many lives. THIS by itself deserves an article of impeachment. This man is not fit to be our commander in chief.that really
2
I have been a strong Trump supporter until now. Trump has been keeping his campaign promises to a fault, defending American interests against our European 'partners' and China, supporting Israel, and thwarting illegal aliens at the southern border However, I cannot accept this latest decision which effectively throws our allies, the Kurds, under the bus while the insatiable, hateful, Islamist, antisemitic greed of Erdogan. Turkey, under its present government should be booted out of NATO and turned into an economic basket case until it shapes up and restores itself to democracy. Trump's decision is not just wrong, it is dead wrong.
2
I note a tweet this morning by daughter Ivanka concerning opening of Trump Tower Turkey. Why hasn’t the press looked into this obvious conflict of interest.
Mr Trump's narcissism has become delusional. His statement, "I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey" is his own fantasy. It has nothing to do with the nightmare he is creating in reality.
Presidents are tested for their physical fitness. Mr Trump needs to be tested for his mental fitness, or sanity.
I hope Republicans see this as a teaching moment, or perhaps more appropriately, a learning moment. Mr. "unmatched wisdom" is a man of total capriciousness. He does what his gut, or the last person the spoke to, tells him. What happens when our collective luck runs out and he feels compelled to do something really stupid.
Hopefully, the situation in Syria can be mended but certainly real damage has been done and the possibility of an ISIS resurgence is very scary. But not nearly as scary as the possibility of a true crisis which will turn on the whim of Trump with perhaps some input from Ivanka and Jared, maybe Eric.
There is a possibility of real disaster, and not in a land 7000 miles away but right here. And it will be much, much too late for Trump's enablers to call into Fox and Friends to offer tough love and try to push Trump to change his mind. Sometimes a do-over just isn't possible.
I hope that Mitch and his cohorts are seriously considering what could happen if Trump acts truly disastrously before anyone has a chance to intervene. It feels like it is only a matter of time.
1
Yes of course!
Trump’s Syrian policy is whatever Putin wants it to be.
1
Trump knows exactly what his national security policy is. It’s whatever Putin tells him. Whether it’s denigrating our former NATO allies, withholding aid from Ukraine, or betraying the Kurds, when Putin tells Trump to jump the answer is “how soon and how high Master?”
Trump’s Syria policy is all about getting re-elected. Americans seem to like a policy based on selfish, shortsighted self interest. They don’t mind their leader breaking commitments once those commitments don’t seem to offer us a return. They like “unconventional” (which is media talk for clueless bordering on incompetent) leaders because they are entertaining. A single uniform logical policy would be predictable and boring. It is so exciting waking up each day wondering what did he do now? That’s the kind of person Americans want for their leader.
1
Trump's Syria policy is to do whatever the Islamist autocrats running Turkey and Saudi Arabia tell him to do.
1
Does anyone have any doubt left that Trump is a Russian asset after this? He just gave Syria to Russia (via the Turks). How can anyone support this "president"?
1
Its interesting to see so many "NO MORE WAR!" liberals confused by pulling American troops out of a war zone.
"I KNOW the US troops should come home, but TRUMP is the one doing it, so it CANT be right!, can it?"
3
Although the Mueller report didn't/couldn't prove it, yes Trump is under the influence of a foreign entity.
Trump's entire presidency is to undermine our government.
Yes, our government is not perfect, no government-run by morals are.
But this is the one we have, so be must do what we can to make it work.
It is obvious that Trump's mission is to undermine the US in the eyes of the world for Putin.
How better can that be than to have your man in the center calling the shots.
I have no idea what Putin has on Trump, but it must be a doozy.
In doublecrossing our allies, it will leave us vulnerable in ways that America has never ever known, not even during the American Revolutionary War.
This madness has got to stop.
The relentless Trump drama is not about politics. It's all about hubris, incompetency, and currying favors with dictators. No American, regardless of political persuasion, can endorse this dangerous paradigm. ANY replacement can only improve upon this self-ordained emperor (with no clothes)!
1
Any better evidence available that we have moved completely into Crazy-landia than, "...just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”? All any thinking person has to do is read that and be drawn to the inevitable conclusion that the president is deeply into dementia. Period. Now, what will Congress do about it?
I know it doesn't make sense to assume Trump knows what he's talking about but when he wrote "I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).” seriously, what does he mean? When did he destroy the economy of Turkey before?
Please do not forget that Turkey is/was considered as the biggest ally of USA because of its major participation in all conflicts from Korea to Kosava. Reckless actions of previous administrations caused a great mistrust between two countries. Sustained silence of pre-Trump administration after the 2016 coup attempt did not help either. It seems that Trump is reversing a policy that is not working at all to save the relationship with an old, highly reliable partner.
1
We has a storied history of US presidents with superb military expertise. Washington, Grant, Eisenhower, as well as the astute civilian leadership of Lincoln and FDR. You don't have to be a great historical figure to understand that impulsively rolling the dice isn't going to cut it.
2
Get us out of there. There is no hope for US positive action. The past three Presidents have promised this same, yet nothing has changed.
2
This is all because of three of Trump's terrible leadership qualities.
1. He usually agrees with the last person he spoke to.
2. He will give up anything the other side wants so long as they praise him.
3. He believes he has no weaknesses and can never make a mistake.
The playbook for negotiating with Trump is simple. Praise him as often as possible, meet in private away from intelligent advisors, and push him to make a statement as soon as possible. In return for merely discussing trade, he gave up American support for democracy in Hong Kong. All they had to do was praise him, meet in private, and convince him to make his decision known before anyone else has the chance to stop him.
3
“But what ally could look at the United States now and see a stalwart partner — and what foe could look at it and fear a determined adversary?”
We do still have a lot more nuclear warheads than any other country, and we do still seem pretty determined to make even more of a spectacle of Donald Trump’s time in the White House.
On the other hand, we’ve already been using our nuclear arsenal as a way to ‘gently’ nudge our ‘allies’ into doing what we’ve wanted them to for seven decades, and a good number of them have nuclear physicists of their own.
Are we still winning?
Who doesn't think that Trump's action regarding Turkey puts the United States at risk for domestic retaliation?
And, unless I missed it in this editorial, who doesn't think that Trump's name on towers in Istanbul makes him susceptible to threats by Erdogan? (He doesn't own them but 'lends his name' for a fee.)
Excerpt from Newsweek yesterday:
The towers have previously served as a pressure point for Erdogan's efforts to influence White House policy. Following Trump's proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants from entering the U.S., for example, Erdogan called for the president's name to be taken off the building.
But when Trump expressed support for Erdogan's post-coup crackdown and subsequent mass arrests, Erdogan stopped calling for the towers' name to be changed.
5
Every report on foreign policy decisions should include information about Trump’s businesses there. I doubt there is a single instance in which his decision was contrary to his private interests.
Such reporting would only be consistent with past reporting on prior presidents. We had zero such reporting in the past because presidents never owned active businesses while in office.
2
We have been down this road before. US leaders again show little knowledge of history. We looked the other way for years when the Syrians were being killed by the Assads. We looked the other way when the Kurds were being murdered by Hussein.
The stable genius (ST) knows nothing about the plight of the Kurds. Erdogan wants the US out of the way so that he can attack the Kurds. Turkey too has a history of massacring the Kurds. It doesn’t matter to the ST that the Kurds have been on the battle front against ISIS and helping us. Why support an ally when the he can help out his dictator pal?
What favors does the ST owe the Turks? Could there be a connection between his businesses? There must be one because in 2012 Ivanka tweeted: "Thank you Prime Minister Erdogan for joining us yesterday to celebrate the launch of #TrumpTowers Istanbul!" And I can’t help but wonder how Flynn’s involvement in Turkey might fit in?
I didn’t support the invasion of Iraq. However I believe that we have a moral obligation to help our allies and to fix the disaster that we exacerbated when we invaded that country.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anfal_genocide
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds_in_Turkey
theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/recep-tayyip-erdogan-turkey-president-election-dictator-seeks-total-control
ivanka-trump-tweet-thanking-turkey-erdogan-attending-istanbul-trump-towers-launch-syria-controversy-1463536
3
Look for Vladimir Putin’s fingerprints on this. Trump is carrying out Putin’s foreign policy there. With the US out of Syria, Russia can lock in its influence without worrying about accidental collateral engagement with US forces.
Same goes with Trump’s bumbling in Ukraine. Trump thinks withholding military aid or White House visits from the Ukrainian president are about chasing his conspiracy theories on the Bidens. Don’t be surprised to find out he’s really just been played as Putin’s useful idiot once again. Putin wants to keep pressing into Ukraine, and Trump’s doing a pretty good job of keeping the US out of the way.
8
@Michael I think you are on to something. Trump pulls our troops out of northern Turkey on Oct 7th. October 7th is also Putin's birthday.
Does he know what his Syria policy is? Of course. Undoing whatever Obama did! In Syria or anywhere else! That is his 'unmatched wisdom'!
3
Dear G-d, this man is totally insane as well as a clear and present danger to the United States and to the world as well. Please impeach ASAP, this is not a safe game.
Mitch, even you and your crew of henchman should understand that these territories are extremely dangerous and shark-filled. This man is too dangerous to remain, the very democracy of America is at stake.
3
Of course we know you’re right, but we feel secure there’s time to wring some more money and permanent concessions out of the current situation before we pull the plug. That’s life. - Mitch
Of course he does. Pandering to his base. You know the coming Brown Shirts after Nov 2020.
See I brought our troops home! We need them here to keep the 'peace'.
Perhaps his policy is "Keep trump tower Istanbul open and don't blow it up."
1
Naturally the President stepped in it again. I'm curious what Erdogan promised Trump in return for US acquiescence to a Turkish war on the Kurds. Given recent events, we should probably subpoena that phone call too.
My guess is Trump will walk the public statement back while quietly removing US military oversight from the area anyway. "Do what you want; just don't make a big noise." I'm wondering when we'll discover the mass graves.
2
If Trump and his supporters truly believe he possesses "great and unmatched wisdom" then what we have is not a political phenomenon, but a cult. And this cult, unlike most we have seen in this country, will not just end sadly for its members; it will affect and have consequences for the entire global community. I have no concern for the politicians in this republican led circus, but we must address the issues ( health care, diminishing middle class, loss of traditional jobs, etc.) that have led so many citizens to become frustrated, angry, and disenfranchised Americans.
1
This is just the latest example of Donald Trump's abuse of power in refusing to defend our national security; kowtowing to another dictator; opening the floodgates to a campaign of ethnic cleansing against our most effective ally in the region--the Kurds; and destabilizing a region still in turmoil. This is not an isolated incident as the Republicans portray it, but part of a larger picture of betrayal. Betrayal of our intelligence agencies in Helsinki and now with his Attorney General William Barr racing around the world to discredit them; betrayal of our allies in Canada and in Europe; betrayal of the protesters in Hong Kong; betrayal of American citizens and residents killed by murderous dictators in North Korea and Saudi Arabia; betrayal of all who have have pledged "loyalty" to the principle of of democracy that our nation has always stood for until now. It's a criminal dereliction of duty that knows no bounds.
8
Ever notice how Trump uses drastic international action to detract from uncomfortable political situations at home? he has certainly changed the conversation this week; I shudder to think what next week will bring. Or, what other terrible, rash decisions he will make in the lead-up to the 2020 election.
3
Should be clear Trump has no idea what his policy is about anything. Never been to Syria, I imagine, no sense of what the country has gone through, of what a Kurd is or even where the country is, particularly. Why should he care - nothing but "sand and death," anyway, right?
I guess it's the NYT's job to follow the protocol of treating this shmoe with the respect usually accorded to presidents in terms of decision-making, policy... but come on - this guy gets his applause lines from Fox and if they don't work, as it didn't today, he's ready to change it to something more popular.
"Those are my principles. And if you don't like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx
8
This is a charade. A lie. A piece of distraction theater. Trump will back down as soon as he has chased the impeachment question off the front page. I wouldn't be surprised if Lindsay Graham is in on this little piece of psychodrama.
Trump creates crisis. Some Republicans murmur something. The crisis distracts from Trump's other major troubles of the moment. Trump backs down and claims victory for solving the crisis he created. Ticker tape parade! Nobel Prize Nomination! Hail the conquering hero.
Republicans say: See we do too disagree with Trump, and he listens to us. Re-elect us.
This Kabuki theater is sickening and utterly unworthy of our nation. People. do not fall for this. Trump is a criminal and a huckster. He is gaslighting the nation.
13
We are cowards the Kurds are mercenaries. Iran, Russia, and Assad will sort this out. Everything is beautiful...perfect really
This is getting ridiculous. Trump is obviously either extremely incompetent, a Putin mole, or both. His decision making makes no sense, unless he is doing Russia’s bidding. We should be trying to tie Trump to Russia by investigating all of sources of money for the Trump organization.
6
Tiny twit's tweet is self-actualization.
1
"Right-wing televangelist Pat Robertson once heralded President Donald Trump as “God’s man for the job.” Now, he says the president is “in danger of losing the mandate of heaven.” …
On Monday, the Christian Broadcasting Network founder and “700 Club” host delivered an uncharacteristically strong rebuke of the White House’s announcement that it will stand by as Turkey prepares to invade northern Syria, leaving the American-allied Kurdish forces vulnerable to attack.
Slamming the decision, Robertson said he is “absolutely appalled that the United States is going to betray” the fighters, who have partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces in the battle against the self-described Islamic State.
Continuing, Robertson invoked the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in Turkey allegedly at the behest of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“The President, who allowed Khashoggi to be cut in pieces without any repercussions whatsoever, is now allowing the Christians and the Kurds to be massacred by the Turks,” Robertson said.
“And I believe - and I want to say this with great solemnity - the president of the United States is in danger of losing the mandate of heaven if he permits this to happen.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pat-robertson-trump-is-in-danger-of-losing-the-mandate-of-heaven/ar-AAIqPOM?ocid=spartandhp
Trump is the least likely man to ever find his way to Heaven. He is a profoundly ignorant Beelzebub.
3
Trump the chump, he’s been played again by yet another dictator. It should come as no surprise that he’s prepared to burn the Kurds, who have proven to be remarkably dependable, in a region that so often disappoints.
2
At any given moment on any given day the Syria policy of the Illegitimate One is whatever will distract Americans from the latest evidence of yet another crime committed while in the Oval Office.
He's committed dozens of crimes and counting, both during the campaign and while in office. From dangling pardons, to threatening witnesses, to 10 counts of obstruction of justice, about a dozen counts of obstruction of Congress, abuse of power, election laws, bank fraud, money laundering for the Russian Mafia, treason, Emoluments Clause violations too numerous to count and still climbing, and a criminal-level of outright stupidity!
BTW, Trump couldn't find Syria on a map if his life depended on it.
Rex Tillerson knew exactly what to call Trump. It's to X-rated for the NY Times...
4
American People should know the real reason why we're leaving the Kurds that help our American boys to fight Muslim extremists. The President of Turkey call President Donald Trump to withdraw all the troops. And the Turks moves in northern Syria it would be southern death to the Kurdish people. But what is the real reason Pres. Donald Trump probably received ultimatum that the Turkish government is taken over to a Trump Towers the city Istanbul and Turkey so this is a financial reason or personal. Not the interests of the American people this is another treasonous act a President Donald Trump to kill off the Kurds. Do you hear that are Republican that are in Congress will you still support the murder of children and mothers for the Turkish government. Patriots stand up to this president impeach and immediately he's a con artist and possibly a criminal.
Vice President Mike pence is holding a town hall meeting in Iowa this week to tell the people from Iowa the only thing, I could tell Mike Pence would you sell your soul to gain the whole world and lose soul it read your Bible on this verse in my enlighten you.
2
Trump’s impulsive, incoherent and ignorant words and deeds make him unfit to steer a shopping cart. Turkey? Syria? He couldn’t even find them on a map.
Let's face it: If Trump's position on Syria was the reverse- there is a 100% chance the Editorial Board would have lead with a different headline that equally lampooned him for THAT too. There is too much hatred of Trump to expect any level-headed journalism to emanate from this group.
3
Clearly, you don’t actually read the New York Times. This was the paper that gave Trump lengthy interviews, that publishes op-Eds from conservatives, that bends over backwards to be truly fair to all sides, because its job is NEWS - facts and considered analysis from all responsible voices.
It is the task of the free press to report the news. When the news is, “our president has no clue what he is doing in Syria, and has demonstrated that by his impulsive, ill-considered behavior” - that should be reported as well. Must be reported.
You want fantasy? Read the alt-right drivel. Even Fox News is waking up. We are a nation in crisis, with unprecedented power in the hands of a completely unqualified, impulsive narcissist.
Even you should recognize his disregard of truth: Trump bragged that he was the “only” one who elected him. He did it all by himself. So all those people who voted for him - including you, apparently - were unnecessary?
If the voters were necessary, then this brag was a lie.
If the voters were not necessary, then this brag is something worse: an admission that Trump had other methods to achieve victory. The Russian interference? Disenfranchisement of voters? Hacked voting machines?
Your choice.
“in my great and unmatched wisdom”. If that doesn’t scare the pants off you I don’t know what would. The man is mentally ill. Also, he has obviously been steering American policy for the benefit of Putin and Erdogan. This has been going on since the beginning of his reign (Oops, I should have typed presidency-snark.)
2
To all who comment "Trump is right, just leave." this reply based on the superb analysis by Swedish-Israeli journalist in Dagens Nyheter "A geopolitical landslide"
1) The prison camp Al Holal in the Rojava, Syria region has 73,000 ISIS related people 65% of them children. If the Kurds are abandoned they will have to release these imprisoned ISIS people. ISIS will rise again.
2) To whom must the Kurds turn? Very likely Russia resulting in further Russian dominance.
Is that what you Trump supporters want?
Only-NeverIn Sweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
3
@Larry Lundgren let me know when Sweden sends its blood and treasure to play Middle East policeman. There's a lot of talk in these comments by people who would never consider sending their own children to risk their lives there. Enough is enough.
1
@Larry Lundgren Sweden can send its own armed forces to Syria instead of the US soldiers if Swedish people care so much about the Kurds. It is easy to be moral when other people die for it.
1
@Larry Lundgren Send the Swedish Army in to rescue the Kurds. Better still, you can volunteer for the front lines. Easy to be an armchair General and send in other people's sons to die in endless wars.
1
The secret transcript of trump’s phone call with edrogen
Donald, Turkeys been very good to you. We have helped you with your enemies, helped you and your family with property and I need you to do me a little favor. Those pesky Kurds need to go away. You have just a little army with them, bring them home. You will be considered a Hero for ending the war and it would really help me. Besides, we really wouldn’t like to talk about how much we have helped you............
2
As I thought and then read of others commenting similarly elsewhere at the Times, the question whose answer explains the fundamental reason for most all of Trump's foolish and reckless foreign-policy machinations is : WWPW? What would Putin want?
Answer: Exactly this -- Giving a green light to the Turks to ethnically cleanse (remember Armenians a century ago) our Kurdish allies who did the difficult and dangerous work to push the ISIS caliphate from its Syrian base, thus allowing Putin's brutal client-state autocrat Assad to take over the area. further to protect Russian bases in Syria.
Someday, perhaps only when a new president is in the White House, will be revealed the linkages in Trump's tax returns and financial statements, audio recordings hidden in top-secret servers, interpreter's notes and recollections, et alia, the proof that Trump is either a willing collaborator with Russian oligarchs and Putin, or just their "useful idiot".
3
That is how Donald thinks he will get a Peace Nobel Prize? I cannot wait for that phone call with the Swedish to be made public.
Why is it so hard to see the real culprit behind this: Valdemar Putin, telling Trump what he wants, what to do, who to blame? Every move Trump makes is at the behest of his puppet master. The same word, treason, he throws at Democrats...
1
Well, now we know what Putin told Trump in secret...
Russia continues winning with Trump!
When are Real Americans going to wake up and realize that Donald J. Trump is just a stooge of the Kremlin. If you just look at any of his "Foreign Policies", ask, "Does this benefit the USA or Russia?".
4
Anyone else think “the great and powerful oz has spoken” when reading Trumps tweet? Great con men think alike
I think a better title for the article should be " Do You Know Where Syria Is, Mr. President? " Once he is shown where on the map it's located, then the follow-up question can be asked of him. I can hardly wait for his answer...
"“As I have stated strongly before,” he tweeted, “and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”"
The above message, composed and sent as a packet of information, disseminated electronically to be viewed by billions on their smartphones, represents the thinking of Donald Trump, the mad President of the United States of America.
And, it was sent to sow confusion, one of the hallmarks of the modus operandi of this incompetent who is in the wheelhouse of our foundering nation, with his hands on the tiller, steering us from one state of chaos to another, and unless he is reined in he will surely break us in two, rendering us impotent worthy only of contempt in the eyes of our allies.
How is it possible that he has been allowed to continue his mindless rampage; why is the 25th amendment not being invoked.
Clearly the last 3 years show that this President is unfit, likely a dangerous psychopath capable of anything.
See NY Times report 2018 -
"The anonymous author of an Op-Ed article in The New York Times wrote this week that there were “early whispers” among President Trump’s advisers about trying to remove Mr. Trump from the presidency by invoking Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, which provides a process to declare that the president is unfit for office."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/us/politics/25th-amendment.html
5
All Trump knows is his ever-changing "feelings," dictated by the pneumatic bottle blondes of Fox and their commentariat, not wo mention his fawning inner circle.
There hasn't been a "bubble" like this since the Berlin Bunker. We all saw how THAT worked out.
2
As anyone who has been paying attention knows, Donald Trump knows nothing about foreign policy, nothing about diplomacy, nothing about the history and geography of the world, and, most importantly, has little interest in getting up to speed. As with everything, he makes knee-jerk reactions, conducts high-level decision making on Twitter, and golfs regularly at Mar-A-Lago. It is a good diversion from the impeachment investigation though, because now we're focused on his stupidity, rashness, and incompetence instead of his criminal disregard for the Constitution.
Republicans seem to be upset about this, but the truth is, they are part of the problem. They know Trump is incompetent, they know he's a liar, they know he is a con man and a sham, but they supported him out of fear and total disregard for the norms of our government. Yup, Republicans, Trump's your guy and this is your fault too. I suggest you stop crying about it and do what you do best: Make up lies to cover for him.
3
One can only read Trump's tweet, in which he refers to his "great and unmatched wisdom" as self-effacing sarcasm, otherwise this is the rantings of a lunatic.
1
The Rise and Fall of the USA or from Obama to Trump in one single election.
I'm not against "populism" but Trump supporters should face up to the fact that he is mentally sick.
2
I have a tough time dredging up any sympathy for the feckless republicans on this issue. They have allowed this unqualified miscreant to run wild for three years - and *this* is what they're fired up about?
Seriously, I can't wait for 2020. Every single vote right down the line will be a vote cast for democracy and against this lunacy.
3
I do not believe Trump could find Syria on a map.
1
Sheds new light on the statement that "Only I know how to defeat ISIS!" Well, it sheds something on it...
Three years of endless Op Eds in countless newspapers trying to ignore all of the various crimes, make sense of his bizarre persona and decisions, and letting republicans - politicians and voters - off the hook. Our so-called president is a mad man. We don't just need a few whistle blowers, we need a whole deafening chorus - we need a few of the wimpy, concerned republicans to step up and do something about this mad man!
1
What? Another irrational, impulsive decision? Don the Con. A serial draft-dodger, who admires the naval aviators who “weren’t captured” and who, surrounded by sycophants and the echo chamber of Fox pundits, reaches into the bucket of his National Security Advisor, Col. Sanders.
Mike Pence, ‘Christian fundamentalist’, must at least be privately sickened by Trump. Faithless in religion, patron of prostitutes, a squanderer of money, how can Pence stand next to this guy? He takes it... and he smiles. Perhaps ‘Mother’ can remind him to stand up and defend our allies.
5
Keep us out of another Middle Eastern war - that is his policy.
I know it is controversial to those that have not sent sons and daughters or nephews/nieces to the Middle East like the NYT Editorial Board.
2
No brains, no heart, no honour: US president Trump characterized.
2
T does not know what any of his policies are until his Process is complete. The Process?
1) Watch Fox & Friends.
2) Throw out a wild idea in a high level meeting.
3) Fire any subordinate who does not agree immediately.
4) Tweet out some version of the wild idea.
5) Follow with a bunch of partly related tweets, and some angry ones for fun.
6) Watch Fox to confirm he was right.
7) The next morning watch F & F, then tweet what sounds like a partial retraction, but not clearly.
8) Decide much later whether to actually do anything about it after all.
The Goal of the Process? Confusion to all my enemies!!
2
"Does Donald Trump know what his Syria policy is?"
Better question" Does Donald Trump know what ANY of his "policies"?
Unless it is filled with racism, sexism, poverty, and how to be as cruel as possible he does not have any policies.
Unless it will financially and psychologically benefit trump, he does not have any policies.
I am surprised the NYTimes hasn't figured that out yet.
1
There's no adequate epithets in English dictionary to describe the heinous nature of this subhuman leaving the Kurds abandoning this courageous people in Syria, letting them to be slaughter by Erdogan.
I watched a documentary where Kurdish women so ferociously fought ISIS Hideous coward, submitting to Turkey autocrat...do you think it has a lot do with his Istanbul towers https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a29385848/donald-trump-syria-kurds-turkey-trump-tower-istanbul/
I still remember how Erdoğan's security gang beat up American peace protesters in DC.
It's all about his bottom line, nothing to do with american interests
"I have a little conflict of interest 'cause I have a major, major building in Istanbul," Trump said in December 2015. "It's a tremendously successful job. It's called Trump Towers—two towers, instead of one, not the usual one, it’s two."
Nothing should confuse anyone here, these and other dictators like Saudis are holding his purse strings.
So who are this 35-40% of the country who still stand with him.
is treason okay with them,
is self-enriching at the expense of the country is okay,
is obvious criminality of his behavior is okay, is savage killing of WAPO journalist is okay, is shooting immigrants at the border is okay, is letting kids die in cages is okay, is begging foreign country to help his reelection with debunked corruption conspiracy, putting our national security in jeopardy, if all these is okay then we're indeed two different countries.
3
Trump, this man who couldn't find Turkey and Syria on a map of the Mideast, is running American foreign policy by whim and caprice.
At this point, it ought to be clear to even Trump's most ardent supporters that he is not fit to be president; and for the good of not only the U.S. but also for the good of our allies––indeed, for the good of the world, he should be sent into golf exile.
I hold Senate Republicans responsible for shoring up the political flanks of this reality TV tycoon-cum-fake president.
By continuing to support Trump in the face of his lies, crimes and astonishing incompetence, they're writing their own political obituaries.
1
The policy is to get out of the Middle East.
1
The Democratic reaction to this story is Trump derangement syndrome in action. Most Democrats before 2016 had learned the hard lesson about the Middle East: stay out of military conflict there.
The establishment reacts in horror every time Trump tries to extricate our forces form the region. I am not personally a supporter of the President. But on the Middle East he is more right than wrong. We need to get out. There is no American solution to the problems there.
The architects of the Iraq War dreamed of a permanent military occupation of the Middle East. Trump is challenging that goal: and he is right to challenge it.
The alternative is making the Kurds a US protectorate.
1
Yes, such as South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Iran, most of Europe, and so forth. Want to pull all of those troops out too? Bottom line, we put troops where needed as a trip wire and, in the case of the Mid East, where we must counter local religious crazies like ISIS. Better to fight them there than here. The vast majority of countries we now protect have not sacrificed as much as the Kurds on our behalf. Don’t hand them over to Islamist Fascist Erdogan. The man is as bad as Trump. Trumps idiotic behavior is a sign of mental instability and criminal naïveté. Some commander who does not consult with his military experts. How any sentient person can still support this embarrassment of a president is beyond me, no matter where party affiliations lay.
Maybe he does, if you consider throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks "foreign policy."
Isn't this the definition of a man unfit to represent the most powerful nation in the world? A psychotic narcissist who endangers allies of the US and thus the US itself cannot be allowed to lead.
This is why there is the impeachment clause--to get rid of tyrants and those who should not be empowered. The legal language of high crimes and misdemeanors is a sop to finding an official way, that was not a coup, to oust an incompetent president.
The republicans who cower behind the unproven "influence" or quid pro quo, have lost sight of the need to be able to change the leadership outside of an election as the most basic necessity for the survival of our democracy.
The man is a child. Because of phone call with the leader of Turkey, Trump will allow the murder of our allies. He had the nerve to use the word "tribal".........AAAGGGGGHHHHH.
Impeach now.
2
Anyone who says things like “I, in my great and unmatched wisdom” belongs in a mental hospital not in the White House.
4
I'm certain Trump didn't know that his signal to the Turks was an ok to slaughter.
Yes, slaughter.
The mostly Sunnie population of Turkey absolutely despises the Kurds. If they're allowed to invade Syria, they're creat an absolute slaughter. No doubt whatsoever.
His recent ok to the Turks was an indication he's clueless on foreign policy, and it's an indication to the world that the US is vulnerable. We're kind of headless in foreign affairs.
It is what it is.
When an imbalanced, poorly educated, incurious, attention-starved, easy-manipulated grifter and proud ignoramus rigs himself into office, one shouldn't be too surprised to see his magnificent Know Nothingness on full public display for all the world to admire in absolute horror.
Heckuva' GOP.
You built this Frankenstein.
4
Trump has NO "policy" about Syria! Just like he and his gang have NO policy about North Korea, China, or Europe!
And as an willful ignoramus, he doesn't care to even try to formulate any policy!
Making policy requires rational thinking, planning, and knowledge -- NON of which Trump is willing or able to do!
He has become like some cartoon megalomaniacal dictator out of a dark comedy or a comic book. It's THAT bad!
2
"Does Donald Trump Know What His Syria Policy Is?"
You've got to be joking. The answer is no--and every person on the Times Editorial Board knows it. The President of the United States is unfit for the office and mentally unwell, and the American media keeps tap dancing around those horrifying facts. You ask ridiculous questions like the one in this headline, knowing full well that this country is in dire jeopardy. As for the poor Kurds--God help them.
Yes, the GOP deserves to have blame heaped upon them for letting this monster go unchecked. But the media should share the shame. Every single one of you can see that this country is in the hands of a madman, and you're still talking about his "Syria Policy." So much for the Fourth Estate.
1
Your headline is a rhetorical and possibly stupid question. Of course Trump knows nothing about Syria policy or any other policy foreign or domestic. He flies by the seat of his pants and makes decision based on his own best interests--which is what we have here. Of course, we don't know just what Trump's self interests are here, but Russia, Turkey, and Iran are involved so we can guess. This decision puts thousands of lives on the line--most of them Kurds, the allies who have helped us defeat Isis. And perhaps gives Isis a chance to reestablish its presence in the region. I don't think I could see a more shameful and self-serving situation than Trump has created here. Your editorial should have been harder on him, but as usual, the New York Times goes easy on Trump--as do too many in the media.
2
Thanks heavens for Trump reminding us of his "great and unmatched wisdom" on this matter! But seriously, the man is just a silly, strutting peacock and should be treated as such. Enough of all the liberal media's wailing and gnashing of teeth about his incessant outrages. Like all bullies, Donald likes nothing better than provoking that sort of reaction. What he can't stand is people just treating him as a joke.
Regrettably, the call from Erdogan came through when Trump was lounging up in the Lincoln bedroom listening to Melania read nursery rhymes to their young son Barron. Melania was in the middle of "Little Miss Muffet" and had just read the words "curds and whey" when the phone suddenly rang.
Regrettably, Trump mistakenly thought she had said "Kurds in way" and began riffing on the theme with Erdogan. Well, one thing led to another, and pretty soon American troops were on their way out of Syria.
Fortunately, Trump's "great and unmatched wisdom," aided of course by his unparalleled capacity for lying, should allow him to walk this one part way back. At least to the point where nobody is quite sure what he means, which is normally the best you can hope for. If he needs further assistance, Rudy is always available night or day to help sort out sticky foreign policy issues. Call any time. But no text messages, please.
1
The answer to such query is no, he does not, but Putin knows best and Trump is Putin's man!
The answer to such query is no, he does not, but Putin knows best and Trump is Putin's man!
Maybe even the Repubs will now recognize that there is a downside to ignorance.
1
Trump’s Syria policy “is what’s is good for Trump Towers Turkey is good for me”.
1