We will learn how "relevant" Lindsey Graham really can be in the face of Trump's unsupported claim that his action makes us safer.
3
This is not the first betrayal of the Kurds by the US. During the Iraq War, they were promised an autonomous enclave in northwestern Iraq. That didn't happen. During the fight against ISIS they were promised the same in the northeastern corner of Syria. That didn't happen either. This time the US just walked away and told them they were on their own. Trump is not the only US president with blood on his hands.
7
Pulling 1000 soldiers out of northern Syria was shortsighted to say the least. However, for the last decade, the NYTimes and readers here have demanded we leave the middle east. Seems progressives do not really know what they want, except to remove Trump.
Now, which is it folks? Stay and fight until....? Withdraw and leave the area to it's own future? Work with the UN and Nato (laughable, but could try).
I was never a fan of going into Iraq; dumbest thing ever. However, once there, we have some responsibility at least to our allies that fought ISIS. That means the Kurds. It was irresponsible at best to demand we pull out of the Middle East, but it was what you asked for, right?
4
Is the President prepared to take in waves of Kurdish asylum seekers who, having been betrayed have nowhere else to flee?
6
I'm am heartsick over what we've done to the Kurds and over how much less safe we, and the rest of the world, are today than we were 4 days ago. So much for the rhetorical question how much damage could Trump really do. WWIII?
3
"Expedience strikes again..."
2
It has become clear to me over the Trump years that the presidency has too much power vested in it. All it took was one calculating liar to take over and start moving the military around for his personal chess game pleasure. He did this without consulting Congress, and there must be far stricter laws put in place to prevent another cheap no-class wannabe dictator from doing something like this ever again. Germany reaped the whirlwind when the world took it to task for the Holocaust, and so will we face a judgment day. Enough of this man and his lackey followers who place a higher value on rallies of flag-waving, cheering for innocent people to be accused of crimes, and thousands of lies, than on true liberty and the Constitution. They are the anti-Americans, and it is they who have handed Trump his power, and it is they who are bringing the world's judgment down on us.
9
Russia says thank you Trump ... wonder what the Saudis and Israel think!
7
The Kurds want territory for doing America’s bidding against ISIS. And the anti-Trump crowd is with them. Because they hate America First, anti-Trumpsters deign to reward the Kurds with Syrian land. America has no right to dispose of land in the Mideast. Those who think they have that right are imperialists bound to incite hatred toward America. Opposition to Trump is not a license to step on the territorial rights of Arabs for the benefit of our Kurdish allies.
Anti-Trumpsters hate ISIS and the Turks. Good for them as long as they play by the rules. Clearly there are many aspiring rule-breakers foolishly motivated by hatred of Trump and Erdogan. And if they have their way, they will cause us great harm.
4
DJT is ending this mindless war and that was his declared Mission. Great job.
3
I find it interesting that some of the highly educated have commented that Trump "abandoned" the Kurds kowing that they would join forces with Russia backed Syrian forces, those loyal to Assad. Trump cut the Kurds off because they were becoming a drag on US resources. And you know what, I think it is a good thing that the Kurds are joining forces with the Russian backed forces because maybe they win Syria back for Assad. At least Syria lived in peace before the so-called "Arab Spring" inspired revolution against Assad. The Obama inspired Arab Spring might have toppled governments across Northern Africa but when Syrians tried it failed. It is my hope that the Middle East returns to normal but it probably won't. In the meantime, let's here in America focus on Making America Great Again, Keeping America Great, and keeping America first, and never allowing it to become last as under the previous administration. Thank you.
9
Thank you for clarifying that we can add ISIS to the violent terrorist groups like neo-Nazis and domestic anti-government militias that Trump supporters enable, empower and agree with.
12
It was Syria to begin with. So why should the Kurds be handed oil lands except that somebody wanted to make a deal with them to get the oil. And maybe some pipeline routes that their sponsors were trying to get all along with this expensive and foolish war against Syria.
There are people in the United States who would like to rip off pieces to create their own countries. We don't say that that's okay. We had a civil war about that.
11
@Analyst
Sometimes reading about history is pretty revolutionary, when it comes to trying to understand the stupidity of a war and peace decision.
After the West started WWI, it decided to break up the Middle East into separate countries, the goal being precisely to be able to have as much influence on their governments as possible, and that was necessary to steal as much cheap oil as possible.
So we decided to split up the Kurds into four different countries.
And then, each time that we have trouble with one of the dictators we put in place and send tons of military aid to, we ask the Kurds to fight back against them, vaguely promising that we'll support their desire to have their own country.
One of those wars has been the Iraq war (condemned by the entire world, but launched by a US GOP president anyhow, after he decided to spread fake news about that country's WMM). There, we've allowed tens of thousands of Al Qaeda militants to enter the country, and then we've allowed former Iraqi generals to create ISIS, which once again tried to chase Kurds from the places they had been living for centuries, including inside Iraq.
And when the Syrian government was totally overwhelmed by ISIS, the Kurds stood up, and defended big chunks of the country, effectively defeating ISIS.
Finally, Syria is in a coalition with Iran and Russia, remember? And those are two official US enemies, trying to take over the entire region...
8
If recruiting fighters for Russia is not both impeachable and Treason, nothing is.
This has gone into WW territory.
5
Trump has unwittingly pitted NATO (Turkey) against Russia (with Syria, the Kurds and Iran). The coup to remove Assad that the CIA started in 2011 has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees. It also led to the destruction of large parts of Iraq and Syria and gave us ISIS which aligns with Turkey...... There is no way that this will have a happy ending.
2
This was not an attempt by Turkey to repel the Kurds, it was an attempt to repel the US from Syria, and it worked. Erdogan, Rouhani and Putin just met recently for a trilateral summit.
4
At what point was the Syrian government going to assume the responsibilities held by the US troops?
We seem to have lost any sense of objective.
I don't think the US should get involved in the internal issues in Syria, heinous as they have been, and we definitely should have insisted on better from the Syrian government. Instead our troops got put in the way of ISIS and clearly the Syrian government does not seem to care about that in their quest to perpetrate genocide on half their country.
Leave them to their own devices.
3
Trump pull American forces out of Northern Syria t get us out of endless Middle Eastern wars, then sends 1500 American " mercenaries " into his business partners in Saudi Arabia who are engaged in a cold war with Iran and a hot war with Yemen just to please the Saudis because they expected us to attack Iran after they attacked an oil installation. So that's the American foreign policy. Welcome to Trump world.
2
If only we had a statesman as POTUS. Instead of chaos and recriminations we could have reconstructed the Kurdish region, provided a state, as was done with Israel in 1948 for these people: and then given a region-wide effort, supported by the UN done what as with the defeated Nazis in 1945, which was to create a liberal democracy.
Tragically, at this time when statecraft if vitally needed, The most powerful country in the world, the one that spearheaded the United Nations is lead by one for whom such a project is impossible, as it would mean acknowledging other than his possession of "great and unmatched wisdom."
If he did possess this, he certainly could create a peaceful bountiful world that would meet the ideals of a "United Nations" Woodrow Wilson made the attempt, but the challenge was too great for a mere mortal. FDR got a bit further, with the structure of such a world organization. Progress has been made, even so far as an international criminal court (that the US didn't join)
Trump announced the end of such an effort to the UN last month, proclaiming that national patriotism had replaced the international effort of defining common values. Chaos, sadly is the default state of human groups-structures-nations. We may fall further than before WWI to the era previous to the long age of reason.
Trump's rallies have the form and tone of revival meetings, with he being the image of God Almighty. His opponents haven't begun to define the core of the decay.
2
I see a lot of hand wringing about a lot of different aspects of this, but everyone seems to be ignoring the Occam's Razor view of why Trump is doing this: he is clearing the way for Russia to continue its march to greater world power. Russia (Putin) is the one that benefits most by Trump's new "policy", and Trump has shown time and time again that anything he has the power to do when the situation involves Russia, he will do for its benefit.
Trump continues to play the media like a Stradivarius, which is really his only great skill. Similarly with the whole Ukraine-Biden thing: he knows that, as with Hillary Clinton, he doesn't need an investigation to actually turn up wrongdoing. Just the fact of an investigation is enough to slime the target. The media keeps talking about it, way overblowing the bad optics of Hunter Biden's situation, and the core problem - Trump family conflicts orders of magnitude greater than Biden's - gets ignored or drowned out.
Do we know that all this stuff resulting in the US betraying the Kurds wasn't planned with Putin in one of Trump's unknown-content discussions with him? Or that Do we trust that it wasn't? Really? Or that Erdoğan, in his call to Trump, didn't point out how abandoning the Kurds went to Putin's benefit?
And it's not that Trump gets played. Trump's goal - self-aggrandizement and the personal financial benefit - always succeeds. He cares nothing about America per se beyond how it can benefit Trump.
4
If Erdogan asks for help fighting Assad and the Kurds now aligned with him, the US will be forced to support him, thanks to NATO's pact of mutual assistance. So US the will be killing our most trusted ally in the middle east -- up until last week.
Of course, the stable genius, in his unmatched wisdom, must have foreseen this. I have to admit it's fiendishly clever -- get us into a war to distract from his impeachment.
2
Really? This is a surprise worthy of headlines? What the heck did Trump think was going to happen? The Kurds are in an existential battle for their lives... and we abandoned him.
Yes, WE did. Elections have consequences.
Any half-intelligent American would have taken into account all the alternatives (including getting advice from the Pentagon and the State Dept... oops, I forgot, Trump is the de facto Dept of State now) and discussing this with our European allies before pulling out overnight leaving not only our Kurd friends and allies open to slaughter, but our own remaining troops.
Turkey needs to be removed from NATO as it has chosen for itself, once again, to be an ally of our enemies. And the turkey in the Oval Office needs to be removed as he has chosen, once again, for some foreign (or perhaps personal) interests rather than those of our nation and our people - including our military in the field.
1
The US armed the Kurds with the best weapons, but combat boots would've come in handy too.
I can't really add anything more to facts of this catastrophe. However, it bodes the question: What will be Trump's excuse be when even ONE Isis orchestrated terrorist attack strikes in Europe or even America? An attack that could be supported by our former allies the Kurds with help of our foes in the Assad regime. Trump's foreign policy decisions (dictated by Putin) is creating chaos, death and destruction and is making the world a more dangerous place! And what will the Trump loyalist's response be as more innocent people die? "He was just kidding."
1
Iran would never be a supporter of Syria but for American stupidity to trying to starve the Iranian nation and advocating for regime change. Does America like ‘Russian interference’ in America or American Elections? Does Iran have the right to tell America to destroy its 11 fleets, 10 Airforces and 8 Armies? If not, then America has no right to tell Iran not to develop Nuclear Bombs and delivery system for them.
If America NEED allies, smaller nations like Iran also need ALLIES. The alliance between Iran and Syria is because of shared fear of AMERICA.
What America needs is ZERO spending on DEFENCE CONTRACTS, for the next 50 years. It is the American Defense contractors that push the American Policies to SELECT/CHOOSE/APPOINT ENEMIES.
Iran is the most civilized nation in the world. America is on its way becoming a pariah nation.
1
I have always been a supporter of Assad. As a Christian, I am disgusted that the US and the so called allies (western Europeans) abandoned Christians in the birthplace of Christ, the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands have left ancestral lands in Iraq and Syria where they had been living peacefully within Muslim majorities for eons. We abandoned them and chose to side with the Devil against secular autocrats who preserved an uneasy peace. Assad and his Baath party, as Saddam in Iraq, had protected Christians only to be vilified by the Mass Media and henchmen,and women, in successive useless and ignorant governments.
1
States does not build their relationships upon good intentions like humans. They build their relationships and alliances upon common interests.
For example, UK. They see no benefit staying in EU any further. So decided to get out. Kurds, they understand no support coming from US, they say, let's have a talk with Assad. You can not expect governments to behave like ordinary people, it has no place in international relations. Sorry, this is the world you live in. Like it, or not.
Some may say innocents are dying. Hey! In Africa most people still do not have access to clean drinking water, they are hungry. They really are starving to death as we speak. I'm done with Europe's and USA's nonsense and people's fake crying. I am not sorry for Middle Eastern people, they invite the world to their lands and they all know what's coming to them.
The history constantly repeats itself over and over again but people are still learn literally nothing. Keep going.
One woman’s opinion:
Here we are - these United States, stuck and staggering along with a barely-vetted liar of willful ignorance, deficient mind, and disgraceful character in the Oval Office.
A POTUS should put country before self. Yet there is nothing in his history to indicate that Trump has at any time put anything before himself. Rather, his life illustrates how it is his nature to pursue his self-interest, with all else moot.
And now, with his latest transgressive act, Trump shows himself worthy of the slur “Savior of ISIS and Betrayer of Allies.” Is it wrong to think of his helping ISIS, Assad, Putin - while leaving our allies, the Kurds, to their desperate fate - as a heinous betrayal? HOW can this be considered as anything other than yet one more feckless blow to our national security? How can our allies trust us, a nation now collectively bone-spurred by this man, in future? How can WE trust this man, given his nature?
Trump should thank his lucky stars that, as a civilian, he is not subject to court martial for this latest of his blows to our allies and our country’s interests. And no less should ALL of us thank the U.S. constitution, which protects us from the fatal precedent of a military coup.
Rather, the constitution gives us impeachment - a process FULLY under the control of the legislative branch, with the executive powerless to impede - to investigate, to try, and to remove a POTUS should it be warranted.
Legislators: investigate. DO YOUR DUTY.
3
I can hardly blame the Kurds. Among his long list of evil qualities, Trump is a false friend. He has disgraced our country for years to come as have his loyal supporters. Can we not put an end to this nightmare either by throwing him out of office by impeachment or election?
2
We have the "Apprentice" sitting in the President's chair.
2
Trumps foreign policy by "the last phone call received" has deeply destabilized the Middle East and all our alliances with allies. Republican Party, Where now is the your braying of "allegiance to allies"and "conservative" principles now? In the sewer with the rest of your abandoned formerly touted values, such as family values, balanced budgets, personal responsibiity,and therule of law.
Republicans have truly become anarchists led by their utter abandonment of any concern for the welfare of United States of America or it's citizens.Shameful, cowardly, and degenerate are words that come to mind.
3
Syria like Iraq and Lebanon is a post Ottoman Empire creation born out of the spoils of WW I & the fallout of WWII after which the French Empire collapsed. Within the post-colonial boundaries mandates became states without regard for the homogeneity of the population and a 1000 years or more or religious, ethnic, tribal & clan blood feuds. Turkey has a centuries old tradition of genocide (most recently put on display in the murder of 2 million Armenians, 1 million Greeks and 600,000 Assyrians from 1890 to 1922 during the so-called Turkification of Anatolia) and Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 and cleansed norther Cyprus of Greeks. The Middle East is like Yugoslavia under Tito, the only thing which keeps the peace are strong central governments usually run by despots. Outside of Israel and a few Gulf States, there are no modern economies or institutional restraints on mass violence and this will not change unless and until the US exerts leadership to keep a lid on violence and imposes order. Like it or not, without the US as the World's policeman, the World is 1 second away from World War III. And with the proliferation of WMD, it is becoming ever more likely that wars of annihilation run the risk of escalating uncontrollably. Throw an incompetent and mentally unstable into this mix with dubious motivations and zero understanding of the consequences associated with flippant and impulsive decisions and you get this. This is the result of a bad POTUS.
1
Who can blame them? Better deal by far for them than our Dealmaker in Chief offered them.
2020 can't come soon enough - unless Reps do their job and get this embarrassment of a president out of office.
2
the Kurds were never at war with the Syrian government. That's nonsense
This is what comes of handing over the reins to a profiteering huckster.
1
So. All the service people who have been in Syria for the last few years were fighting a "stupid" war? Did those who died die "stupidly?" Trump said it was time to get out of this "risky" war. I presume he is looking around for a safe war somewhere? Having dodged military service when his time came, he has no innate respect for the military. This is a scary trait in a Commander in Chief.
2
Meanwhile, while the Kurds are being slaughtered because of Trump's actions, he is twittering away about some rubbish dance show on TV.
1
That's going to leave a mark.
The Atlantic published their interview of top active duty and retired officers about DJT as a Commander-in-Chief.
They also rip fellow general officers McMaster, who was STILL an active duty 3 star Army General, as National Security Advisor; 4 star general officers are subject to the NSA and it does NOT sit well to have a 3 star telling 4 stars what to do! Flynn who led the RNC in “Lock ‘er up!” now is in prison for fraud and lying about ties to Russia, John Kelly who gave up all pretense of being a 4 star Marine General by submitting to Trump’s orders with barely any pushback to a Commander-in-Chief who had ZERO military experience. And Mattis sold his soul!
Those interviewed gave the top five characteristics that a C-in-C must have and how Trump fails miserably at every turn. They note that even as disparate as Obama and Bush43 were they still read daily briefings and LISTENED to actual discussions with experts.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/11/military-officers-trump/598360/
It’s a top notch read!
2
Why are we dithering about Trump? He's not stupid, he's not indecisive, he's not foolish or impulsive, he's an intelligent, deliberate, decisive TRAITOR! He knows exactly who he's working for and it's not America and the American people. Years ago John Dean told about "a cancer on the Presidency." He was talking about Richard Nixon's presidency, but I think what we had with Nixon was a tumor. The real cancer is now!
1
"In (his) great and infinite wisdom" , wait till Trump pulls our troops from S Korea and Germany.
We can expect Saudi Arabia, Russia and North Korea to be very active in their next election. That would be our 2020 presidential election.
12
When do we begin to see an outline
of WW III? Consider the vast geography, the number of armies, the competing ideologies , the religious hatreds, the huge level of armament and the covetted natural resources.
8
A few years ago conservatives were wearing tee shirts having a picture of the American flag and the slogan, “These colors don’t run.”
Sorry folks, your President just took the flag and ran.
17
@A Bierce
The US has no right to be in Syria.
Trump campaigned on "bringing the troops home".
Turkey has been threatening this action since the US went into Syria and was using the Kurds as their "mercenaries".
The US way of fighting now, sweet talks local forces into being ground troops to fight for whatever the US declares its national interest to be, regime change, a pipeline route, whatever...
Cheers to the Kurds for resolving issues with their government.
Cheers to Trump for trying to get the troops out of Syria, though the military resisted and stalled, while Turkey continually told the US it was going to use its military to keep the Syrian Kurds away from its border.
The military had plenty of time to move the troops in a dignified manner.
4
The vast majority of State Dept professionals, career non-partisans, analysts and foreign policy experts all agree that Trump’s recent impulsive Syrian policy turn-around is an stunning miscalculation, an unmitigated disaster, and it helps, more than anyone else including the US, Iran and Russia. In fact, it’s very hard to find any foreign policy initiatives coming from Trump that don’t directly benefit Russian interests. Why do you suppose that is the case? And it most certainly is the case, time after time.
10
@John Lewis
The vast majority of State Department professionals believe in US dominance and regime change for any country supporting their national interest, rather than being submissive to the US.
The US has absolutely nothing to fear from Russia, except that Russia will not be submissive to US dominance.
It was the US who ignored the agreement the GWHBush administration made with Gorbachev, to not move NATO one inch eastward if Gorbachev would remove hundreds of thousands of troops from East Germany and support reunification.
The Clinton administration gleefully began encouraging eastern European countries to join NATO.
If you know Russia's history, you know that Russia has always been vulnerable to invasion from the east, and does not want US bases in Ukraine and Georgia, much like the US does not want Russian bases in Cuba or Mexico.
We could all get along.
Trump has some good ideas, and lots of guts and audacity to go against the Establishment, Foreign Policy Elite and the Military Industrial Complex.
1
Brilliant, Mr. Trump. You are finally on your way to accomplishing your goal to make the US impotent abroad and broke and deeply divided and ungovernable at home. I don't know what motivates you whether you are acting at the direction of your hero Putin or it stems from you own hatred of the "Establishment" that rejected you while welcoming that Kenyan Socialists or mostly likely a combination of the two. But its working.
Your endless trade wars and tariffs are harming the manufacturing sectors and the stupid farmers who voted for you.
Now, you have demonstrated that you will betray anyone for Putin. You forced the Ukrainians to agree to partition their country and now you betrayed the Kurds who answered our call to rise up against Saddam Hussein in the First Gulf War and helped us in the Second and did the bulk of the fighting and dying in the struggle against ISIS. To survive they joined with the Assad government. Nicely done.
After your next term ,you place in history as the man who single handedly destroyed the US will be insured.
19
We can all only hope that there will be another patriotic whistle-blower leaking the content of the telephone call between Erdogan and Trump, and finding out who initiated it in the first place.
The whole matter seems more like a quid pro quo for none other than Russia, with a most ironic side effect of Iran as well.
10
What did Trump get out of his bargain with Erdogan? Another hotel deal??
8
?! Had the WB not come forth, what would trump get from talking with the new President of Ukraine? Think about your comment in that context. OBTW, wasn't it trump who asked why don't we just take the oil fields?
1
The leaders are inept and my heart goes out to the young men on all sides asked to fight these senseless battles. Put down your weapons and learn to live in peace.
8
@Rebecca 1048
3,000 troops sent to Saudi Arabia to protect Crown Prince Bone-Saw
3
and trump throws yet another ally under the bus to satisfy his base, bolster his re election chances and destroy americas' leadership role in the world. this could not have gone any better for putin if he had planned it himself. decades of pain and sacrifice gone up in smoke in one week due to his "unmatched wisdom".
10
@Steve
I think we lost our leadership role when quit taking care of our own people.
Our intervention is what started all this and now that ISIS is mostly defeated we should leave. The Kurds should ally with Assad to create stability in the region. We may not like Assad but our intervention arming the groups opposed to him created the disastrous civil war. He may be a monster but the groups vying to take control are radical Islamist and for the average woman will be worse anyway covered head-to-toe in black and having no freedoms. Under Assad women in Syria could work as doctors, lawyers and university professors. How has our interventions worked in other areas of the Arab Spring for women? I think a helping hand to defeat the monsters of ISIS was necessary but now is time to let things play out organically even if the result is not exactly the one we want.
6
@Allright
ISIS is resurging even as you write your comment.
Trump sends 3,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to protect Crown Prince Bone-Saw
Working out very well for Putin and Prince MSB. A good investment by Putin and the Saudis.
Trump is compromised
Trump is a threat to our democracy
Trump is a threat to our national security
3
Once Trump is gone from the White House, it’s time for Congress to take a big step back and figure out ways to curb executive branch power. We’re all waking up to just how much our system relied on tradition rather than laws to function, how much we assumed the role of president would be reigned in by even a modicum of conscience and duty.
14
Is there still such a thing as international Law? America was in Syria against the will of the government of that sovereign country. That means America was there in violation of international Law.
12
This abandonment of allies to slaughter is the lowest of the low. Who will trust us again? We must know whether some deal related to the Trump Towers Istanbul was involved. Did Putin influence him? Meanwhile he played golf. Impeach, remove, indict!
9
The betrayal of the Kurds is owned by Donald Trump and the Republican Party leadership. Any strengthening of ISIS and its renewed ability to commit terrorist operations is owned by Donald Trump and the Republican Party leadership. Any advancing of Russian and Iranian interests in the Middle East is owned by Donald Trump and the Republican Party leadership. Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Kevin McCarthy, you and all your pals in the Republican Party leadership sold out America, its allies and its interests, all to keep Donald Trump in power, re-elect him as President and reap the spoils of all this for your own personal gains. History will remember you for this and your consciences will never let you forget this. All of you should never be in the same room with or anywhere near the American flag.
17
Excuse my sarcasm! But Trump’s withdrawal of American troops in northern Syria seems to trigger political criticism of the absurd. So what if ISIS was not consulted. So what if ISIS has no right to be defeated to justify our troop presence in Syria. What good are our troop bases in Syria if there is no more enemy to fight? Poor critics of the Trump troop withdrawal!
Now some Congressional districts may lose Pentagon funding in their military training facilities and troop reductions. Oh, what a shame! There’s got to be a way of grabbing that lost Syrian troop withdrawal money for the district.
5
You have to ask, "What in the world was Trump thinking?"
Don't ask. Thinking isn't one of his leadership qualities.
9
"Kurdish forces long allied with the United States in Syria announced a new deal on Sunday with the government in Damascus, "
The Kurds in Syria have aligned themselves with the legitimate government in Syria, the country in which they live.
The NYT and many commenters are against that because Damascus is allied with Moscow?
Hey, the 80s (as well as the 50s, 60s and 70s) called - they want their foreign policy back.
8
Either the great mind ,Trump, did not see this coming or it has all been planned by Putin and Trump is following orders.
Maybe Trump's base will finally wake up to what they elected and get this excuse for a human being out of office.
11
Now that Trump caused our ex allies to fight with the Russian backed forces if the GOP get us in any more conflicts with them bring back the draft and force the Republican sons and daughters into the fight . No more taking the cowards way out and going to college. I am a retired Army veteran and if i can do my time it was tough so should the rich kids. We will need all the bodies we can get since Trump chased the Kurds away ,our allies see the GOP can’t be trusted. Very sad state of affairs Trump caused.
11
The bitterly ironic implications of Trump's impulsive decision to betray the Kurds is that we will now have to guard all our borders, ports, and airports from vengeful ISIS escapees. We return to our vulnerable situation on 9/12/2001, except now we have no right to expect the aid of allies.
8
Ain Issa wasn't protected as believed, the Autonomous Kurdistan province in IRAQ is claimed by Assyrians as a national homeland, and whatever thinking led to the slicing and dicing of Armenia, the only Christian county in the Middle East at the end of WWI baffles me as to military strategy.
Instead of Supporting Armenia, we cut it to bits and gave it to IRAQ and TURKEY leading directly to the genocide of the Kurds. Why does capitalism hide its evil under geopolitical borders that mean only genocide?
6
I guess the great majority of Republicans find this A-OK as long as they can have guns in schools, unqualified right - wing ideologues on the Federal bench, and abortions done in back alleys with unsterile knitting needles. And tax cuts that worsen the national debt and aggravate income inequality. Oh yes, and denial of climate change while wildfires rage and towns are flooded.
Way to go, GOP.
Rob Portman, Susan Collins, Cory Gardner? There are no moderate Republicans any more. Mitt Romney? “Concerned” doesn’t cut it. Speak out. If a guy as rich and well-connected as you can’t acknowledge reality the moral bankruptcy of your party is complete.
This former Republican will now vote only for Democrats. What’s going on now frightens me much more than the boogie man of “socialism” that would be called centrist in Germany or the U.K.
20
I do not believe trump planned anything here. He was led. There is money in it for him and senseless slaughter is not on his mind. We have got big problems and now that ISIS has been resurrected, I suggest he get his bone spurs taken care and is sent onto the battlefield to 'bear witness' as one of his faithful might say. Taking phone calls from dictators while riding around on a golf cart he bills us for isn't working. And don't forget, he is renting out our soldiers to his Saudi prince buddy while Erik Prince cheers him on and cash flows into their coffers.
15
If Trump's foreign policy continues, the US may end up just like North Korea: No friends.
10
Looks like Trump is the “founder of Isis” and not Obama, as Trump likes to say.
As long as Trump one ups President Obama, it doesn’t matter what he destroys.
I am not a military general or an international lawyer, just a horrified person watching the carnage unfold as it affects the Kurds.
In my opinion, Trump is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
22
Let's be quite clear, the Kurds were thrown overboard via Presidential Action (Tweet), ie, TRUMP.
The domestic military-political elders were (mostly) aghast at his action.
Moscow Mitch and his 52 Minions in the Senate are "Equally Culpable" for their absolute FAILURE to reign in the walking disaster (for ordinary Americans and the World) Trump has been.
21
What will the US due if Syria attacks Turkish forces?
President Trump says that he want to get out of the Middle East to not be part of the “endless wars”. But the US and Turkey are NATO allies. Will President Trump honor the US NATO commitments? President Trump has previously demonstrated that honor is not high on his priority list.
7
While I was reading the seminal "Second World War" by Martin Gilbert, I learned that we had abandoned our battle proven ally, the Kurds and that Turkey was killing Kurdish civilians and soldiers. The similarity between the murder of polish civilians -- especially Jewish Poles -- in September 1939 and the murder of Kurdish civilians in 2019 seems so great that it is impossible to ignore. To be sure they are different in scope but they are similar in kind. Donald Trump conspired with Erdugon to create the situation that makes these Turkish murders of civilians possible and he should be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to answer for this heinous war crime.
14
Republicans have betrayed America. New wars, labor strikes, allies going to our enemies for aid, economic slowdown, a criminal President, mass shootings every month, farmers going bankrupt, borders in crisis. We were in great shape until the Republicans took over. Now everything is a mess! The Republican Party defended Trump for their own selfish interests, but they should have defended the Nation and the Constitution. Republicans have a small window of time to do the right thing, will they choose good or evil?
14
Trump is very good as a wrecker and a breaker up. He is hopeless as a builder. Destroying is where he is at. He makes no selection, except to favor Putin's interests. He needs to be deported to Moscow and exiled from the US. He can continue his schemes and money laundering from somewhere else. Of course,jail would be better.
12
This is a simple exchange of gifts to Putin from his boy in America, trump. At the same time it was part of the never-ending U.S. gift to the Military Industrial Industry to keep the money flowing to the republican party.
10
The Syrian Khurds, allied with the Syrian government to oust an invading force which broke international law by invading a foreign nation.
The Russians now take the fight, with the complete agreement of the government of that nation.
The Syrians, Russians, Khurds and the Turks all hate ISIS, and none of them will allow them safe passage or allow ISIS to regroup.
The ‘ISIS allies’ that escaped were women and children.
The Europeans will stop selling weapons to a nation that supposedly is on our side but then went and invaded a country they were not at war with, one in which we had allies.
Obama sent us to a war where we should never had been. He sent our forces to fight without Congress declaring war, and put US soldiers in harms way. The USA is pulling out of this, yet another endless conflict.
And now tell me how any of this is bad?
3
@AutumnLeaf Most of the ISIS women and children are still in those camps. Wake up and see that this President is acting like a gofor of Russia. Obama is long gone and it's just a smokescreen to even mention him in regard to what is happening now. Move on and give blame where it's due for this fiasco
@AutumnLeaf
Most of the ISIS women and children are still in those camps. Wake up and see that this President is acting like a gofor of Russia. Obama is long gone and it's just a smokescreen to even mention him in regard to what is happening now. Move on and give blame where it's due for this fiasco
And did Trump get Congressional permission to send troops to Saudi Arabia? No. That is definitely not our fight.
1
Trump has really messed up everything we know. We are in a very troubling situation. He has given rise to Russian aggression and destroyed our standing in the world. How can any of our allies trust us anymore? Please people, remove Trump from office, he is a danger to the world. He must go if we are ever able to at least try to repair the damage that he has done and I am wondering if we will be able to do that????
6
People are so bent on blaming Trump that they have lost their moral compasses. Kurdish prisons and detention centers are hellholes in flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention. Kurds have tortured and killed dozens of ISIS soldiers in the prisons. Detention of family members — who are virtually all innocent women and children — in inhumane centers is a flagrant war crime.
The US has long known of these atrocities. Congress has provided that not a penny of Kurdish aid go to the maintenance of these horrible prisons and detention centers. Escapes from flagrantly illegal, immoral and unethical killing, torture and civilian holding cells are now being viewed as horrible consequences of Trump policies. Americans want the escapees rounded up and returned.
Americans are siding with Kurdish war criminals that we have long condemned, all in an effort to make Trump look bad. In the annals of history, those aligning with war criminals will be judged harshly.
3
@michjas Two words michjas, "Guantamano Bay".
@michjas
Saudi Arabian prisons are MUCH worse than that, and yet we support their government.
And I hope you realize that the political party that reinstalled the torturing of US prisoners, against the Geneva Convention, is NOT betraying the Kurds here because of how they treat their prisoners ... ?
Trump did not extricate US troops from northern Syria at all. Trump moved American troops out of the Turkish path, relocating them IN Syria. Did anyone attend any parades or report on any troops home from Syria? Did it ever occur the NYT to ask by what international law are American troops in Syria? Were they invited by the Syrian state? No. They invited themselves to illegally overthrow the Syrian state. Did they have the OK from the UN Security Council to move into Syria? No. They are troops illegally occupying a sovereign country. And if Trump HAD extricated all American troops illegally occupying Syria, you would condemn this US action of peace? If you're not for peace in Syria, not for peace FOR Syrians, how can we take your moral indignation with regard to Kurds seriously?
4
I am actually quite surprised at the majority of the comments below. This is not Trump's fault, but the fault of the Republican party. Trump does not make these decisions on his own, and anyone who believes he does, needs to look not only at our President, but at his cabinet and truly dig deep to see who his advisers are and who is pulling this insane puppet called "The Donald." Thankfully, many in the GOP are now decrying this heinous action against our allies and seeing it for what it really is...a push for Russia to gain even more control in the region.
3
Trump showed Erdogan that he, and under his leadership the United States, is but a paper tiger.
2
Can you please report more on the context in which this video was played? What exactly is a “meme exhibit?” Was this meme exhibit a somber collection meant to show how not to engage in public discourse, or was it a giddy celebration of symbolic assaults on those who dare to question Donald Trump? What else was shown at the exhibit?
1
No surprise. Putin gets Kurdish oil fields as a gift from Trump. Aso the Russian oil company that now controls oil fields in Iraq gets a pipeline to the Mediterranean.
4
Wait wait don't tell me -- Russia? Gee what a surprise...
... considering that with Trump as president, Russia is an ally and our NATO allies are our foes.
Trump and HIS allies in the Republican party should be run out on a rail.
3
American history should remember how the United States and Great Britains security services undermined the democratically elected government of Iran under Mohammed Mossadegh, installing the corrupt Shah of Iran. This was repeated in Guatemala when Jacobo Arbenz accused of being a communist was overthrown installing one of many dictatorships led by Generals who introduced corruption, brutality and the Death Squads.These betrayals have led to the growing instability world wide. Trump's abandonment of the Kurds is our most recent treachery.
2
Trump seems determined to do things that help Russia. He also does not like democracies. What is he doing here as president of the US? The only answer seems to be he is undermining democracy world wide. Is this destructive enough to do something about Trump ? It better be, and soon.
3
Is Donald Trump a Russian asset or agent? Everything he does seems to benefit Putin rather than U.S. interests or national security. He has lit the match to the middle east tinderbox and has made a terrible situation worse. I hope we can last til next year's election. Every day seems to bring on another disaster caused by our unstable genius.
2
Funny how this is another thing Trump has done benefiting his Russian friends. He seems to have quite a soft spot for them!
1
I hope that all those who didn't vote in 2020 because they believed the GOP's "crooked Hillary" propaganda, will now finally realize that the election was NOT about whether Hillary had as much charisma as the absolutely extraordinary and unique Barack Obama, but about the future of this country and the world.
Unilaterally withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal strengthens Iraq's fundamentalists a LOT. And now, the GOP is basically handing over Syria to Russia and Iran (= empowering both tremendously), all while losing the most important Western ally in the region, the Kurds, who will now, for the first time in decades and for perfectly understandable reasons, join the Syria-Russia-Iran block that is not only anti-US, but also anti-Israel.
The GOP (because let's abandon the absurd claim that this is Trump and not the GOP ... if they wanted to, they could have stopped Trump immediately) is not only making the US less safe, it's making the world less safe.
And THAT was what the 2016 election has been all about in the first place.
It's also why current discussions about Biden versus Warren are so utterly irrelevant. MUCH more is at stake than trying to see whether we'll already have Medicare for all before 2024 or whether it will have to be implemented in a more gradual way.
I hope that we'll end up with a Warren-Biden ticket (or Biden-Warren), and that the majority of ordinary citizens in the US will now finally take responsibility and VOTE.
4
@Ana Luisa
Ana, if Hillary had gotten elected we would already have gone to war with Russia. Already Hillary would be in her bunker and Vlad would be in his. Where would you be? You will never know just how big a bullet this country dodged when we didn't Anoint her. If you were shown proof that Hillary ordered the killing of Seth Rich would you think any differently of her? Or would you somehow explain it away like all of her other actions?
1
To all those who are angry towards Trump's action and alliances, there is this. To all those who hope Republicans will come to their senses, there is this. Trump is fulfilling his promise. Make America great again. If Trump can not be voted out of office, then evil has taken over, America.
3
I don't know much about the history of the Syrian civil war but it ceased to be a civil war years ago. It is an international conflict that is only going to worsen now that our balancing presence is gone. I just wonder how long it is going to take for Israel to become involved in this tragedy, either as our aggressive proxy or as a victim. This is very scary to me, much more significant than the resurgence of ISIS.
1
Did trumps great and unmatched wisdom consider this as a possible outcome! Making America great every day!
2
Question for everyone--why is it so difficult to stop this person from any more damage and potential danger? I was under the impression that this was a democracy founded on principles that I am having a hard time feeling lately. Especially, I do not understand how any American can clap, laugh, admire or support these outrages words and actions he displays at his rallies.
8
How do we do a mad rout out of there without losing troops, as asking from help from any of our former comrades is too ridiculous for words. As for other NATO forces in Syria, good luck to them.
Watch Turkey ask NATO for aid as Russian backed Syrians and former ISIS prisoners supported by Russian manned aircraft do serious damage to the Turkish armed forces.
The Kurds may yet get their Kurdistan carved out of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria.
Donald got his first war to help him get reelected. Next up Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea.
If pulling the troops worked so well in Syria, next up Korea!!!
What will happen to Incirlik Air Base?
No one is going to trust our word again. We abandon our allies after getting things done by them. We pull out of our agreements such as the Iran nuclear deal all the time. The world will think we cannot be trusted as friends again. That is sad and shortsighted.
6
In my opinion, real stable geniuses calmly reflect on options and their consequences along with consultations with expert others before choosing the path to follow.
This move, now in full execution, smacks of some hidious quick fire shallow reactions to improve ratings, with consequences which are likely to undo years of commitments and alliances, while reinforcing ISIS and Russian agendas by the looks of it.
More strategically minded other enemies will be licking their lips to see how they can benefit from such errors.
3
We should not have been there in Syria in the first place just as we should not have gone into Iraq. So Trump is doing the right thing.
Afghanistan was a different matter except we made the mistake of trying to nation-build. We should have taken the requisite actions to annihilate the Taliban and Al Qaeda. The Afghans did make it possible for the Al Qaeda to carry out 9/11.
What remains unanswered is why Pakistan has not been punished for being fully complicit in the pre-9/11 and post 9/11 events. It did shelter bin-Laden before Obama had him killed.
We broke the china in Iraq and now we own the broken china. We must stay there until Iraq becomes a prosperous secular democracy and if that means defanging Iran then so be it.
3
Short term thinking , again looks like it will lead to long term problems. A consistent , inconsistency that seems to be the Trump side effect. Great to have the troops come home . Now the poorly thought out, unilateral decision by our wayward leader will allow another dictator to survive and prosper over the wreckage of a country in Syria. And allow a resurgence of either an existing or new terrorist threat. How many troops...how much military will be required later to fix the issue then.
Trump is consistent in his lack of a coherent thought process to gain short term results that seem to occur more frequently when he is under pressure externally. This decision to abandon another ally must scare the rest of our global working partners . Why trust a country lead by an individual without principles , political sense, or consistently. The anger and projection he shows when he is under investigation...had now turned past drama to dangerous.
2
Putin's puppet does his bidding again. Is it any wonder why Russia wanted, and still wants, Trump in office. America is so much weaker because of this president...
18
IMAGINE! Just as DJT predicted, factions will realign in their own interests without the beneficent US to guide them.
Of course Assad and the SDF faction of the Kurds would make a deal. Their common enemy is the Turks! And this is in Iran's interest as well because the Turkish invasion of Syria threatens Iran's hold on Lebanon. And Russia gets to play matchmaker.
Apparently DJT is the only man in DC with common sense.
3
@Norman Rogers
The one thing you didn’t mention is the hundreds of isis fighters left behind and escaped to plot further attacks on American interests around the world.
DJT is completely lacking in any sense. People can spin this however they want but it’s a disaster in the fight against our sworn enemy, ISIS.
5
Republican lawmakers who enabled this presdient are responsible for this.Everything this presdient does benefits russia & weakens america. This is the direct results of a presdient who can only think of what benfits him, sad days for america & the world.
8
First of all, was the 2003 invasion worth the trouble? Second of all, how many Kurd's were killed by Syria? Third, will we be willing to try Trump once he is out of office for the deaths of children in cages and the death may others by his action?
10
The Russians win again! And that Crimea thing, it was no big deal. Remember no quid pro quo for Russian help in 2016, and complete exoneration!
14
The Kurds live in Syria. It is only natural that they should have a political relationship with the leader of that country, Assad.
2
btw, no one is giving him credit, but this is Trump's "unmatched wisdom" and "stable genius" that is now solving the Syrian conflict that has confounded everyone else over the last 8 years. He did after all promise he would bring peace to the Middle East (am sure Kushner has had a hand in there somewhere.)
1
@Venetia solving, by having our troops back down from fighting with our allies, our men and women fight with honor and dignity. Trumps umatched wisdom is based on a phone call , and soon after hanging up he made his decision, without talking to our Military leadership or the Pentagon. I have figured out a long time ago trump isnt the smartest person in any room, to include him alone in a room with nothing but rocks.
1
Turkey must be kicked out of NATO now! Immediately! NATO is a mutual protection pact, and if Turkey ends up getting attacked by anyone (including Russia) we are obligated to respond on their behalf. But we won’t (for obvious reasons)... which then renders NATO meaningless. Turkey must be kicked out of NATO to preserve NATO.
14
Donald Trump has finally closed a deal that no one else could: an alliance between the Kurds and , by proxy, the Russians.
5
What a disgrace! Trump finding common ground yet again with an autocrat: Erdogan, while betraying one of the strongest allies of the west in the middle east: the Kurds, with admirable democratic traditions and gender equality. People we have a lot of common ground with in the west.
Yet Trump allies himself with an Islamist. Perhaps not weird since he also aligns with the most extreme anti-democractic Islamists in the region, the wahabis in Saudi Arabia.
All because these guys know how to cater to Trump's enormous ego. Perhaps because they themselves are thin skinned big egos like Trump.
It doesn't seem to be about "make America great again!" but rather "make the islamic state great again."
11
@Erik E
Trump’s decision here is not about ego. He is doing this to pay off his debt to Russia.
Same reason he is sending 3,000 of our troops to Saudis Arabia to protect Crown Prince Bone-Saw. He and Jared owe them money.
Trump is compromised.
He is a threat to our national security.
1
As Trump's school records show, his policies extend from the premise that challenging authority is all that matters, especially the authority of memory, conscience, reason. Democracy serves reason, but for Trump, to be willing to serve reason is the tell-tale sign of weakness and is the only thing that authorizes defeat. Trump has insulted everyone who serves in the military and has just ignited the bombs of terrorism. Terrorism and Trumpism share a common bond: defeat reason.
13
I think by now, most individuals capable of thinking understand Trump is a complete idiot and has no understanding of anything remotely associated with being the leader of what was once the leading force on all fronts domestically and internationally.
The abandonment of the Kurds is a prime example of a juvenile playing one of the war games or fantasy football games. He has no actual understanding of what he is doing. He only understands, if that is possible, of what he "thinks or feels" at any given moment that he believes he is right.
I don't support impeachment or at least I didn't until now. As a conservative who has a fully functional brain and capable of rational and reasonable thought processes, his decision simple leaves me in bewilderment.
Not that other countries are not without clean hands but this betrayal is beyond the pale under any reasonable circumstances.
I heard time and time again how we needed a "businessman" in the White House. Well, the economy is booming and remaining steady and unemployment is at an all time low but at what cost and to what ends for anyone other then Trump?
I am now convinced that if not for opposition and the voting booth, Trump would gladly assume the official mantle of dictator and do away with his enemies, real or perceived.
For me to make such a comment is drastic but at some point even the small good things cannot justify Trump remaining in office any longer than necessary. Impeach now, not wait.
22
Actually, the Democratic and Republican politicians denouncing this betrayal might want to look at who Turkey is fighting along side of. The Arab fighters aligning with Turkey are of course militias once funded by the US government to overturn the Assad regime.
This is yet another example of the "chickens coming home to roost". The idea that Democratic leaders have been any more scrupulous than Republican ones in promoting "peace" or "democracy" are clearly delusional.
The funding of the "mujaheddin" in Afghanistan against a Soviet-aligned secular government let to what? Operation Cyclone. Look it up. It was a conscious attempt by US to destabilize a Soviet client state. It turned Osama bin-Laden into a hero and created a well-armed, well-organized radical Muslim insurgency. How did that play out? 9/11 and the war on terror.
Then there was the war on Iraq based on misinformation produced by the Bush administration. The disbanding of the Iraq military letting the country fall into disarray. This led to brutal war against Sunni militants (former officers in the Iraq army) fighting the invasion. The US once again tried to co-op these fighters. The so-called "Sons of Iraq" program. Guess what? The US abandoned that too. Oh yea, that led to ISIS.
US hawks (of both main parties) have only made the world a more and more dangerous place. Clinton fared so poorly against Trump precisely because Trump denounced foreign wars and Clinton embraced them.
Time to learn some lessons.
7
@Paul F The destabilization of Afghanistan did begin at the end of the Carter era when we sold, or gave, stinger missiles to the rebels who became the Taliban. But it continued during the Regan years and we breathlessly followed their adventures in the mountains withbGinga Din Rather, dresses as an Arab. Pappy Bush fell for Kuwaiti propaganda and contributed to the mess by going to Kuwait. There has been a belief, politically partisan to be sure, that Republicans start wars, then leave them for the Democrats to finish so they are never blamed.
Putin knew what he was doing by interfering in our elections. Putin saw not an ally in trump but a man out of his element a man unwilling to learn, unable to have empathy for others, a man who cares not about the roll America has in the workd. What Putin saw was a silver spoon feed, narcissistic bully with a fragile manipulative ego whose incompetence would quickly elevate Russia and Putin's dominance in the world. Only the worst of leaders and the worst America has to offer would give permission to a petty dictator to slaughter our fighting partners on the battlefield.
20
Not a single sentient American blames the Kurds for doing what they had to do to survive. And as mortal enemies of ISIS they are actually convenient allies of Assad, even if he is a butcher. They should strike a favorable deal with him while he is still fairly weak.
3
@Jim Don't believe everything you read about Assad being a "butcher". He was fighting to keep his country together and get rid of ISIS at the same time.
The Syrian army has reached agreement with the Kurds and are now fighting together
1
This is really rich coming from someone who said he knows more than the generals. I don't think there's a general on earth who would have irrationally done what Trump did. Also at the same time he pulls out U.S. troops from Syria because he wants to end "endless wars" he sent troops to Saudi Arabia, a nation that is swimming in oil money, and has all kinds of sophisticated weapons. Iran does not seem to care. If one of its drones bombs U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia we will be pulled into another war- this time with Iran.
6
@Wayne Or, if we honored our responsibility in NATO we could be called back to defend Turkey against Russia, Syria and now the Kurds. Of course, we won’t. Or at least we shouldn't.
We could offer assistance by way of negotiations. Send Biden. He is good at that stuff and knows a lot more than Trump.
So, the Syrian Kurds have decided that they will acquiesce to the Syrian government and no longer attempt to battle their own rightful government?
I’d say that is a win for Trump.
What’s with this whole “sworn enemy” thing?
When did we swear to be Syria’s enemy? Was that after the first time we plotted to falsely accuse them of using chemical weapons on their own people or one of the subsequent times we tried the same ploy?
Good riddance, Syria.
Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
2
@Ken -- "I’d say that is a win for Trump." Good thinking. Now we can sit back and watch the chaos Trump loves take hold in the region and other spots in the world.
Good time for Putin to send troops to the Ukraine to replace Zelensky. Israel might be a bit nervous since the Syrians and Iranian proxies will have easier access to Israeli borders. Can't wait for China to threaten Taiwan and really crack down on protestors in Hong Kong.
Yep-- a win for Trump.
3
I'm sure Russia appreciates all of Donald's help. They couldn't have picked a better leader.
Isolate the US, and roll on.
13
So Putin's Puppet throws an ally in to Russia's arms and Putin wins again.
10
Trump has proven himself to be a destroyer. Six bankruptcies that left hundreds of subcontractors broke and out of business. He is the quintessential bully who needs to push down everything around him in order to have the appearance of elevated success.
How can one president forfeit all this country has fought for over the decades on a whim and false promises to a minority of nihilists who would agree to abandon allies, torch farmers, prop up dictator thieves, live in a poisonous fairyland of falsity and science denial, and keep their children ignorant and unvaccinated?
Those who have propped up this fraud for their personal gain are just like Trump. We need to recognize that and work to get them all out of government...and keep them out.
16
Given that Trump likes conspiracy theories, I'd like to take this opportunity and give him a taste of his own medicine. I don't see it being too far-fetched to speculate that Trump did this to divert attention from news concerning the Impeachment. I would not at all be surprised if we will see more outlandish behaviors in the weeks to come.
12
Once again, Petrushka Trump seems to have come through for his sponsor, Putin... or is it just the latest in a series of startling coincidences favoring Russian interests? Republicans! Now is the time for all good men (and a couple of token women) to come to the aid of your party.
10
Congratulations Donald, real good job you done there ...!
It is pitiful to see how years of trying to rebuild a strategy for the middle east is swept away by one mindless would like to be dictator.
This is much more serious as the Ukraine story, but it follows the same pattern. A shameless guy who believes he has the total knowledge goes stamps around like an elephant in a porcelain shop.
It is also an enigma as to why republicans don’t recognize that Ukraine an Kurds is both the exact same problem with Trump, that he has no what so-ever capacity to reflect on the consequences of his acts beyond the sole impact for himself. And that is no-way to manage a country …
8
I don't think you have to be a Military person to be ashamed of this. I know very little about the situation in the Middle East, but as a casual observer I seem to remember hearing of the "Kurds" in reference to our most trusted Allies in the Middle East almost since Bush drug us into war almost 2 decades ago?
I could have run this entire situation past a 1st grade class at the local school and come up with a better solution than our current one. Just simple common sense? And yes, I know we don't have that anymore in Washington.
12
Dear People of America,
I am a Turkish citizen. I want to enlighten your public about this topic. I want to explain it, item by item:
1. First of all, the enemy which we destroy now, is not Kurds. The enemies which we wipe off in Syria, are terrorists who are (PKK, PYD, YPG, SDG) accepted as a terrorist group by many countries included USA. Kurds are our siblings. 20 million Kurds are citizens of Turkey. And all we are Turkey. We had not chosen our nationality when we were being created, so we are equal to each other of us. Furthermore, Turkey hosts about 1 million Syrian Kurds for 7 years, for saving their lifes from the sivil war in Syria.
2. We don't permit to being built a terrorist state next to our country. We host 4 million Syrians in our country about 7-8 years and we want to place this people to their land in peace. We have wait a peace environment for this but, it couldn't be provided until now. So, we ensure a peace environment in northern Syria and we will place this aggrieved people to their peaceful lands.
3. The most important thing in this operation is that Turkish Army never hurt a civilian person. The operation is being run in maximum attention, sensitivity.
Finally, please don't believe to the unfair news in media, investigate a bit more in different news supplies. Hope to live in a peacefully world. Kind regards.
2
I applaud your sentiments, and I think you are well-intentioned. But it’s clear to me that you do not understand how Mr. Erdogan thinks.
6
@Bilgehan TOZLU - Of course the Turkish Army isn’t harming civilians, that’s what their Arab paramilitaries are for.
5
@Bilgehan Up to recent years the Kurds did not exist in Turkey, the word Kurd was forbidden and the word Kurdistan is still forbidden. What is the source of your information about the numbers of 20 Million Turkish Kurds and 1 Million Syrian Kurds in Turkey ? If Kurds are equal citizens why the Kurdish language is still forbidden in schools ? Imagine, if Spanish,Turkish or Chinese to be forbidden here, in our country.
1
The president had steered the United States into a world war trajectory in the Middle East.
6
@Mike Boyajian
Lest anyone think this is hyperbole: just imagine an emboldened Bashar Assad, having reconstituted Syria territorially with Russian and Iranian assistance, thinking that he can recapture the Golan Heights. Surely Mr. Trump will not abandoned our ally Israel?
4
I am writing to request that the New York Times investigate, or at least try to provide details about what it was that the president of Turkey told Mr. Trump in their telephone call.
We have begun seeing hints in the open media that the Turkish president was determined to launch this incursion no matter what.
Was the president of Turkey prepared to kill American soldiers if they did not move out of the way? if that is what he told Mr. Trump, whether directly or in so many words, then we have a much deeper problem than simply moving our forces out of the way.
9
In Erdogan Trump has met a leader who is as irrational and uncaring about the consequences of his decisions as Trump is. Does Trump even get this?
3
Turkey, is the only Nato member and EU candidate country that bans a language.The Kurdish alphabet of 25 Million Kurds in Turkey is forbidden in schools. Kurdish language is not accepted as an official language and the official existence of the Kurds in Turkey has been denied. Because of the Kurds,Turkey has not ratified The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.Turkey is using PKK and the word "terror" as a pretext to suppress and forcefully assimilate Kurds. In Turkey, Kurds only demand democracy, pluralism and equal rights. Instead of waging oppression and endless wars, even beyond her borders, Turkey unilaterally can grant Kurdish rights, establish a full democracy and peace to quell terrorist tendencies in the country.
3
Think of this. Our president of the United States of America, the supposed leader of the free world, just handed Putin another victory as the Kurds , helpless because we cut and run, are teaming up with Russia and Assad. Putin now controls Syria, they’ve invaded Ukraine , what’s next ?
Our president is working FOR THE OTHER SIDE. And unlike George Bush , who foolishly followed his advisors bad advice , Trump deliberately went totally against the sound advice of all military personnel and pulled out our troops ( which by the way were very stable and helping the Kurds keep Northern Syria stable).
This is one bad man , but our Constitution was devised to deal with dangerous leaders. It’s called the Congress .
Republican Senators, this is on YOU.
Let the House impeach and you convict. He’s a corrupt criminal who cares nothing about our national security , which is supposed to our president’s first priority. He can’t even do that.
22
Should the Kurds and Assad managed to drive out the Turks from northern Syria, presumably Syria will then turn on them. Poor thing.
So Russian backed forces will be fighting Turkey forces and Turkey has the S-400. Maybe now Putin will pull the plug on that in Turkey. Maybe now we kick Turkey out of NATO. If the rest of the NATO countries get behind it not beyond impossible. The chessboard is just revealed, not really changed.
1
@GregP Of course, we couldn’t expect acknowledgement of the obvious from the MAGA crowd: Trump is clearly working for the Russians.
Any suggestions exactly how “the rest of the NATO countries” will do anything with a two-faced belligerent traitor in the White House? It’s not just most Americans who don’t trust him, our former Allies don’t trust him either.
5
@Christopher
Ask the Enlightened Mr. Macron to demand it, I am sure Merkel will get on board. American public behind Trump, not Erdogan. I would love to see Turkey removed from NATO. Trump clearly working for the Russians when he pushed those same Allies to up their NATO spending? How about the Allies who failed to keep their promises? They serving Putin or NATO?
If Trump wants an end to endless wars why did he send 2000 troops to Saudi Arabia? I have yet to hear an answer to that question.
11
@Diane Graves
It is 3,000 troops trump has sent yo Saudi Arabia. And he did it because he owes Crown Prince Bone-Saw a lot of money for bailing him and his mon clan out of financial jeopardy.
This is a president who is deeply compromised.
Trump is a threat to our democracy and our national security.
Turkey, our NATO ally, burdened by the refugees, is storming into Syria to create a safe area for those who fled, and now the Kurdish team up with the government we protected them from, to fight the Turkish, our ally? Call me whatever, but I’m happy our young men were ordered to get out of the way. And, I never wanted our young people in there, ever.
3
@Rebecca1048
So, trump just sent 3,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to defend Crown Prince Bone-Saw ( You know, the guy who ordered a reporter to be sawed up into pieces and removed from the Saudi Embassy in DC?)
How does that sit with you?
Our troops for rent to an evil man, all to pay off trump’s debt. The Saudis have been bailing him out of financial disaster for years. Trump is bought and paid for.
Trump is compromised
He is a threat to our democracy
He is a threat yo our national security
Do not ignore the common theme: Russia, and Trump's apparent bidding: 1/ withdrawal from Syria, gifting Russia with a strengthened hand in the region; 2/ withholding $390M in bipartisan Congressional funding from a foe fighting Russia (and not from just any country); 3/ seeking to admit Russia to the G-7; 4/ concealing private discussions with Putin; 5/ mocking the US probe of Russian meddling, with Putin sitting beside him; 6 / 2015 successful plea to Russia to get Hilary's emails. To me, the Russian theme itself is more troubling than the quid-pro-quo in the Ukranian phone call. And icing on the cake: that this matters so much more to this Mitch than to Moscow Mitch and his crowd on Capitol Hill and a large part of our country. What is happening?
10
Well done Mr Trump. The consequences of your bad decision and policy of pandering to autocrats (especially where it suits your buddy Putin) is starting to unfold. They will only get worse from here on out. As if there wasn't enough already to mark this presidency as not just a failure but a disaster for the US and the world, this decision to stab the Kurds in the back will be seen as a new low in morality and strategic thinking that will no doubt cost lots more lives, incite war and conflict in the region and drag the US into an ever deeper quagmire costing lives and money. As expected, the early winners are Erdogan, Putin and Assad - and not incidentally Daesh. Yes Mr Trump, Well done!
9
And just like that impeachment is an after thought and the left has a hawkish foreign policy. We only had 200 troops in the area, they would not have stopped a Turkish Invasion. Military action against a NATO ally in Turkey would have worldwide implications. It’s a lose lose situation. I think some were trying to get Trump to do exactly that, create a new war so the media could claim he would destroy the world. See how that works? Bush was encouraged to invade Iraq off false intelligence from the CIA, a Clinton CIA I might add.
3
The Soviet Union was our ally during World War Two because we had a common enemy (Germany). At the end of the war, almost immediately, the alliance ended because our interests diverged. It's the same with the U.S, Syria and the Kurds. The Kurds were not fighting for us against ISIS to help us but to reclaim what they believe is their land against an ancient enemy who also happens to be a NATO ally with vital American airbases. That would be Turkey. Trump promised to get us out of endless wars. He is keeping that promise and, at least trying in Afghanistan and North Korea. I haven't heard any better suggestions from those who oppose withdrawal. It seems whatever this President does is deemed evil. I wouldn't want to be the person or family of an American soldier killed or maimed in a conflict between Kurds or Turks. Trump, however much you despise him, is doing the right thing.
4
@alan brown As far I can tell American soldiers did not fight side-by-side with the Russian soldiers during WWII. We both came from different directions to secure a victory over the German army.
2
When you take down a structure you helped build with others over years and decades, it is never wise to just yank the support beams out and watch the structure collapse partly or wholly. A clean break, not so much. You may need the structure again to save American lives and that of many vulnerable others, but you will find a broken ruin and no one who trusts you to help build again.
This is unworthy of us. US soldiers do not run and hide and leave children and women and old people to die without a mark upon their proud record. That is but part of why this President's legacy will be a by word for cowardice and ignorance. Nothing good for us will come of abandoning our allies. Especially in the long run.
5
I disagree.
This is all in the thought process that Trump could only keep his campaign promise, one made without being informed of the issues and after being briefed on the situation and options for the past three years.
What hasn’t been stated is that it’s perfectly fine for the president to not honor a campaign promise when faced with new information and insight.
Leaving our partnership with the Kurds has caused exactly what was feared, the reinvestment of ISIS in the area and a forced partnership of our once allies with Russia.
America’s foe is empowered while our security is diminished.
If this is all the president has to offer in leadership and calculated objectives then he has failed the American public, his promise, his oath and US objectives.
None of which is surprising coming from nationalistic isolationism peddled by ego.
1
Congratulations to President Trump! In a single phone call, he's incredibly succeeded in pushing a valuable ally of 15+ years, the Kurds, into the hands of our enemies, Assad, Putin, and Khamenei. Setting aside the unnecessary loss of life and damage to the U.S.’s international reputation, let’s pray that the resultant enmity of 30+ million Kurds doesn’t reach the U.S. homeland. Most unfortunately, Trump has obviously forgotten, or never understood, a key lesson of ‘911; enemies created in the Middle East can bring terror to the U.S.A. Mr. President, you’ve made the U.S. and the world a far less safe with your phone call!
6
The lack of foresight on the part of our president is perplexing. Turkey is a rogue NATO member, with what seems to be deteriorating democratic values. If a military conflict develops between Russia and Turkey, it is likely to activate Article 5 of the NATO alliance which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all members of NATO (one caveat to Article 5 is the location of a potential attack (Europe and North America)). Assuming that Article 5 is activated the USA will be called upon to send military troops to defend Turkey.
In the above scenario it would seem unlikely that any congressional actions against Turkey will take place because they would be counterintuitive to the activation of Article 5. Further, our President would find himself in a more perplexing situation that will require him to send troops to defend a rogue NATO ally.
As stated earlier the decision to remove the few American troops from the Turkish Syrian border seems to have been made in haste and lacked foresight.
2
So where exactly are our troops, assets, and equipment? This article makes it sound like the routes to Iraq, Syria, and Turkey are blocked. Who and what are we leaving behind?
3
The cautious approach to impeachment - with attention on the next election rather than the many opportunities of a crazed president to be destructive, was dangerous from the beginning.
Now here we are, proving to traditional allies and enemies and everyone else that we are incredibly irresponsible, as we leave allies behind to die while dragging oh so carefully with the impeachment . At least the Kurds have found another protector - enemy of ours, but not it Trump or Russia.
We will probably impeach Trump in the spring.
Couldn’t the impeachment be sped up? Of course the senate republicans may not convict - but the chances it will convict multiply as the public finally gets to see how irresponsible and dangerous Trump really is.
5
The Syrian Kurds have no choice but striking a deal with the Assad regime, which is backed by Iran and Russia.
It’s unclear what the future holds for them. Their experience with Trump's betrayal means the US has lost the staunchest ally in Syria and its "leverage" there.
A trilateral summit was hosted by Erdogan in Ankara on September 15 with Putin and Hassan Rouhani. Iran, Russia and Turkey agreed on getting rid of “foreign troops” in Syria, once terrorists were defeated. Now they might have to deal with an ISIS insurgence, most likely backed by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
Sadly, Syrians have no say about the future of their country – especially Assad, who is now reliant on Iran and Russia to stay in power.
The Syrian Kurds enjoy little sympathy in Damascus - the Assad regime sees them as separatists. They are a bargaining chip between Turkey and the other two occupying powers in Syria.
Israelis are supportive of the Kurds, seeing them as a stabilising force in a volatile region. Now they aren’t sure anymore whether they can count on Trump, given his readiness to abandon the Syrian Kurds on a whim.
5
Attention All Historians: Trump has let the Genie out of the bottle; World War III may have just started. Anyone interested in halting that war will use all of their talents and connections to get the most important leaders in the world to agree to STOP doing everything else and call for a halt in all military actions. Health Care and Gun Control won't mean a thing if the world doesn't stop and think -- right now.
6
Trump is one of Putin's oligarchs, granted a poor loserish one. The GOP knows this, especially McConnell, Jordan, Nunes and Graham. Trump needs to be thrown out of office immediately and his American collaborators need to be tried in public for the world to see.
17
Since Assad's Alawites are hated by most Sunni Muslims they have always sought the support of Christians, Yazidis and other minorities in Syria. It makes sense that the Kurds, non Arab Sunnis for the most part, would seek their protection. Yes, Assad is a monster but better for Kurds and Christians than ISIS Sunnis.
4
Such a weird area of the world. My impression is that Kurds are good people, and that we should not have abandoned them. The Syrians aligned with Turkey who murdered prisoners certainly are not good. The Baathists are not good people, so I hope the Kurds maintain their autonomy, for their sake. Maybe Russia will help with that, something America should support, now that we have abandoned the Kurds. I watched the movie "The Spy", and can not understand why Israel thought it was a good idea to overthrow the old Syrian regime for the Baathists, who seem far worse as humans.
1
Trump's decision to pull out is brilliant:
1 - there is no reason the usa should be there, whatsoever.
2 - Trump's move just brought Syria back together as a country, now instead of a civil war the two sides will work things out together against a common enemy.
Now, Trump has saved us American lives, tons of money, and helped a region stabilize itself and learn to handle its own problems.
Bravo!
3
@J Yes brilliant. Reviving ISIS, losing all credibility as a world power, making a mockery of American values, acting purely on childlike impulse, wasting thousands of lives already lost, and, contrary to your bizarre assertion, diminished any opportunity for stabilization and--in fact--made a desperate situation much worse. Sit back and watch....
3
@J " Trump's move just brought Syria back together as a country"...
Yep-- now Syria and Iran can concentrate on Israel, Saudi Arabia and Russia can get rid of the pesky Ukrainian government.
BTW-- The US promised to assist the Kurds. The US is a supporter of Taiwan. I wonder if they are nervous.
Have the Allies ever really cared about what was going on in Syria? Which would have included a thorough analysis of the situation before Western forces took action and a steady evaluation of changes in the population, e.g. which parts of the country where cleansed from which ethnic groups by whom?
No. They were following shortsightedly their own interests, without taking into account necessary intelligence and so were not able to follow a sustainable strategy taking into account human suffering and misery.
Europe failed completely. Germany especially.
34
@Monika
Europe didn't go into Syria, Iraq or Libya to get it's oil and break up the countries, the US did. Now the US must bear full responsibility for the havoc and hundreds of thousands/millions of deaths they have caused. It is the US that was following it's own interests while Europeans protested against these irresponsible acts
58
@Monika The Allies really care. The Rand corporation report from a couple of years back clearly states that if a ground war were to break out between NATO and Russia, it would be over in a week in favor of the Russians. Russia is an existential threat to Europe only if Europe aligns itself with the U.S. After all, they are more European than the Americans. This President has hastened the death of NATO. To protest against Russian action, given the fact that the U.S. is getting increasingly introverted, is foolish. The Allies care for their own people. And right now, Russian policy and its allegiances in the Middle East makes a lot more sense to them than that of the U.S.
12
@Monika, Europe failed? That’s rich. Looks to me like America failed and you are looking to cast the blame elsewhere. Typical of a people who have lost all moral bearing. Sad too, becaus when an ISIS terrorist bombs US soil in a few years, I doubt the rest of the world will come running to help you. Remember, you reap what you sow.
29
I'm really confused now. Did you say "American foe"? Wasn't this the plan? I thought all along that our President worked for Mr. Putin, and what a "cunning plan" this unilateral withdrawal was! Now I feel so terrible!
8
Trump throws everyone under the bus. Everyone. He does not pay his contractors. He harasses and grabs women. He throws every lawyer and cabinet member under the bus. He uses the Kurds to fight ISIS and then abandons them. He told the coal miners that coal was coming back. He told workers that manufacturing was coming back. He betrays his own supporters. And he betrays America. Republicans are fine with it though. They got their corporate giveaways, deregulation and tax cuts.
24
And what of the ISIS fighters the US has spent the last 5 or 6 years rounding up who’ll inevitably “escape” custody?
Said Trump with a shrug “Well they’ll escape into Europe”.
And thus, America betrays another 27 nations in one shrug of the shoulders. You want to withdraw, fine. But do it with a smidge of competence, with a plan that involves your “allies” losing their countrymen in pursuit of Americans goals.
If Trump thinks betraying an ally who lost 11000 men fighting ISIS (whilst the US lost 10 in Syria) will not create more US hating extremists he really cannot see past his own reflection. He’s given an actual, American armed & trained army every reason to be incandescent with rage and without the ability to guard, nor capacity or will to guard, an ISIS army whilst they themselves are under attack.
You can no longer be trusted to keep your word on trade, on international agreements, on peace settlements and now even your military cannot be trusted to keep its word to its allies. Just as Brexit means isolation not independence, so “America First” has fast become “America Alone”. No amount of raging against globalisation will change the fact that ship sailed long ago and all we can do is try to mitigate the worst aspects of it together. Though I doubt there are many left who’ll take your handshake seriously.
12
From the "...great and unmatched wisdom..." of, perhaps, the most dangerous mind in the world.
Amarican dead:
1) James Foley, Reporter,
2) U.S. special forces member died due to a bomb explosion while supporting Kurdish-led forces during the Wrath of Euphrates offensive against ISIL-held Raqqa,
3) A US servicemen died on 30 March 2018 by an IED explosion in Manbij,
4) Four Americans, including two soldiers, were killed by a bombing in Manbij city on 16 January 2019,
5) Four Americans, including two soldiers, were killed by a bombing in Manbij city on 16 January 2019.
If that weren't enough the mass executions of Iraqis, Yazidees, Kurds, videoed burning, drowning, and beheading of prisoners were sufficient reasons for me to support any local militia willing to stop what we could.
Now the Kurds made an alliance with one enemy to fight another and the Russians are bombing underground hospitals with ground penetrating munitions.
The only simple thing I see is that the US has abandoned any influence in the area along with, for about the third time, the Kurdish people.
7
It is ironic that the same people going after Trump for pulling out are the same ones who blasted the Bushes for going in, the same ones who stayed silent as Obama went in to both the Syrian conflict and Libya, the same ones who have shown no taste for being in any conflict when it is the other party deciding. People, these are not decisions that can be driven by party affiliation.
2
First, you're wrong. Second, you're sophomoric defense serves to enable someone who betrayed a steady ally while aiding present enemies and adversaries.
13
@DC The same people cheering on Dotard for pulling out aren’t paying attention to the larger picture. For a conman to be successful, someone needs to not pay attention.
There’s a reason there are US troops in Saudi Arabia again, and it’s not because Trump is tired of endless wars.
The “Mark” is always the last to realize he’s been conned.
3
No doubt, Putin would like to lure Turkey away from NATO. We should not let this happen: Turkey AND Syria aligned with Putin. Please look at a map.
Of the 29 countires in NATO, only 3 of them participated in Bush's invasion of Iraq. The reason for the lack of support was the unconvincing cartoon evidence that Saddam Hussein was producing what Bush vaguely called "weapons of mass destruction."
Turkey was especially concerned about the consequences of arming the Kurds, a minority population in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. No doubt, the invasion of Iraq was one of the causes of Turkey drifting further away from the United States and closer to Russsia.
The creation of Islamic State was one of the many negative results of the invasion of Iraq.
Despite decades of rejection by the European Union and an American policy of taking the Turks for granted, Turkey is still a member of NATO, but has become less democratic since the invasion of Iraq. Turkey has also begun to spend more time talking to the Russians and has even purchased Russian strategic weapons, mixing them with its weapons from other NATO countries.
Turkey is strategically important ally in NATO. To lose Turkey to Russia could be an even greater mistake than the invasion of Iraq. Now that the Kurds have realigned themselves with Assad in Syria, which is a Russian ally, our ties with Turkey have been strengthened.
Even the worst president occasionally will get something right.
1
Somewhere Robert Mueller is wishing he had been a little less mealy-mouthed in his reporting. In future let's remember that we don't need a 'beyond a reasonable doubt' 95% criterion to find a president guilty of collusion with a foreign power or obstruction of justice. We are not sending him to the gallows: we are just taking him away from where he can create further damage. A 'preponderance of the evidence' criterion is enough for me and would have been enough for anyone to see this man's base treachery.
13
"Others may want to come in and fight for one side or the other. Let them!" That's Trump on Twitter, and it pretty much says it all.
3
To play chess one needs to look more than one move ahead.
3
Thanks to the wh grifter, the wannabe greatest ever; America's honor and leadership has gone the way of used toilet paper. The "patriotic" gop stands silent in total complicity as a lunatic emperor in new clothes destroys everything the forefathers fought and died for. Who could have thought? As for the Kurds, all he has done is make another enemy, and create a path for the resurgence of IS. I feel sad for the Kurds, but sadder for America, and where she is headed, unless this lunacy is stopped.
5
How many American lives have been lost in Syria? How many completely innocent women and children are going to be killed before the Trump & the Republicans stop Erdogan from this madness due only to his diminishing domestic popularity? It takes only one phone call.
I am concerned by the Republican indifference to betrayal and stabbing allies in the back. Can anybody trust the US?
10
So now Assad is a good guy helping our Kurds friends to fight off a scandalous attack by dictator Erdogan?
But isn't Erdogan a good guy who impose Law and Order by intern violence and persecutions, as Trump wish he could do in the US; and that he may still will..
So are they both good guys or bad ones or what?
And as far as ISIS is concerned," the locals will take care of them..."
But wasn't it to make absolutely sure that these terrorists would not repeat 9/11, or sink our ships, or attack our embassies and citizens all over the world that we send troops there in the first place
And now, they have supposedly been vanquished and have simpy dispeared from the face of the world?
Well, we will see what happens, says Trump.
2
The US has been taken over by renegades. How can Congress sit back and watch? Out so-called “President” and all his backroom allies need to be ejected and prosecuted as soon as possible.
4
Watching portions of the spectacle of the Trump rally in Minneapolis, I see the American flags, MAGA hats, the chants and laughter and smiles, I think this is where the traitorous conduct of Trump originates. They give him the power to do these treacherous things. How can they see the treachery and be gladdened by it?
How did so many Americans become so unhinged from what is considered right and proper conduct? You don't stab a friend in the back.
We treat an ally like dirt and, at the same time, proudly proclaim ourselves great.
Great? In what sense can we be considered great?
I know I am not alone in these thoughts. Millions of fellow Americans are angered and saddened by Trump's perfidy and treachery. That is the only solace I can take from this, that there are those who are just as outraged as I am by Trump.
The Kurds are lost to us. Allies question our resolve. We will become more isolated and weakened by these actions.
May we have the strength of numbers to right this country at the next election. But, it is my hope Trump and his cronies are impeached and jailed before the next election.
18
Abandoned by the U.S.? What about NATO, all of the European countries, Australia, etc.? Why do our boys have to die alone to help the Kurds over a land ownership battle? We should never have gotten involved in the first place. It’s a blessing that we’re getting out.
7
A blessing? Seriously? Good thing you’re not a Kurd. And in typical GOP fashion, the ENDS always justify the MEANS.
6
So... we're betraying a steady ally and rehabilitating ISIS because Luxembourg won't send troops to Syria?
1
Every West Point cadet should remember how their so-called leader treats allies. Every Marine recruit should know what is, and what is not a lawful order. Every Kurd will remember when Captain Bone Spurs from New York Military Academy betrayed them. Everyone can judge reality television stars by their actions.
12
How many of our illustrious president can still be described as "impulsive" before we wake up to the fact that he is a defacto Putin Puppet. Putin is guaranteed to be turning joyous cartwheels, while our international standing goes down the drain.
2
What a mess. And what a clear demonstration of what matters most to the US - oil. Trump withdraws troops from Syria only to deploy even more in Saudi Arabia in a blatantly hypocritical turnaround on what passes for his middle east policy. Trump has failed on all of his signature policies - ISIS is not defeated, there is no denuclearisation deal with North Korea, the 'wall' is little more than a few bits of chicken wire plugging holes in the existing barrier and Mexico hasn't stumped up one peso, no replacement for 'Obamacare' and so on. Trump's legacy will be a lot of blood on his hands.
6
If there is a larger counter attack by the Russian Kurd Syrian coalition and incursion into Turkey, the latter may invoke NATO Article 5 and tell the US and European NATO members they have to support their fight against Kurds. Trump can spin this as evidence that the whole NATO concept is bad.
This can get a lot uglier still ....
2
To the Kurds, President Bashar Al-Assad, Erdogan, and the Russians: America did not abandon the Kurds. That's all on Trump, Erdogan, and Russia, most likely,along with the House of Saud. When Trump is removed from power through the will of the American people, stand by. We will not allow the reinvigoration of ISIS or deny our true friends.
2
This episode in American History should show how vitally important it is for the constitution to protect the democracy of this country from the present governing party. This country is going down and fast.
10
This fiasco begs the question: can the President do *anything* to undermine US interests? Are there no limits to the damage he can do to US and western interests? What if he decided it would be a good idea to give the Saudis nuclear technology, or to withdraw the US from NATO, or to give US bases to Russia? Would anyone stop him?
On a deeper level, with questions being asked every day about the President's mental health, at what point must the grown ups intervene?
6
"Abandoned by U.S. in Syria, Kurds, Find New Ally in American Foe."
It didn't take very long for the Kurds to make necessary peaceful adjustments! "Divide and Rule' was our imperialistic policy in Syria. Of course, it is time for the U.S. to go. Not worth one American life. Do not worry about ISIS. They will be slaughtered by the Kurds and Syrians on the one side and Turks on the other.
5
In his “unmatched wisdom”, Trump’s response to impeachment calls is retaliating against the “American establishment” by unraveling a key national security strategy that all but the “island of one” agree should uphold. His only intended audience is always his loyalists! But this one defies logic to some extent as he may be losing the “mandate of heaven”! With the Kurds’ new alliance with Syria/Russia against Turkey, Trump may have made the most consequential move of his presidency. He may have let the dogs out: internally and externally!
3
An unmitigated distaster, pure and simple. If something good comes out of this (and yes, this is callous thinking, considering the human cost) it would be that even many Republican's cannot deny Trump's incompetence.
16
"We say to those who bet on the Americans. The Americans will not protect you. The Americans will not put you in their eyes or their hearts. The Americans will put you in their pockets so as to become a bargaining chip along with their dollars which they began doing. If you do not prepare yourselves, to defend your country. You will be slaves to the Ottomans. No one will protect you except your country (Syria). No one will protect you except the Syrian Arab Army!"
-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
February 17, 2019
The Syrian Government had offered reconciliation and warned the SDF and Kurds that the Americans will only use you and toss you aside once they are finished. But they rebuffed their offers of reconciliation in hoping the Americans will truly protect them in their quests separate state. Now that a foreign power, specifically Turkey has directly invaded Syria, these opposition groups finally seemed to clear their senses and are finally reconciling.
The speech is amazingly prophetic to the core.
7
“… government in Damascus, a sworn enemy of Washington…”
Unfortunately, your reporters have got it wrong. The Government in Damascus is not a sworn enemy of Washington. It is the Government of an independent State, recognised by the United Nations, that was invaded by USA, in flagrant violation of International Law.
The United States bombing campaign in Syria has destroyed the infrastructure of that country, killed thousands of Syrian civilians, made refugees of thousands more, created the ISIS threat to the Middle East by importing Saudi Arabian and radical Muslim militants and mobilising terrorist groups to overthrow the Government of Syria.
Europe has been seriously destabilised by the refugee flood provoked by the USA Regime Change war in Syria – which was initiated by the Western Military Industrial Complex and managed on their behalf by the weak American President Obama.
President Trump is quite right to put an end to this brutal war.
5
It quite amazes me that I should so enthusiastically agree with the body of your post which is so “on the money” so to speak and so disagree with your last sentence. Trump just handed control of the Middle East and eventually Europe to Putin. Cheney and Bush got us into this mess. Obama was feckless, incompetent and just made things worse. But Trump is a Russian agent.
Withdrawal is indicated but not from the Kurdistan but from Afghanistan.
The Kurds were our most loyal ally. Now they will become our fiercest enemy. They should release ISIS captives in a passive manner and ally with Syria Iran and Russia.
Germany should ally with Russia as well along with France and expel all US forces. Japan should ally with China and expel all US forces.
The US is a cancer which must be be neutralized.
South Korea should be provided with nuclear weapons and also expel the US. That will ensure stalemate with North Korea much as nuclear arms prevent India Pakistan War. Israeli nuclear weapons neutralize the Sunni -Iranian menace.
Then and only then will there be world peace.... counterintuitive but true.
Bottom line Europe, Japan, South Korea should expel all US troops as they strengthen their defenses for none of those countries can depend on the US. Forewarned is forearmed. Allying with the US is like in Biblical times Judah allying with Assyria. We see how that turned out.
I don’t include Britain in this plan for they are committing national suicide and thus are insignificant.
4
@Garland Shuffler Once you accept that the USA is an Imperial Nation all else falls into place – you appear to do so at least implicitly. The American Empire is in quick decline right now; its military/industrial complex places all Americans “in harm’s way” and the USA Military overspends to a truly extraordinary extent.. The United States right now is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. It is in serious danger of bankruptcy because of misuse of financial Sanctions; many major economies are moving away from the dollar because the dollar cannot be trusted.
Russia is a third-rate Military Power[nuclear weapons excepted]; in Ireland we have a saying “A person who is not strong needs to be very clever”; and Russian foreign policy is certainly clever.
It is absolute nonsense to assert that President Trump is in some way beholden to President Putin. There never was any evidence [i.e. evidence capable of convincing an impartial observer] to support that assertion. President Trump is a narcissist and that is sufficient to explain his erratic bumbling foreign Policy behaviour.
The United States has ‘lost the run of itself’ due to hubris after the fall of the Soviet Union. I have not seen a recent American President who had a coherent foreign policy; hubris is no substitute for Diplomacy and it is sufficient to explain the mess that the USA is in now. President Trump is not capable of being managed by President Putin or anybody else.
2
@Robert Jennings
Well, maybe not capable of being”managed” by Putin or someone else but certain is easily manipulated by authorial dictators and other clever people like Tucker Carlson and his ilk.
I think Trump is purposefully trying to utterly destroy the US and is succeeding. Time will tell. I think he knows exactly what he is doing and cleverly disguises it by pretending to be an impulsive ignorant fool.
Anyway I sure do agree with the first half of your post.
Trump faces no effective opposition. That’s the tragedy.
1
Trump is right. We shouldn't be there. We never should have been there. This is a mess that people in that region of the world will have to work out on their own eventually. Better to begin now. To see Trump's detractors supporting our futile involvement in a civil war they know nothing about, merely out of contrarian impulse to his administration, is disturbing. If you want to go fight in that part of the world, catch a flight, just go do it, but don't expect the rest of us to continue to foot the bill or pay the consequences!
6
@LV Maybe you shouldn't have voted for a President who promised to defeat ISIS, which he hasn't of course. Why are you now in Saudi Arabia in increasing numbers?
5
And you just wait - we will be paying the consequences.
3
We don’t need to catch a flight to fight. Trump is treasonously conspiring with Putin to destroy this country and paving the way for the armed conflict to land on U.S. soil. It is working like a charm for Putin. We are weakening by he day (by the hour!), our allies no longer trust us, and Putin is dictating our involvement in the world. We are already in the fight. Look at our discourse, our mass shootings, our ever widening divide. The terrifying stage is set. We don’t need to catch a flight. The fight is coming closer to our doorstep every day.
2
Thank you for this very excellent reporting.
At the very least, the situation is unfolding as a total debacle for the US military and foreign policy and it's not hard to see why:
Firstly, the short-term damage.The US just lost its foothold in Syria and has allowed free reign to Assad, Russia, Iran, Turkey and ISIS. They have no boots on the ground, no allies and no leverage over one of the most significant geopolitical conflicts of this century.
Secondly, the long term damage. The US lost its credibility as an ally, amongst the Kurds possibly forever. Other allies are similarly rattled by a betrayal of such magnitude. On top of that, Trump showed that the US military can be bullied. Unbelievable. In acknowledging that the Turkish shelling on a US military base was intentional and then withdrawing the forces from that base, Trump sends a signal that 'Well you can bombard us and we'll get out of the way'.
I can't see what the US is gaining in this conundrum, honestly baffled with this administration's decisions, especially since it's the one that espouses an America First doctrine.
4
Remember that everything Trumps says is the opposite of the reality. When he says America first this can be understood as make America last. And that is what is happening. Trump is literally destroying the US with a little help from his friends, the Russians and Lindsey Graham et.al.
4
Trump “pardons” ISIS murderers and sends them back into battle. Great job GOP.
15
The idea that the Turks are going to bow before economic sanctions is preposterous. Moreover, by the time those sanctions have any effect, it's likely Turkey will have accomplished its objectives. The Turks see the SDF and its efforts to establish an autonomous Kurdish zone as a direct threat to their security, and they are probably right. They are not going to let a little economic pain get in the way of them achieving a direct security goal. Now, we are looking at the prospect of a war between Turkey and Syria. One way or the other, a lot of people are going to suffer. What Trump is doing here is incredibly irresponsible. On the other hand, the US is a malign influence in the Middle East and always has been. It's presence in the region has distorted local political development for decades and helped exacerbate endless suffering. ISIS exists because of the US' illegal war in Iraq. The problem, of course, is Powell's "pottery barn rule" - the US has caused endless damage in the region, but to simply get up and walk away speaks to the incredible callousness and venality of the US. But the US has betrayed its allies before and will, undoubtedly, do so again. It is leaving behind a mess that it created but, again, that's pretty much par for the course.
10
When the dust settles, people in the future shouldn't be surprised to discover in their history books that Trump did this for Turkey's and Russia's benefits and the Republican insiders knew about it all along
11
Why doesn’t anyone see that this was the exit plan all along? The Kurds plus the weakened Syrian Government forces create the “New Syria” which is somehow better than the old Syria...or do we want to deal with a multitude of ultra conservative entities that will spawn even more terrorist cells in the future? The New Syria deals with Russia and the West and tries to remain peaceful towards its neighbors. That’s back-door politics at its finest turning a back-stab into a new member of the global community! Something close to that.
1
We need to rebuild international conference that US forces can win quickly and decisively. Let’s invade Grenada again.
2
Most amazing is that the European allies, including those with feet on the ground were not informed of this rash decision. Ambassador Hoekstra answered a question on this with the words “There is a Syrian working group”, but this statement does not mean anything and is actually a no response. He just had to say something. Indeed, Americans will never be trusted again.
6
Well, except between Turkey and the Kurds, which is the more important ally? This is more complicated than it appears, in my opinion. Foreign policy is rarely that simple.
1
In less than a week Trump managed to hand out to Putin one of the best trained, battle-seasoned and motivated armies in the Middle East. As a bonus, they come with American training and equipment.
24
I can't wait to hear about how this is actually Obama's fault.
15
Right, we were winning in Syria when Obama was in charge. That Red Line in the sand was uncrossable
Well that and the Reset Button with Russia gave us a Syrian policy second to none. You betcha.
1
I’ll see your Obama and raise you a Bush, you know the reason any president has to sort out an intractable set of circumstances.
Donald Trump, as much as he subsequently squirmed and tried to backtrack, certainly had input from close advisers when he abandoned the Kurds to the tender mercies of the Erdogan and the Turks.
It is not a coincidence that Trump’s unleashing of the Turks forced the Kurds into the protection of Damascus and Vladimir Putin. This is one more instance of Donald Trump advancing the aggressive interests of the Russians.
Except for an occasional, highly orchestrated spat with Putin or some oligarch in Putin’s service as a token for media consumption, the path is unbroken. Donald Trump will sacrifice the life of any freedom fighter and the viability of any ally in order to feather his own nest and to keep Vladimir Putin happy.
22
Just remember, when Americans travel abroad we have the Republicans and Trump to thank when people give us the evil eye or worse. We've become the ugliest ally.
17
The sad thing is that most of trump's "base" has never heard of the Kurds and couldn't find Syria on a map. All they know is that trump keeps brown and black people out of their dollar stores, and that's all they care about.
27
You talk about American Carnage? This is American Carnage.
13
I am so ashamed of the country I was so very proud of .
Trump and the Republicans who support him should be ashamed of THEMSELVES!
11
Oh the irony to have the Republican party being such a sponsor of Russian imperialism.
Shame on those electors.
21
As long as Trump is President, no ally is safe. For the first time in living memory, the word of the United States is worth nothing. Our shame.
25
Only a very stable genius--the "Chosen One"--with all his wisdom could have accomplished a Diplomatic Revolution to rival the one that resulted in the Seven Years War. Only a Republican Party as morally and intellectual bankrupt as the present one can have kept him in office long enough to do it!
13
I am a US Army veteran and I am sickened by the United States turning on an ally.
26
This is it now, the final nail in the coffin of American credibility. Nobody in their right mind will rely on a an „ally“ that has been known to abandon those in need. Want to withdraw? Fine, you can and you should. But have a plan, for God‘s sake! Preferably one that upholds the promises you’ve made.
18
Kurds being betrayed is recurring, Obama did the same thing. But historically it begins by the end of first world war, as allies mostly UK, did not like the idea of a Kurd state, would be too powerful.
So, as always, they divided them in separate states, Irak, Turkey, Syria, and Iran.
But most important is the West abandoning the UN resolution that no one, would change the recognized borders neither occupy a country.
This false ally, Turkey, on first world war was German ally, on the second neutral, but helping the Germans, a d by today it is the only NATO country that has occupy other country, killed so many and continue to be “protected” by American politicians of both side.
Even NY Time, never really blame this country for all the atrocities Erdogan is provoking.
2
By blessing this war by Turkey that has led to hundreds of ISIS affiliated prisoners escape from the jails, Trump has effectively become an ally and enabler of ISIS and betrayed the Kurdish allies and militia who fought ISIS on behalf of the US!
What a blot on America!
7
Sadly, once Trump is removed from office the next real president will have to order our troops to remove the Turks from Syria. Remove Assad from power. Establish a no fly zone and eject the Russians from Syria as well. Not to mention getting the weaponry the Ukrainians require to defend themselves from the Russians. Sound like war? it is. Thanks Trumpsters and republicans.
6
@middle of pacific Please stay at home and keep your troops there too. The US has caused havoc and millions of lives by their "adventures" in the Middle East. Trump and a majority of Americans have no idea of the history of the region and what led to today's state of affairs. Let those people sort out their own problems and the US stay home and deal with it's own
8
I remember being a substitute teacher in the city schools of Harrisonburg, and having several Kurdish students in my classes throughout the four years I spent on call. Those kids, and their parents and families in general, struck me as the toughest and most resilient human beings I'd ever met. The Kurds were also some of the most gracious people to me if they thought I had done them a great service, and I was always humbled by their kind words and gifts of food (it was never much, but I often had less and cried at times from the kindness).
The thought occurred to me as all this has begun unfolding - what if the Kurdish community in my city returns to Syria and northern Iraq? For what my opinion is worth, Harrisonburg will be a poorer city for their leaving, and so would the state of Virginia and the United States as a whole.
As for Mr. Trump? May he find no rest even in death.
27
While I have been embarrassed by the USA's actions many times during the Trump administration, including betrayal of other allies, this is the lowest point. Hopefully, our international allies will understand this is not a USA decision but a Trump decision and we can recover some goodwill from Jan 2021 onward, but it will take a long time.
15
Trump is your President. You can’t disown or disavow him, you elevated him and you’ve done nothing effective to neutralise him. So yes - this is a USA decision and Americans must own it. And it will take more than Trump’s eventual fade into the annals of infamy to restore the world’s trust in America, because where he came from, others may follow - not a risk allies will be prepared to take.
9
@SharonD Not sure if you have spent any time in the States; but it is frightening to see the level of ignorance of his followers. And, there are ALOT of them. I live in the southern states and there will be more Trumps to come and be seated in office by the electoral college.
5
"Bringing the troops home," says Trump. So why is he sending 1500 more troops to Saudi Arabia?
"The Saudis will pay," says Trump. I guess the Kurds could not, except with their blood and sacrifices.
Nor have the Kurds any Trump hotel towers, nor bailout monies for the Kushners bad NYC real estate deals.
American diplomacy is cash on the barrel head.
32
In the Middle East, "an enemy of my enemy is my friend".. Currently, that means Kurds, Alawites & Russians are "friends", united against their common "enemy" - the Turks and Trump.
4
The unfolding escalation in Syria could easily have been foretold, from the moment the Assad régime began firing live rounds at protesters it regards as nothing more than slaves, personal property of the Assad family, and thus entirely expendable.
Experts in the region's history warned about this very development, as far back as 2011 & 2012. The US chose to back away from any clear position on Syria's meltdown into unremitting atrocities, mass killings, the use of chemical weapons against children, the targeted starvation of populations that resisted Assad (in a straightforward emulation of Lenin's & Stalin's 'successful' policies of mass famines, artificially created through blockades, specifically for the purpose of making an example of anyone who resisted brutal forced collectivization -- the enslavement of the agricultural sector by the Communist Party's Central Committee).
Turkey used to own all of Syria, not that long ago. Turkey is a NATO ally. Turkey also has the superior fighting force & apparently the resolve to carry out what they have insisted they would do as far as 4 years ago. The tragedy is compounded by oil fields.
Will Russia dare to enter into a shooting war against Turks? I doubt it. The Turks have already taken care of that possible scenario via the usual bakshish.
2
Media and politicians presuppose that the U.S. has the duty--and right--to rule and police the world.
That certainly helps generate business for the military-industrial complex, as Eisenhower termed it.
America is not the solution; America is the problem. Its intervention, malign in effect if benign in slogan, has caused SO much trouble.
American cannot govern itself, let alone the world.
14
That’s all very true. It does not, however, absolve the US of responsibility for cleaning up the mess it has made.
18
@George Washington
I agree with your statement concerning foreign interventionism and the military industrial complex.
However, your comment about the American people being incapable of self-government is not only hard to swallow, it’s false.
The chaos we are currently witnessing and enduring is the result of a long-term plan gone out-of-control.
For decades now a major American political party has been purposefully propagandizing and manipulating its membership to:
- view our government with suspicion and animosity.
- view the opposition party as their enemies.
- divide the populace, setting one group on another.
- distract the public from the increasing polarization of wealth, wasteful defense spending, and our greedy corrupt health care system, etc.
“Government is NOT the answer to our problems. Government is the problem.”
—Ronald Reagan, 1980
Being a responsible citizen in a functional democracy isn’t easy. When one of the major political parties decides to become obstructionist, to violate the Constitution (the Merrick Garland appointment, 2016), to support an unbalanced, unfit president...
Things become unmanagable.
Climate change, human rights and the rule of law take a back seat to serving the financial interests of a select few and listening to the lies & temper tantrums of a childish POTUS.
Our apparent inability to govern ourselves is far more complex than a quirky mass deficiency. It is the latest chapter a planned undermining of our constitutional democracy.
12
How one can make a country great again by stamping on its honor?
13
When Trump acts, Putin always wins.
Is there anyone who still believes that it is a case?
5
Trump's selling out the Kurds and green lighting the invasion in three words:
Trump Towers Istanbul.
The Trump Crime Family collect royalties of 1,000,000 for the use of Trump's name. No corruption or presidential self-dealing here.
18
Because of Trump’s ongoing criminal behavior, his Putin inspired withdrawal of our troops defending Kurdish allies, it is absolutely the moral duty of the Democratic strong House to impeach the president no matter the outcome .
12
From what I've read, these guys who are muslims seem as secular as one can be and relatively progressive. We should be encouraging them and not letting them down.
Though Turkey also used to be a lot more secular muslim which I thought was great until now they've changed a bit...
2
@RamS I've been in Turkey so many times and i have a lot of friends in there. As i saw, about %60 of them are still seculars but in the years of Erdogan's bad management they think their country continuously go backwards. Just yesterday i gave a call to one of them and asked the effects of this action on their domestic
politics. She said ''no matter what he does, it's not gonna save him. We took the major cities from him, like Istanbul and Ankara, in local elections and our economy is getting worse also, even his supporters start to abandon him. Many of Turkish people strongly believe before 2023 there will be an early election and hopefully he will be gone. Even our one-sided media start to turn their back on him, one by one.'' That's the lates news which i heard. Hopefully this can give you some info about what really is going on there.
1
So in other words, a leader under siege starts a war to save himself. Yet again.
From Russia‘s perspective, ist was brilliant to push Trump into the WH. He has done more lasting damage to the US‘s foreign policy (and domestically to the erosion of the rule of law and separation of power) than Russia could have achieved from outside. And Republicans should ask whether the tax cuts are worth it... Even if they detest Clinton, she would not have led to such utter failure.
17
The US Constitution is crystal clear. It is the job of the Congress “To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water”.
If we are to go into Syria without its permission then it is a “capture on land” and we need a congressional vote on this. Too many wars have been started without Congress and this has to stop.
As for ISIS, are you telling me that the Russians cannot deal with ISIS? Or even the Syrians or Iranians?
2
Sure they can, but they won’t. Because a little chaos suits their interests. It keeps the competition occupied and economically disadvantaged. It keeps the West off their backs. And so much more.
8
I just hope that god has a better angel on his shoulder - than the american people: fully preoccupied with their internal politics and self obsession. Just looking at the comments - I can smell how the fresh morning coffee goes down the same with news of dead people in other countries or another Tarantino movie.
Obema and Trump are two sides of the same coin - which value degrades swiftly with the inflation of nationalism.
I guess its gonna be a battle royal of immortality between China, Russia and the US for the better part of my life. Let the games begin.
4
USA a world leader ? USA a reliable longterm partner ?
These are questions the world is asking.
11
The world doesn’t have to ask any longer.
7
It’s been answered. The answer is no.
3
@Ernst Schwarz So what is the "new globalist plan" if America refuses to carry the international security responsibility? There is absolutely no other entity out there even willing to equitably participate. Western Europe vacillates. And the Asian Pacific Rim does likewise. Both regions very adept at economic expansion, but totally adverse to projection of security. It would appear a new development has occurred in the "globalist agenda".
2
USA a world leader ? USA a reliable longterm partner ?
These are questions the world is asking.
President Bonespurs runs away. Sad. The big question in my mind is what does Erdogon have on him that is worse that enduring this public humiliation as a backstabber and coward and a traitor? What is so bad that it is preferable to see your own troops shelled and pushed out of the way by a middle-rate power, preferable to see your name and reputation dragged through the mud, rather than have it revealed?
11
One simple question remains unanswered by Trump:
Why the "rush" to pull US troops out.
We see Turkey attacking America's allies the Kurds, who fought and defeated ISIS. We know Syria's tyrant Assad and Russian forces in the area have committed atrocities that the small contingent of US troops was somewhat keeping at bay.
So who did Trump do a "favor" for after a phone call, the transcript of which is likely in the super secret computer? Was it Ersogen? Was it Putin? And keep in mind that these two are essentially dictators...like Trump wants to be.
If Congressional Republicans do not stand up against Trump on this, then they are complicit in Trump's tyranny and stupidity.
14
Trump: a disaster for most nations. Including ours and almost all of our allies.
You own this, Republicans. You've been enabling him since you got wet pants scared of his Base from during the primaries. You own this. The wages of fear . . . . etc. Now it's poisoned us all.
Help us stop him.
25
"They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind."
Trump's free pass to Turkey, hence to Syria/Russia (hmm) frees ISIS to do future harm to the US.
Heaven forbid.
3
And what about the repercussions for the rest of the world? America’s self-absorption is unbelievable.
6
@SharonD
Accordingly to Trump America need not worry about ISIS because; “They’ll escape into Europe”.
Another 27 nations betrayed with a shrug.
Maybe no one has told ISIS about ships and planes? It’s pretty clear no one ever explained to them about national borders - so maybe they won’t find out and we (those protected by big moats or oceans) will all be safe?
Seems as well a thought through strategy as anything Trump displays anyway.
Trump once again abandons sensible American policy to do Vladimir Putin’s bidding.
10
Shameful day for America. Trump you have betrayed the values of our country.
9
So help me God, if even one person EVER mentions Benghazi in my presence, I will not be responsible for the consequences.
20
Great that troops are coming home and are no longer at risk of death! The US no longer needs to police the world. Let countries be. Well done, Trump!
4
The troops are not actually coming home. They will be deployed somewhere else. Most likely Saudi’s Arabia. We must protect Trump’s financial interests!
2
Time to dust off and re-read Nevil Shute "On the Beach" (1957) - post-apocalypse with its spark not far from Turkey. Also Karl Marlantes "Matterhorn" (2009) Vietnam on the ground.
2
If ever there was a doubt that Trump has been doing Putin's bidding and playing his stooge, there can be no more as a result of his decision to allow the Turkish slaughter of our allies. How can we allow this to stand...how can we permit this cruel and inhuman person to continue to destroy American values and traditions and to continue his disgusting and dangerous actions in our name? Sanctions on Turkey are baloney...we need congress to do more than hand-wringing...there must be action to turn this travesty around and show what American values and loyalty to brave allies really means. Congress, gird thy loins and demand the president reverse his course.
10
At least the war on democracy is going well.
11
Our Commander-in-Chief seems to very presidential, indeed, what with single-handedly creating yet another mortal enemy of the U.S. for generations, if not millennia, to come.
8
Has it occurred to anyone that as Trump feels the impeachment noose tightening around his neck, he is frantically acting to carry out the acts that Putin has directed him to take in order to benefit mother Russia?
14
The stable genius has with a single, impulsive, non-coordinated phone call caused a major humanitarian catastrophy , freed hundreds of ISIS fighters and wrecked US credibility in the middle east for decades to come.
The White House is totally disfunctional.
20
Russian intelligence services haven't had this big a success since the Soviets ran the Cambridge Five. This is way bigger.
7
Just my 2 bob's worth (2 shillings, 20 cents), but one wonders how quick the Turkish forces mobilized and caused so much killing and destruction almost immediately after the now, infamous phone call?
I say, follow the money trail, not now, but in 4 to 5 years time.
9
Our allies are cast aside, our military humiliated, terrorist enemies are released, Americans lose credibility, and America is less safe ... yet Russia benefits. His betrayal of our friends, country, and principles serves our adversaries, not us. His efforts to divide us and our partners undermines our national safety and security. How many military secrets has he told our adversaries? God only knows, but he cannot be trusted with any of them. Call/email your congressman tomorrow and demand they stop him now or resign immediately! Our national survival requires it.
9
For years Russia has been trying to present itself as the reliable partner in the Middle East. Trump just drove this home for the whole world.
4
So Trump decided that he can misdirect the attention of public from investigation into his actions in USA vs Ukraine by creating this mess?!
Who knows what he can do next when more revelations on him and his associates see public daylight....
4
“United States had failed to transfer five dozen “high value” Islamic State detainees out of the country. “
Five dozen? And we couldn’t even manage that? If we had succeeded in that, only 10,040 ISIS prisoners would have escaped.
The military should have disobeyed some of these orders.
Oh. But that would set s dangerous precedent you say? No, it would have avoided war crimes trials, truth commissions , ptsd, and the needless deaths that are sure to ensue as these terrorists, hardened by hard time, seek their vengeance.
Plan Putin Proceeds Perfectly...
6
Trump channels his inner Kissenger: "America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests."
1
That the president of the United States ordered our most elite troops to witness atrocities committed by Erdogran's terrorist militias on people under their protection, without lifting a finger or firing a shot, is a disgrace that will never be forgotten or erased from the history of this country.
6
Every foreign policy decision/action/statement Donald Trump has made in his three years in office has benefited Vladimir Putin - EVERY SINGLE ONE!
Now, why is that?
In the space of a few days he has handed northern Syria over to Russian control, allowed thousands of captured ISIS terrorists to escape from prison, and sacrificed our deepest allies in the region - forcing them to partner up with Putin.
It's impossible to avoid the conclusion that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has been compromised, and is now working directly for Mother Russia, because, based on his actions, there is no other logical conclusion.
Donald Trump is a self-serving traitor who has betrayed this country, his oath of office, the Constitution, and our allies on the highest possible level. Again. And again. And again.
He should not only be impeached, he should be tried for treason, and, if found guilty, be sent to prison for the rest of his life.
This isn't just self-enrichment anymore. This is TREASON plain and simple.
8
It sickens me to see my country, yet again, cut and run ... abandoning an ally to their fate. This isn't the first time for me to feel this way. I went to my records to check my DD214, just to make sure I got the wording right. My DD214 says, "ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (FREQUENT WIND)" and I remember it as though it were yesterday. The nation reverberated with a powerful groundswell, drowning out reasoned voices speaking of duty ... "No more war!!!" I was the assistant navigator of USS Ashtabula (AO-51) when we stood by in the vicinity of Vung Tau, receiving the remnants of the Navy of South Vietnam as they fled certain destruction. I was just a kid, 24 years old, but I knew that the country I served should not treat an ally that way.
Now half a lifetime later I see our president doing the same thing and it crushes me. But what changes "this time" from being a mere moral agony to true despair is the hypocrisy of Progressives on this, with the past few years worth of protesting "Eternal War" in bumper stickers, radio talk shows, and college classrooms. Well, Progressives, you got a president who is going to end the "Eternal War" that so outrages you (even though no one has asked you to serve). Are you happy now? From reading the reporting, editorial content, and comments it seems that Progressives will take ANY position that opposes Trump, even if in so doing they bathe in a warm deep sea of hypocrisy.
After Korea, we forgot how to keep our word.
2
All this winning...it's intoxicating!
5
If the Kurdish militia's loyalty switchover from the US to the Russia/Syria enemy camp could be justified as a tactical shift to survive, Trump's Syria policy reversal in support of Turkey's military offensive against the Kurds can onlu be called betrayal of the US allies Kurds simply to gain favours from Russia for reelection.
3
OMG.
I can't believe this is my country.
Everything is just awful. Everything this dude has done to to us is just awful. Now more people are dying.
10
Thank you so much for your detailed reporting; keep it up.
I feel sick about these events, yet another betrayal of the brave Kurds. Trump now has blood on his hands; hard to believe, but
this is worse than all of his previous crimes. And there is nothing I can do other than writing these words.
8
You can do more than just write words. Trump must go, and as soon as possible, and only Americans can remove him.
4
I fear Trump will destroy us faster than we can get him out of office. If ever there is to be a break glass moment, we are in it now.
Dean told Nixon there's a cancer in his presidency.
Trump IS the cancer. And cancers, if diagnosed in time, must be removed. If treatment is delayed the cancer destroys the body.
I do believe the situation is that dire and we are already late to treatment.
8
In fact it is our broken system which allowed this catastrophe. Our outdated electoral college coupled with truly thoughtless voters put this guy in office and may keep him there if we don't wise up.
What I don't get is how any vet of any war can hold any respect for this empty suit, this shell of a man.
4
If Trump scales back just one more of our various wars, Democrats will demand a 600-ship Navy.
1
I am simply appalled. Aside from the fact that there's NO plan, nothing to be gained, there is the waste of our troops' years of fighting there, the abject betrayal of the Kurds, and the sign to all the world that the U.S. is no longer to be trusted.
Russia wins big, however. Was that all Trump wanted? To spill the blood of Americans and our allies in order to please Russia?
6
Will any of us be able to face Thanksgiving with full appreciation for our lives? Will there even be a Thanksgiving?
Halloween is Trump's holiday. His bag of tricks will be given out to all, and we will all, the entire world, have some what shriveled spirits for many years to come.
3
The Sunni Muslim ethnic Kurds are the targets of other sectarian groups while not having a nation state of their own where they are a majority.
Sunni Muslim Kurds are among the most effective motivated foes of the Sunni Muslim Wahhabi extremist terrorist likes of al Qaeda, ISIS, the Saudi royals and the Arab Gulf states.
Ethnic Kurds are feared and despised by ethnic Arabs, ethnic Turks and ethnic Persians aka Iranians.
Sunni Muslim Arabs and Turks are arrayed against Sunni Muslim Kurds.
Shia Muslim Arabs and Persians aka Iranians are also against the Kurds.
Saladin was a Kurd. Kurdish freedom and liberation fighters aka peshmerga - those who face death-- are legendary for their ferocity which includes women warriors.
The Kurds deserve and need a nation state homeland of their own in order in insure their safety and security.
The corrupt cowardly betrayal of the Kurds by Donald John Trump,Sr. on behalf of the Trump Organization and Turkish Ottoman Sultan Hittite King wannabe Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have devastating lasting consequences for American interests and values going forward.
2
What we see in Northeastern Turkey and the response by the administration is horrifying and predictable. Despite the spin the administration is putting out over the Sunday talk shows, this tragedy was instigated by a telephone call between Erdogan and Trump.
Now here is the administration's story. "Turkey was planning this all along." "Turkey's action is based on 200 years of conflict between the Turks and the Kurds." "We never signed up to protect the Kurds." "The Kurds are cutting a deal with the Russians; we don't want our boys to be in the middle of a battle between Turks and Russia!" And I'm sure at some point, this will all be the fault of the Obama administration.
Where was the diplomacy before the telephone call? Where were the efforts to negotiate safety for the Kurds before this slaughter began? Where was an interagency process to anticipate this scenario and to plan a response? Where was the adult on the call between Erdogan and Trump to stand up this tyrant?
Now we have yet another set of lies, spin, and obfuscation to reverse engineer a policy to cover up Trump's cruelty and incompetence.
Wash. Spin. Repeat.
4
I would like to say Donald Trump's backfiring foreign policy decisions are a bloody disaster, but number one, he doesn't seem to actually have a coherent and consistent foreign policy, unless you consider cozying up to despots and dictators diplomacy. And I'm not sure I think there is actually any sort of rational decision-making process going on in the Executive Office. I'd like to quote POTUS's tweets and just say, "SAD," but this is getting dangerous.
2
All of the disturbing motivations behind Trump’s wildcat pull-out and betrayal of our Kurdish Allies in Syria enumerated by readers here likely all hold water. But what if the simplest explanation takes precedence? My first thought upon hearing the news was that this was first and foremost a panicked, knee-jerk reaction to throw a deliverable to his base as the storm clouds of impeachment roiled over the White House; to make good on one, at least, of his campaign promises — since most of the other ones he promised Joe Lunchbox have been evaporated by the twin suns of Folly and Insanity.
5
Trump does not care about the Kurds. The American soldiers and the Green Beret do. So inspiring these Kurd women are empowered to fight back and ally with who they need to in order to at least temporarily survive Turkey has no business in Syria and it is true the U.S should have created a truce between Turkey and the Kurds. The blood of these Kurds is upon Trump and Trump alone.
5
No. It is on America.
2
@SharonD It was not on all of America. I must point out that most of us, who consider ourselves the real America, who still believe in freedom and our allies, did not vote for Trump. Hillary Clinton received millions more votes, and corruption with Russia stole the election from us. Since then we have been doing all we can to right America again.
It is convenient to say it is "on America", since scape-goating can be easier than really examining an issue. Anyway, where is Australia to help the Kurds?
1
@SharonD Your reply is untrue. The majority of people voted for Hillary Clinton. Russia interference and the nothing fiasco of Hillary Clinton's supposed emails caused her defeat. The majority of us strongly disagree with Trump and have done and are doing what we can to get him out of office. It is easier to blame America than actually see into our resistance. There are individuals who live in America and most of us are horrified about what happened with the Kurds. I do also feel moved to ask how Australia has helped the Kurds. There is the guilt of wrong action and the guilt of in-action.
1
Yes, let’s hope Russia steps in and helps the Kurds to withstand. No irony.
No one awaits revenge-fueled isis Fighters in the upcoming Christmas season.
Detained they should stay.
And detained Trump belongs too.
The US will now have to pull off a massive rescue operation to extricate tens of thousands of jihadists as Turkey may not get them all in time, just like the successful massive rescue of jihadists by Israel on Syria's southern border.
The Turkish invasion is only to rescue the captured ISIS jihadists held in Syria. The jihadists will need to be resettled in the EU and kept under surveillance for public safety until the US and NATO can use them again.
How interesting, just like in Orwell's book 1984; one day Eurasia is our ally the next they are our enemy. In the world of 2+2=5 anything is possible.
It's uncanny; science fiction's ability to predict the future, only we are in that future.
So the plan is to get Russia to war wage against a member of NATO. What could go wrong?
1
A quick jump over the comments section on Fox News tells you all you need to know about how this news is interpreted by Trump's base: Trump is a genius. The problem is solved and the U.S. is out just in time.
That's the level of thinking of at least 35 percent of the population.
Good motivation to get out and vote next year. I would if I could.
14
@CM Fox news is horribly bought out by Trump supporters. I am not sure how so much of our country suffers from ignorance. It does make me wonder about our public school system as to whether we are teaching our young people to think critically versus encouraging them in buying one way of thinking. Kids should be raised to read critically various news sources. I do have more hope for the young generation who are more connected to social media.
There are many of us--a majority--who oppose Trump. We will be standing in line early to vote.
2
I know and I hope the best for you. I have family in the U.S. and they are heartbroken and horrified about the current political climate and the actions of this Administration. This election will turn, or not, by the votes of young people, I think. If they turn out, Trump is done. If they don't, God help us all.
1
Trump’s enablers are just as much to blame for all of this.
Whether in the Administration, the Senate or House, this is on you, Republican Party.
10
Good. It’s an issue, one of many, that is not of US strategic interest. We should wish them well and be out of there. Trump showed courage going against the neocons and never Trump hyenas on this.
1
Past time to mobilize the Twenty-fifth Amendment or impeachment. Otherwise, what will Trump do next?
1
Trump, in true fashion, made a snap decision based on impulse, not always a good foundation for anyone who refers to himself as a “stable genius. The Russians and Syrians now have the Kurds with them for manpower. I salute the Kurds for their decision making. The Turks; Syrians; Iranians; and Russians all have differences except for a disagreement over a universal distaste for the US. AT least we will not lose anymore lives in that part of the middle east and it opens a window for the the Israelis to be militarily aggressive there if they see fit.
2
This notion that the Syrian Kurds were our allies is utter nonsense. Ours was a marriage of convenience. There are no allies only interests.
18 years, 4 wars, one failed regime change (Libya), the destabilization of the African Sahel. Enough. The Kurds want a country of their own; that’s their end game. God bless them.
What’s our plan? Sadly we had none. Never had anything but magical thinking expressed by the banality of Politicians and the ambitions of the Pentagon, each feted by their cheerleaders in the media.
I’m pleased the President is keeping his campaign promise regarding our entanglement in endless wars that are breaking the bank and twisting our souls.
4
The original mission for going in there was to help the Kurds go after ISIS. And that's what we did. We didn't adopt them for life. Things change. That place was important because of ISIS, now it's not. Time to go. They're not "our friends". It's not up to us to go into other countries and start dividing them up. The US always has and still wants Assad to remain in power so it was never about helping the Kurds create their own country. Nor was it about toppling Assad. Let's not romanticize this too much.
As for how sad it is that the Kurds may not "let" us take a bunch of ISIS fanatics -- I'm okay with that. They're really hard to get rid of. And how stale is their "high value" status at this point?
Weird so many peaceniks clamoring for more war. Taking the bait. Eating right out of Trump's hand.
4
What war? Our troop presence in the region was limited to an advisory role. A small price to pay for stability while we sorted out those prisoners. The Kurds were inevitably going to be crushed by one of their neighbors. No one was going to gift them an autonomous state. No one cares about Assad. Our issue is dealing with these so called stale prisoners. I recall many stale AQI prisoners who quickly formed the leadership core of ISIS. Or is terrorism irrelevant now and Iran the boogie man because the KSA says so? I oppose both interventions but you seem eager to move on to the next one. Your derisive language suggests you would support shedding another generation of American blood on behalf of the Saudis. At least until the party line changes.
3
ok, so if Trump wants to bring back US forces home he has to shut the American military bases in Japan, Belgium, Greenland, Italy, Kosovo, Germany, Koweït, south Korea, Cameroon, Australia, Niger, Israel, Greece, Portugal, Qatar, Turkey, UK, Saudi Arabia, etc... why let down only the Kurds?
3
It is such a shame: The Kurdish forces were cultivated into loyal allies, and had become a very valuable, competent, and effect fighting force. For the past several year, the Kurds conducted operations at the behest of the United States, and were, on numerous occasions, willing to absorb significant losses in service to U.S. strategic goals that were, at best, of tangential value to the Kurds.
It is possible that the next Democratic President may be able to repair some of the damage that Trump has wrought, but the Kurds are unlikely to ever again make such sacrifices in service to U.S. goals. The Kurds made such sacrifices in large part to cement an alliance with the United States. But that investment in Kurdish lives has been for nought.
3
Does it ever occurred to any one that Trump is a Russian agent. The withdrawal of our forces is done under the directive of Putin. The plans to withdraw from agreement of open skies is also a directive from Putin. Putin doesn’t believe Trump will win, so he is collecting his chips in a hurry. More is yet to come. Stay tune.
2
The entire GOP has Russian money lining their pockets which is why they’ve allowed Trump the latitude he’s received time and again for one catastrophic decision after another. America will never recover it’s global reputation and we can kiss goodbye our position in leading any alliances...except of course, with Russia. Trump has delivered Putin’s long sought prize of diminishing America as a sought-after and respected world leader.
2
To really solve the problem, the Kurds needs a Kurdistan! Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran all agree to cede part of their countries to form a new country. Yes, would require massive cooperation and letting go, seemly completely impossible in these times.
1
We can get upset, feel very bad that the Kurds are put in harms way but Trump doesn’t care. And he’s not interested in incensed veterans or active duty military. He is interested in aligning with Turkey, regardless of their using our army for target practice during their attacks on the Kurds. What will happen? Now that the Kurds are aligned with Syria, I hope they get some land. I think they’ll be grateful enough to land on their feet after Trump’s betrayal that they’ll be loyal to Assad. Turkey will keep Trump happy by allowing him to keep his hotels and that area of the Middle East will settle down to fighting ISIS without American help. Upshot for America: if I were a tourist, I wouldn’t go to Turkey for awhile in spite of Trump’s joy. Turkey and Assad may join to move against other countries; maybe work on the Ottoman Empire thing, the way Putin is trying to regain lost Russian territory. You can expect the U.S. to sit back and let it happen - and there will be Trump towers in Turkish and Russian lands - the more they acquire, the more towers for him.
Someone here said it best. As a nation we're no longer exceptional. This is an overtly perfect example of that highly visible fact.
1
I'm afraid to say it's appearing more and more likely that Trump is acting in Russia's interests rather than the USA's. When considering this possibility I asked myself "is Trump the sort of person who would betray his country for personal gain? If Putin offered enough would Trump agree to follow Russia's agenda in Syria, in order to further Russia's interests?" From what we have all seen regarding Trump's character, or lack thereof, the answer to both questions is undoubtedly "very possibly, yes".
Things are looking grim.
5
As it looks now, the Kurds have been stabbed in the back by the US troops leaving a no-go zone for the Turkish Army. I cannot blame the Kurdish military leaders to strike a deal with two other dictators e.g. Assad and Poetin. They have ended up as the most important ground troops against the Islamic State, which actually crippled the IS completely and put almost all of them in camps and prisons.
Now IS is escaping from detention and might regroup again to go into this new war again.
Due to the US pulling out of Northern Syria, the Kurdish troops are with their backs against the wall. No wonder they strike a deal with the emperors of Syria and Russia. To my opinion, the decision of emperor Trump has offset a new civil war in Syria and possibly in Turkey as well depending on how many weapon systems (like air defense systems to cripple the Turkish air force) will inject (and sell) into this new war.
Moreover, I think that not a single US trooper will be safe now on the Turkish - Syria, -Iraqi - Iran area, where Kurds have still have strong footholds which they will defend with Russian Syrian backup.
Well done Emperor Trump. Your influence in the Western parts of the Middle East have been dimmed for ever.
You are a real strategic genius indeed.
1
I think Trump is trying for a twofer. First, he pulls out to get cred from his base and probably some kind of deal with Turkey and maybe Russia. Then, he gets a war, which he thinks will help him remain in power. And the war will be a the behest of others (congress, public, military, etc.) in response to the situation caused by the idiodic method of his withdrawal.
2
Set aside the Ukraine Conversation Controversy.
Trump acts to expand the influence of Russia and allows a potential resurgence of ISIS.
This is the offense which should be the focus of Congress.
1
One small point left out of the article is the fact that when/if the Syrian govt forces consolidate their control of Eastern Syria, they will come up against the border of Iraq. This will give them, the Russians, & Iran stratigic leverage against a weak Iraq. Good luck with that.
1
The tragedy Trump has bestowed upon our Kurdish allies brings to the fore Congress's abandonment of its war powers. There should be clear and swift procedures for halting troop withdrawals (and deployments) based on the whims of a single leader. Our allies and the fate of the world deserve more stable and calculated actions by the U.S. We can always try to rehabilitate our image after such foolhardy action, but a freedom fighter only has a single, extremely valuable life to live.
6
As a number of your readers are Vietnam veterans, I, too, am one and a veteran of the the battle of Tet in 1968. I am truly shocked at the degree of venom that argues that it would be ok if we sent a handful of US soldiers to fight an invasion of 15,000 Turkish troops. The reason we entered the Middle East, in force, was over oil, when we were largely dependent on ME oil. Today, a combination of clean air technology and modern petroleum extraction have largely removed our strategic interests. A fight between two allies, one of which is a member of NATO, is no place to put US troops in harm's way. Our strategic threats are China and Russia and, should Russia continue to deepen her interests Syria, this quagmire will surely not come out a good ending. The Iraq War was based on lies of "Weapons of Mass Destruction". This war is based on lies of American honor and strategic value. Neither justifies any further military action between these two rivals.
12
I should like to think that an actual Vietnam vet would never have so little pride, and be so clueless about who this benefits.
5
I am shocked too that former militaries don’t feel honor bound to fix the mess initially created by their country, when it invaded another one based on lies. It is too easy to say: “Oops sorry, we were wrong. Bye, have fun”
6
The last senrence poses the key question: what rights will the Kurds retain after being forced to rely on Damascus for defense against the Turks? Thr U.S. now has little influence having betrayed the Kurds and created a political vacuum now being rapidly filled by Damascus, but it still can offer economic support to the Kurds if Damascus agrees to some level of independence A semi-autonimus Kurdish state should still be our goal, not only because it is the right thing but because it would offset thr hostile dictatorial regimes that surround the Kurds.
4
Coming home makes good sense, but not before a sound deal is crafted that protects our friends and allies (and our interests).
Our paramount military strength gives us a very strong hand in any deal -- but needed is a dealmaker in the Whitehouse -- not a pretender in things big and small.
Trump continues to fail on every front.
26
True, we have been in endless wars and should extricate ourselves from them, maybe even actively but intelligently, humanely, respecting life, respecting alliances we have made and with sound reasoning. The Kurds are the side we should back or be on for several reasons that are moral as well as in our national interest. Both now under Trump are in a state of confusion and destruction. One man cannot be doing his without the GOP party. I don’t think they or we will recover for a long long time.
18
It's hard to imagine how Trump thought this would end well for the US. All our erstwhile allies are now on notice that America will betray them upon the whim of our stable genius.
Perhaps the Kurds will find a better deal with the Syrian government and Russia. Russia it must be said has been very faithful to Assad and that cannot have escaped the notice of the Kurds.
35
Turkey is part of NATO, has a huge army, and is the cork in the bottle called the Middle East. Having to make ugly decisions is a President's job. We & the Euros need Turkey almost as much as Turkey needs us. Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon need to find a safe place for the refugees (the Bush family helped to displace). Hopefully, Turkey can create that safe zone on their border. And no it is not pretty.
3
For the record the USA has abandoned the Kurds 8 Times in the last 70 odd years. I think they expect it at this point.
2
With this deal with Assad, Syria will finally be whole again (almost). Thank God for Russia, thank God for Hezbollah, thank God for Assad and thank God for Donald Trump. Oh and the Kurds deserve an honourable mention too.
As for the Turks. Better luck next time. Booyah!!
4
I wish you were right.
Shame on U.S.
33
Typical CEO decision based on quid pro quo for Erdogans card of the damning tape of the murdered journalist, without realizing how it will or can pan out. Ditto for US economy, healthcare and everything else. We are doomed.
14
@FT
You have to stand firm that, we, the people, the country, can survive this shameless man and his wicked actions. It may seem hopeless now, but I refuse to let him drag me into his abyss. We deserve better.. We will have better.
History will judge him.
The country will judge him in 2020.
1
General Mattis, General McMaster, General Kelly : you were once great military leaders an still are considered by all to be men of honor . How can you stay silent in the face of this betrayal ? General Mattis, in particular, you said your time to speak out would come . Has it not come now, and if so when ?
General Flynn : did you ever think that your "consultancy" with the Turkish government would lead to this obscenity ?
Speak out, men, and do not allow your honor to be tainted by your silence .
53
@pgd
General Mattis loves to think of himself as an honorable man. But he is not. He is just another amoral public person seeking a book deal.
1
Totally amazing that Trump has forced the Kurds to turn to Russia -- why would he do that if Putin had not wanted/asked him to do so?
28
@James
A few hotel deals? Golf courses? Luxury apartment buildings? Money?
Silence .. for now?
1
Please give the Russian default key a rest. I think it is broken.
Trumpers can we finally agree, in this case at least, that he is making the world less safe?
Or will you come with yet another flat-earther style explanation of how he's somehow not to blame?
Come on already! This is ridiculous
29
Trump stabs everybody from his own staffers to America’s loyal allies in the war against ISIS in the back. But somehow, over one-third of US voters still thinks Trump will do right by them. The level of ignorance and delusion may have reached fatal levels in the United States.
51
Unbelievable:( trump screws everything up. He will go down as the worst president of the U.S.
31
That's been a given x about 30 months, I'm afraid.
1
@osavus He is trying to save the lives of our children. Europe is a lot closer to the Kurds than the USA.
1
This is what happens when an idiot is allowed to dabble in foreign policy.
People die. He's going to be as bad as Nixon before he's through.
24
@Dave Nixon, as flawed as he was, was more professional and did not act to dismantle American governance quite as much. Reagan was far worse considering the large number of his administration that ended up under indictment.
Nixon was a saintly statesman compared to Trump.
2
@Dave — There is no comparison between Trump and Nixon. Trump is in a class all by himself with how he has damaged our image and credibility, two things that are difficult, if not impossible, to restore.
He’s used to living in a world where he can call all the shots, bask in all the fame, yet walk away scot-free if things go south. No deliberation, no accountability. An individual more unsuited to the presidency I can’t imagine, nor do I ever want to see.
Trump is a good street fighter, and he never admits mistakes, but he is a totally incompetent and irresponsible Commander in Chief. This is his main job, and he has absolutely made a disaster of this situation. We are going to see the repercussions of this terrible, stupid mistake for decades. This will be a permanent stain on his administration long after the Ukrainian situation fades into a footnote. In particular the unintended consequences of this action are going to upset the entire balance in the region.
Trump is dangerous for us, and dangerous for the world. He does not know what he is doing, and trusting our national security to such a dangerously deranged and frankly stupid "leader" is truly cataclysmic. Trump himself is too stubborn and too dunderheaded to admit his errors. He may yet backtrack, but it will have been too late. Innocent children and their families are already dead.
35
I agree with almost all you said except that Trump is deranged. He is not deranged. He is tragically uninformed and clueless as to international policy. He refuses to listen to advisers, shoots from the hip, guesses at what might best benefit his narrow minded goals. He has no concept of how to govern.
1
Turnaround is fair play in Trump's book so once again this country will reap what it has sown. I trust that Trump's idol Putin is ecstatic at how well his strategy is working and that is was well worth the effort he put in to cultivate Trump. Any way you look at it Trump is a self-inflicted wound that the US will never recover from.
22
It’s appalling what this grifter will do to deflect attention from his impeachment inquiry. I truly believe this is the reason.
28
trump's cowardly actions against the Kurds shaming honorable President John F. Kennedy's proud Green Berets.
14
Trump continues to give big gifts to Putin. And he doesn't care who he hurts. Selfish, greedy, and stupid, he promotes hatred and lies. The rest of us need to stop playing his game.
Americans need to rediscover their hearts and minds, and stop reaching for the garbage heap of history.
Time for true patriotism; vote Democratic.
26
Disclose the Erdogan call transcript now!
41
@Omar -- Disclose everything. Release it all, the whole of the papers and transcripts and deals behind this whole war in Syria for years.
Any one specific tiny piece is misleading. A tiny piece of the truth isn't the truth.
Yes, show us the whole thing, in the whole context.
Of course, we need to be ready to start jailing people, because it won't stop with full disclosure, nor should it.
14
Really have to wonder if the Trump call had anything to do with the Trump Tower in Istanbul. At any rate, the outcome is a win for Russia as once again Trump takes action — as he did by delaying delivery of weapons to Ukraine and also imposing conditions (dirt on Biden) on the Ukraine getting more weapons — which helps Putin. When, if ever, will the Republicans see that Trump keeps takes actions which benefits Putin and Russian while harming US interests?
16
The anti-ISIS alliance was always temporary by nature. The U.S. has never held itself out as the guarantor of a Kurdish state carved out of Syria by force; it only wanted the Kurds and their Syrian allies to keep the country divided and in a state of war in order to force the overthrow of Assad -- for geopolitical reasons that have nothing to do with "barrel bombs." The U.S. has no interest whatsoever in helping the Syrian people.
The Kurds aren't part of the U.S. agenda for Syria and are pursuing their own agenda. They will ultimately be better off negotiating territory after helping the government defeat the mostly foreign jihadists still holding out in Idlib province.
14
Is it any coincidence that Trump's horrible decision regarding the Kurds benefit Russia?
26
Would you sacrifice your sons or daughters to fight in another war on the other side of the world? We can and will punish Turkey through economic sanctions, which will be effective and keep our sons and daughters in the military out of harm’s way.
1
Why did they join the military?
16
Because there are few career options for poor folks where they live, and to get their college tuition paid.
2
The USA broke the Middle East with the invasion of Iraq based on lies. You broke it, you own it. At least, that’s what I taught to my kids.
The kids don’t have to be sacrificed even if they are sent in harm way. Agreed, it would required a stable commander-in-chief, so I may agree with you.
It is one thing to be deployed to protect the country and the family, by keeping terrorists at bay. It is another one to be freed from a theater to be send as mercenaries in Saudi Arabia.
2
But somehow Trump and the Republicans will claim to be patriotic despite staining the US reputation and empowering our enemies.
How can anyone doubt why Russia wanted Trump in office, or how his incompetence would benefit them?
26
Will the Russian air force now demolish the Turkish invaders without Turkey getting any assistance from NATO since Turkey is the invader? Will Israel have to turn towards Russia since Russia will be siting on their doorstep..and Israel cannot have complete confidence in the U.S. since the U.S. is having a great romance with the Saudis? Oh, well..
17
I think they are too busy destroying hospitals.
6
I’m sure they’ll find many more to destroy in the Turkish homeland.
Trump is playing checkers, the others are playing chess.
20
Once more the Kurds are betrayed, yet this is not merely on Trump.
Every NYT commentator who has bemoaned the USA's involvement in military campaigns that are supposedly none of America's business is responsible.
The isolationist tendencies of every Little American led to the duration of WW1.
The same transatlantic mindset led Hitler to gamble that the USA would not enter WW2. Thank God for Pearl Harbour, and for the Battle of Leningrad, otherwise all of Europe would now be speaking German and there would be not a single Jew left alive west of the Urals.
There is but one human race. We are all descended from the same pair of naked apes.
We are all distant cousins. We are all responsible for each other.
The brotherhood and sisterhood of Mankind is more important than the sovereignty of the modern nation state.
12
@Colenso -- Just the opposite. The Kurds are betrayed by those who pretend the US will set up and defend a Kurdistan. It won't. If it was going to, it would have in Iraq under the No Fly Zone three decades ago.
6
@Mark Thomason
The Kurds have always been betrayed. The Kurds were in their mountain fasts long before the arrival of Turkic tribes from Turkestan. The Kurds were there before the Greek City States, before the Roman Empire, before the rise of Mohammed of Mecca and his hordes.
The Kurds have always been betrayed. Shamefully by the Brits after WW1, and now repeatedly by the Yanks.
The repeated betrayal of the Kurds by the Great Powers speaks to the low character of the flawed men who rule us, and to the craven nature of those who follow them.
2
What utter nonsense. The Kurdish province in Syria is just like Quebec in Canada. What would we say if Russian troops were in Quebec to protect it and perhaps have covert attacks on the US? Of course, the Kurdish militias should try to become provincial police to introduce peace and order into the province.
Does the NYT want Trump to try to destabilize Syria like George W. destabilized Iraq and Obama destabilized LIbya? At least the American people retain their common sense.
8
Oh good lord.
Honestly if he isn't a Russian agent he should be.
Weeping for the people. The Kurds did not deserve this.
We've lost our honor. This was betrayal.
23
Great. Trump betrayed us to the Russians. Again.
Now Russia controls the oil out of Kurdish lands, the ISIS prisoners that want to attack us and has effectively gained military control over the region by Trump’s treasonous actions. And worse, our shamed troops who were forced to abandon our allies are sent to defend the Saudi Royal family who attacked us during 9-11.
How much more of a hostile enemy of the U.S. and our national security does a President have to be before the Senate is just as guilty and treasonous for failing to indict him?
Call your Republican Senators now and tell them you vote and demand they indict this entire administration:
202-244-3121
17
The Russian Gambit... thinking Trump the joker, Turkey shills and destroys NATO. Russia takes Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, the Gulf states, the eastern Mediterranean; Trump is finally impeached for so many reasons, the American people wake up to their own stupidity, dishonest Washington must retool top down... as we calibrate the loss of a system built with exquisite care since the UN was formed... and the American body politic is forced to swallow hard... read a book, and admit its collective insanity. This could mean WW III, when we finally return to our senses.
3
What is the reason for the shift in policy? Would we ever know despite all the opposition, media and all else?
The lack of a clear answer is the Elephant in the room.
4
"Turkish-backed forces advanced so quickly that they seized a key road, complicating the American withdrawal, officials said."
Nonsense. It wasn't so fast. It took days to go a few miles in to the one obvious road.
What really happened is that the hawks in our bipartisan DC Bubble, The Blob, pushed our forces into an impossible, untenable position, and then flatly refused to move even when ordered to do so, until finally they were over run by events. Then they said it was "too fast."
If it had taken months, it would still have been too fast. The US wasn't going to move, even when ordered to move by Trump. It was defiance, by our hawks of CIA and Special Operations and such who do these endless small wars of the Long War as they see fit, and get away with it.
3
Erdogan still coming for a state visit next month?
13
With the right weapons, the Kurds have shown time and time again they are the toughest fighters in the Middle East. By far. And the WERE our allies until trump backstabbed them. But, then, eventually, trump will backstab us all.
15
@Joe -- Led by Saladin, the Kurds threw the Crusaders out of Jerusalem. Yes, they can fight.
They are also remarkably democratic, and treat their women remarkably well, with near equality compared to the US or anyplace in the Middle East.
That doesn't mean we should set them up on the Turkish border as their Kurdistan, in a great indefensible arc meant to be useful US bases against Iran.
5
I wonder what the leaders of the Allied powers of the 20th century would think of the US being aligned with the despots and autocrats of the world today, everything that they once fought against.
12
Witting or not, has there ever been a more useful idiot than this?
12
This could all go very badly for Erdogan. The Kurds are experienced soldiers fighting for their homes from Erdogan’s ethnic cleansing invasion of their country. Turkey had a coup against his regime not long ago from the military so there is already disaffection. Thousands of Turks were murdered or are in prison in the aftermath. No common soldier of a civilized country wants to slaughter innocent civilians. Erdogan should remember what happened to Salazar in Portugal when he started a war in Angola. Just saying.
2
@Patrick -- This particular strip of border was inhabited by Arabs, not Kurds, and is governed now by Kurds only because the US set them up there, despite all the problems created by doing so in just that place.
The ethnic cleansing is of the people shoved out of there now living in their millions in Turkish camps and European migrant communities.
5
You may complain about Trumps incompetence, about the consequences of his betrayal. But at the same time you should point the finger at europe. The unwillingness of europe to get involved in a messy war is shamefull to begin with. Europe deserves to suffer from the failure of the american leadership.
2
@Mathias Weitz -- Get involved in a messy war?
How about, don't start and run a messy forever war?
The problem is the Syria war, not all the few people with the good sense not to jump in with all the rest.
3
@Mathias Weitz
What are you going on about? You say the war is messy but one should get involved? The Iraq war was unlawful and a stupidity and a crime. And both France and Germany were right to not get involved.
4
And who invaded Iraq against the opposition of the Europeans? And what was the result of this invasion? You broke it, you own it.
5
This action is plain and simple treasonous. Trump has killed America's national security, has all but ensured the resurgence of ISIS, and completely weakened US standing in the world. How much longer will the Republicans play along with Putin's Puppet handing America's future over to the other side. If he isn't stopped soon, we are completely done! Goodbye America!
12
This is the fear. Trump's scattered focus causing war and death.
4
One can only ask what does Erdogan have on Trump, what dirt he may be hiding about our Coward in Chief, or someone in his family, that made him make a decision in the dark of the night, under pressure, without consulting his security team (is any grown up left?), or his minions in Congress.
8
This, alone, warrants immediate removal from office. We can’t wait for impeachment to play out.
17
Greetings Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell, Jr.
We're remembering you, especially this last week, and are wondering, in what way, your God will serve you up some lightning bolts for your part in marching behind Trump.
We hope it will come in the form of utter and complete disgrace for corrupting your flock.
I am so glad I did not have children like you two.
17
"...or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
4
Why? Why? Why? Why did Trump do this?
8
"escape of hundreds of women and children linked to the Islamic State from a detention camp"
That is not a bad thing. We should not have been doing that to the women and children.
"The Kurds’ deal with Damascus paved the way for government forces to return to the country’s northeast for the first time in years to try to repel a Turkish invasion"
The Kurds had that deal with Assad, before the US enticed them away with pretty lies. Now they've gone back. That was inevitable, and it is better for everyone that it happened sooner rather than later. The Assad dynasty protected the Kurds from Turkey for many decades, and would again.
The media reports in the US reflect the screaming of frustrated hawks. They often make little sense, and betray the lies that have driven US policy in Syria for many years. NO, it was not about eliminating ISIS, who were as much an enemy of our enemy as of us.
The US role was about other things entirely, Iran and Israel, and our hawks just constantly lied about that, and when their lies made no sense our media chose not to notice.
4
It is Syrian territory. Reaching an agreement with the Syrian government is the right thing. Unless one believes that the United States has a greater claim under international law to determine what happens within the borders of a foreign nation than does the government of that nation.
7
Nice work trump - a corrupt, conman bought and paid for by the the Russian “government “ that is to say Putin.
This whole self-dealing mess created by trump for the benefit of trump makes me sick.
16
I'm on the left, vote Democratic, sympathetic to the cause of the Syrian Kurds, and have followed these developments from the start of the conflict. Frankly the most depressing thing for me is not only the tenor of most of the comments here centering the story on US politics, which I've come to expect, but that the NYT itself casts such a development as "children [escaping] a detainment camp" as a bad one. Get some perspective, people. Not everything is black and white--America is not the world.
8
I'm simply disgusted with all of this. Shame on Trump, and shame on his staff in the White House. Shame on the Republicans who turn their heads and remain silent. Every day America hits a new low, and it goes on and on. This cancer needs to be removed from this country ASAP.
12
It feels like we’re rapidly approaching the point of no return to having a dictatorship which apparently the Republicans are perfectly ok with as they despise the Democrats far more than they dislike Trump or anything he says or does.
5
I don’t want to watch this show anymore
This is unforgivable
9
NOW will the Republicans admit that he's an agent of Russia?
19
Hopefully Syria can once more be a unified country now that the U.S. is leaving. This should hopefully end so much of the civil strife. The Russians can help the government secure its borders.
6
Seeing how American blood and limb are being wasted fruitlessly, while the leaders dodged the draft in the past and their children take to guns only to hunt exotic animals in foreign lands and never to join volunteer American armed forces, what parent will encourage their young adult sons/daughters to sign up to join the armed forces? What intelligent young child will grow up dreaming of joining the armed forces?
4
Let's assume Trump is a Russian operative having been converted while he was in Moscow for his beauty pageant.
The question then would be: how are the Russians communicating with him?
8
@John
Last communication was in Helsinki.
Trump teared the translator minute notes. Remember.
Putin is not guiding everyday agenda of Trump, if it is so we will see much better organized WH , just the important things, Ukraine, Syria etc.
2
Probably have transcripts of telephone conversations with Putin in that top secret vault. By this point it’s probably is fair to ask what US state secrets Trump hasn’t already given to Putin in exchange for permission to build Trump Tower Moscow?
1
Trump talks with Putin once a month in the phone. That, playing golf, and watching Fox makes the day pass faster. At least he is quieting mourning that he did not get the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Seems once again it went to a deserving non-white man who has made a positive difference in the world.
This president is a disgrace, a coward and a traitor. He is also either suffering from dementia or simply insane. His good friend Putin has obviously been influencing his decisions. Now he is the good friend of Erdogan, another ruthless dictator. When are the Republicans going to come to their senses and help to remove Trump from office by any means possible? He is a dangerous man and we have a constitutional mechanism to deal with him. Let's not waste any more time in impeachment when there is a much more meaningful way to remove him before he decides to launch nukes, which he appears willing to do.
9
Never thought I'd see the day America would turn its back on a wartime ally.
Then again, never thought I'd see the day America would elect such a despicably loathsome individual as its president.
26
What just happened?
Did we just abandon our allies mid-fight? And allow ISIS fighters that we had already captured to run free? And send our former allies running into the arms of Russia's buddy that we just spent years battling? And was all this done on a whim by a crazy man with no military experience who didn't bother to consult the generals because he thinks he knows more than they do?
And did he do it because Russia asked him to, or because he is feverishly obsessed with reversing any action taken by his predecessor, or because he wants to draw attention away from his domestic problems, or just because he's nuts?
Why would anyone ever cooperate with us again?
What the heck is going on?
26
It was expected. In a way, the US was always on the wrong side of this war. The supported those who were against Assad, allied with someone who fought against Assad to fight against someone, ISIS, who was against Assad. Without actually taking out Assad, which they could have, there was no win.
The reason, why this war existed in the first place, is of course that it was a slow and cumbersome against Russia via proxy. Putin supported Assad but there was, for him, no real win on the table as long as the US was keeping the balance.
Now, suddenly, Trump decided that there's no need for the balance, the Kurds find themselves alone in a position where their arch-enemy could wipe them out at will. The only way they could prevent that from happening as to switch sides.
Sure we can blame them, but Trump's actions made it impossible for them to have any chance of getting the land they fought for. Instead, they switch the ambition towards simple survival.
For the US it simply means they lost all that they invested in winning. For Putin it just mean that the win that was impossible is now is given.
For Assad it just means that he does not have wonder aboutr the enemies, he has won the war
For Turkey? They get to use some bam bam and it will make Erdogan look good. He will not seriously consider a war, just make sure the Kurds get nothing. about
8
Do you thinks would be any different if the U.S. stayed longer. We were always going to leave at some pont!
2
It would have been smarter for us to leave with a plan, also for us not to leave our Kurdish allies swinging. “Leave some time” would have been preferable to having a maniac president who ignoring all advice from military and diplomatic experts issue the unilateral knee-jerk order to clear out immediately.
Even if US had been in Syria for few more years, result would be the same. They need American support as facade to keep the war on. Now that US has withdrawn, it's entirely up to the dictator who is ruling there and people living in the country to move on with their lives.
USA need not fund the formation of Kurdistan.
USA has better things to do with the lives of soldiers than this.
People cannot blame US for betrayal. It is tax payers money. It's better spent within USA.
4
Trump’s early Christmas present to Putin and Netanyahu.
15
Except the Israelis seem alarmed now that they may not be able to count on the US defending them after this withdrawal from Syria and betrayal of the Kurds. I think the Japanese and South Koreans in the Pacific, and the Latvians, Estonians and Lithuanians in Eastern Europe ought to be very worried the US will abandon them to possible North Korea and Russian military attacks.
1
@Aristotle -- Netanyahu wants this Syrian war to keep going and going. He wants a Kurdistan on the Iranian border (full of US bases and Israelis).
He so far has gotten until now exactly what he has wanted at the expense of the real US interests in peace and a stable region.
3
I don't sees his this is good for Israel. In fact the opposite. It strengthens Assad and therefore Iran.
We've all wondered about the 'tapes' of Trump in a Moscow hotel. Are the real or not?
One reasonable possibility the tapes do exist ad Putin used them to press Trump to abandon (another) American ally. With this move Putin's global influence increases.
On the other side of Trump's move is Turkey where he owns two Trump Towers. Did Erdogan pressure our Trump?
Both are reasonable and rational considerations.
6
So why did Trump aid Russia by removing our troops, and watch the Northeast areas of Syria for any Russian ground movements into Syria and surrounding areas. You all need ready reference atlases. Why didn't Trump remove our forces from Afghanistan? After 18 years, it's going to be like it is now indefinitely, but, my analysis says the military is perpetuating the war to assure a constant source of seasoned killers to become dangerous cops and leaders back home.
Face the fact that our nation is lost to the fascists and make plans to resettle in other nations.
1
At least this gives people like Lindsey Graham a hint of what four more years of Trump will do for the world
6
How can any US citizen that has a military background or is related to one can vote for this person to be the commander in chief??
8
Hey keyboard warriors, why don't you pick up the arms and ship to Syria to fight? It is easy to be indignant when kids of the deplorables are sacrificing their lives and not yours. Bring back the draft!
3
@DL
Guess what - having been against the Iraq war (a drafted veteran I am) does not mean, once we are there, I would condone a betrayal of allies mid fight.
1
Donald J. Trump, hard at work.
2
This alone should be grounds for impeachment. This idiot has destroyed too much in the last several years. Save us from this menacing anomaly now! Remove this man from the oval office.
6
"You break it, you buy it." We're still reaping the whirlwind of old actions in the Near East. In fact, we seem to double down in each crisis with hamhanded moves. And we're doing our best to squander what credibility remained. I think the US will really be reaping the whirlwind for decades. Good timing, too - just when we need international cooperation to deal with the looming climate change disaster in common effort worldwide.
2
Have we ever had such an idiotic or less capable President?
6
I hope all Americans who care about this country and maintaining democracy therein will remember this disgraceful betrayal of a valued comrade in arms and everything we have been trying to accomplish with the Syrian Kurds when they go to the polls in November 2020, regardless of what happens if the House votes out a bill of impeachment. I think it is abundantly clear that not enough Republicans in the Senate that will vote to convict. This will be their enduring legacy to our country.
3
I am glad that Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Buttigieg - two vets - will be on stage tomorrow night.
I, for one, CAN'T WAIT till they rip Trump a new one.
He has let ISIS go free.
Some of their mates are dead....and for what?
9
@EC -- No, he has not, and neither would Turkey nor Assad nor Russia nor Iran, all of whom fight it.
The only ones wanting it to go free are the Saudi jihadi crazies, and the Kurds are playing them as they desperately try to make new deals.
3
New trump slogan - MIGA - Make ISIS Great Again!
5
I doubt many people will be stupid enough to continue living or doing business in the Trump Towers in Istanbul. I'd bet good money it is currently ground zero for a big bomb from his ex-allies, the Kurds. I wonder if IQ45 has paid his war insurance policy premium for Turkey. I wouldn't want to be carrying that on my books.
2
What’s been conveniently forgotten is that Donald Trump admitted that he has two Trump Towers in “Istan-bool,” as he pronounced it. “I have a little conflict of interest” he admitted in 2015. That’s the “high value” that the American president places on the ongoing slaughter in northern Syria. To paraphrase a Congresswoman, with No. 45, “it’s all about the Benjamins, baby.”
The Turkish soldiers are beheading fleeing Kurds. This looks like a kickback to Turkish President Erdogan. His troops’ massacre and rampage is on Donald Trump’s plate. It’s all on him. The chaos that this administration had loosed upon the most unstable area of the world had been exacerbated by his profound greed and ignorance. And this side-brand of his “American Carnage” will continue to be the ominous ripples that are moving outward.
487
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18 "His profound greed" may be financial greed (which we can all appreciate), but I suspect "his profound greed" is narcissistic greed. Sure, money is a large part of what drives him...but his real drive is to be admired, be esteemed, be seen as 'successful', and to be a 'winner'. His 'greed' is a completely a narcissist drive to stay alive.
13
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
Istanbul is pronounced Istan-bool.
He may be a moron and total screw up but at least he pronounced it correctly.
He should know. He has hotels there and is beholden to Erdogan for this.
Also, the US has bases in Turkey.
4
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
Trump is ISIS manifested. He will end up in jail awaiting a war crimes tribunal.
Hard to believe the military actually obeyed his orders to let ISIS out of jail free.
6
Trump's actions in many areas can be undone, but this one will take decades to reverse.
6
Let’s not forget that while Trump claims wanting to disengage from the Middle East and endless wars, he is sending many more troops to Saudi Arabia, a wealthy nation whose purchase of American armaments Trump has trumpeted. Are they incapable of using them, or were our troops included in the sale ?
6
Don’t forget, too, that his son-in-law Jared Kushner not only also has business interests in Saudi Arabia but is very cozy with the princes there.
Incidentally, drives me crazy that whenever Trump complains about Hunter Biden possibly profiting from his dad being VP, no one points out his hypocrisy given that Trump kids are doing this daily — Ivanka especially doing it from within the WH and when traveling with her daddy on diplomatic trips.
1
What in God's name possessed Trump to throw the Kurds to the wolves? By what stretch of imagination can anybody say that our national interests are served?
Now, the Kurds have been forced to turn to our enemies to keep from being blasted to bits. The entire region is destabilized and ISIS fighters have been escaping to fight another day.
Trump has enabled our enemies and insulted or abandoned our friends around the world. It will take more than a change in the presidency to restore any measure of trust by our international allies.
And, I feel safe in predicting that American blood will be spilled because of this incredible blunder. Lots of it.
1
I guarantee you one thing: Turkey is going to suddenly go quiet about Khashoggi. This was Trump greasing the palm of Erdogan, so that Crown Prince bin Salman takes care of the Trumps down the line. MbS has been trying to kill the Khashoggi story since it started, but Turkey keeps leaking tidbits. That will stop now.
It has “quid pro quo” written all over it. Trump’s actions may seem irrational, but there’s a certain sick, treasonous logic to them.
6
@Avid Traveler
I think you are right. Did not see that angle.
"That threatened to give President Bashar al-Assad and his Iranian and Russian backers a free hand. It also jeopardized hard-won gains against the Islamic State — and potentially opened the door for its return."
Assad and his backer are every bit as much opposed to ISIS as is the US.
If the US lets up on Syria, who in Syria would then release and support ISIS?
Not Assad, Russia, nor Iran.
Not Turkey, which has its own ISIS bombings already, to add to Kurdish bombings.
Their friends and funding were from Saudis and other Gulf Arabs -- our friends, whose money we helped to distribute.
So we have no problem if we can get our Saudi friends to knock that off.
Notice that the "escapes" so far headlined are in fact children. Families. Are we to imprison their little children, or keep them sitting under our bombs, in order to control the Saudis? Hint, the Saudis don't care in Yemen, and wouldn't care here either.
3
The Kurd's, America's former ally, are now with Assad.
Will the Turks do what America couldn't? Get rid of Assad.
This could be embarrassing. Is Turkey is once again our ally?
Did the Kurd's betray us for a better deal with Assad? It would explain the dumb D-Day remarks. Some negotiation must have taken place.
Did Trump "get out of the way" because he had to or because Turkey our NATO ally is working with us.
Is it really all about Trump?
Syria and Turkey are shooting at each other and they to some degree both in cahoots with Russia. So, Isis, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Russia are our enemy. Subject to change without notice?
Who are the enemies of
@JoeG
You have audacity to write something like that.
Did the Kurd's betray us for a better deal with Assad?
that is not betrayal, trying to survive.if you can understand
4
Trump does this because he knows he can get away with it. Many of the handwringing comments here mirror the fecklessness of his political opposition. Its time for action, for a political revolt against this administration to destabilize it and bring an end to his abominable reign. Our government should be brought to a standstill until he is gone. Impeachment should be the only order of business in Washington until this criminal and his henchmen are ousted from power.
3
There is no way Erdogan should be allowed to step foot in this Country on any so called "State Visit." Congress should act immediately to label him a War Criminal.
7
More “winning” from Trump - forcing the West’s only allies in the region to join with the Syrians and Russians under threat of genocide. Nice win there Donald.
4
I'm on the left, vote Democratic, sympathetic to the cause of the Syrian Kurds, and have followed these developments from the start of the conflict. Frankly the most depressing thing for me not only the tenor of most of the comments here centering the story on US politics, which I've come to expect, but that the NYT itself casts such a development as "children [escaping] a detainment camp" as a bad one. Get some perspective, people. Not everything is black and white--America is not the world.
1
Trump has served his master, Putin, handing over Syria, just as he would have the Ukrainians hand themselves over with his casual remark and dismissive wave of his hand to their President, glibly saying they should just sit down and talk things over with an autocrat who has already grabbed pieces of their country. What else is one to think at this point? One thing is clear. No one in the world should trust the U.S. so long as Trump is in the White House, and probably not thereafter. The distrust strikes to the core, to the American people. Who's to say we won't elected another Trump one day?
4
it was inevitable that Trump will drop the ball in my eyes.This time Bigly.I supported most of his action while not the man.He has innocent blood on his hands.
1
I never realized how many warmongers read the NY Times. I didn't vote for Trump and, in fact, would have voted for Sanders had he been the DNC's chosen candidate, but this is what peace looks like, folks. It means not declaring, fighting or continuing a war, a military incursion or, in this case, an illegal occupation of a part of a sovereign country (Syria) --- against whom we have neither declared war nor established any legal basis for such occupation --- that serves no significant American interests. But lo, I see almost unanimity in these comments that illegally holding Syrian ground (using American blood and treasure) to protect an ethnic minority (the Kurds who are not a country with whom we have any treaties requiring our intervention) from one of our NATO allies is such a critical American interest that our Commander in Chief should be impeached for pulling our soldiers out of harm's way.
Seeing how easily my liberal friends have been manipulated into adopting neocaon middle east policies, I have unfortunately concluded that most of them in the 1960's were self-interested frauds, no better than chicken hawks such as Dick Cheney.
3
Chalk up another victory for Trump and his mulish base and his BFF in Moscow and his facilitation of ethnic cleansing and his aiding and abetting of ISIS.
3
Not the foe of our president.
A blip perhaps in approval polling for Trump. Unless our side suffers large casualties, US public opinion will not be significantly moved by these events. Trump's rationale will resonate with voters, namely that these peoples have fought for ages and we don't need to spend resources on being in the middle of their fight. Once again he keeps his word, having complained about being drawn into conflicts like this one. I don't approve but there's not much political gain here for those who oppose him.
Unless of course some people believed that garbage Trump put out on the campaign trail about USA being weak, about USA being laughed at around the world. Because it wasn’t true before but now it is. USA is laughed at by its enemies for being stupid and considered a weak friend by ex allies. USA has never been smaller and more marginalised.
4
Betrayal on this massive scale is never a “blip” as you put it. Now the Kurds will be fighting for Assad and the Syrian government along with the Russians.
They now know they can’t trust the Americans as far as they can throw them and Trump, true to form, has once again allowed the Russians to stomp all over us and shown the world that we are weak.
He’d already let them know it was fine with him if he interfered in our National elections and now it is clear that he is taking his orders from Putin.
That sad state of affairs is not a blip, it is a disgrace and a surrender.
1
Putin is a documented war criminal and should be put on trial accordingly.
3
To those in that part of the world, we are running away with our tails between our legs having been outmaneuvered by the Turks, Russians and Syrians. This is trumps way of make America great again. What a tragedy! The rest of the world especially our adversaries are taking notes.
8
Maybe if the Kurds had murdered an American journalist Trump would have stayed with them.
6
But only a pseudo journalist from FOX news!
Love it !
Let other countries ware their treasuries and watch their children die fighting in far away lands where the people hate Western countries.
2
@John
John, bless his heart, doesn't know the numbers. In that region and effort we lost 5 soldiers. The Kurds lose thousands. It was the children of another people that we watched die.
4
@Robert Have people already forgotten about Iraq? 4,222 Americans were killed in Iraq between 2003 to 2008.
1
@John
One day American soldiers were working side by side with Kurdish soldiers and the next day they drove off and watched from a distance as Turkey's jets bombed them. Trust is a hard thing to win back.
2
It seems absurd that Trump could be working in the best interests of Russia rather than the United States but the evidence keeps piling up. Between Trump's financial connections with Russia, the many connections between his campaign and the Russians in the last election, the role that the Russians played in working to get Trump elected, Trump's strange behavior in the presence of Putin, and Trump's many foreign policy moves that have benefited Russia it is getting very hard to find an alternative explanation. Maybe there is one but it is not evident what it could be.
11
So will this lead to a great power confrontation. Russia will not abandon its allies. If the Kurd's request their help, it is likely that Putin, unlike Trump will give them help. Will he send in his air force and push Turkey back behind its borders and end its invasion of another country. Will Turkey call upon its allies - the US and NATO to defend Turkey against Russia for attempting to stop Turkey from invading its ally, Syria? Their is a treaty that says we will.
This is exactly the kind of scenario that many said before the election of 2016 that Trump would botch.
5
We cannot continue to alienate our allies without serious repercussions for our troops, and eventually for us at home. An unstable world benefits no one, and pandering to the Russians and the Saudi's is a very dangerous game. There may be more explanations for Trump's actions than getting reelected, and those range all the way from stupidity to treason.
6
The five time draft dodger Trump makes all of us who ever served in the US Armed Forces feel ashamed. None of the Trumps ever served in the US military. None of his ancestors. None of his useless progeny.
No one in the Trump family ever had or ever will have any respect for the motto "Duty, Honor, Country".
They are all empty vessels.
11
@Joe Miksis I have served multiple tours in Afghanistan. It is not my country and I find little to no honor killing Afgan people on someone else's behalf. Sirya is not my country either and we should not be there. In fact, we should not be anywhere but home.
1
I'm sure Putin is pleased by the obedience of his American poodle. I wonder how long it will be before Trump withdraws the US from NATO so Putin can invade Europe as Turkey is invading Kurdish Syria?
6
What LBJ has said , best understood and executed by Trump so far.
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
Trump is giving exactly to his voter base what the LBJ words means.
11
Ok, we all know that Trump is an idiot. But I expected more from Erdogan. What a loser. Seriously - he's obviously intimidated by the Kurds. But I guess that should have been expected after his security guards beat up protesters in DC with nary a peep from our government. Seems like the bully who picks on the little kid when the teacher is looking away.
Back to Trump. He's the president. Either he knew that pulling out troops out would result in what is now happening and didn't care, or he's completely incompetent. Either way, he is responsible. And the dreck that his apologists are spewing - that removing a few American soldiers would not have an effect on Turkey's actions, that what happened was inevitable (all over Fox News) - is complete and utter falsehood. Any American presence with the Kurdish forces would have prevented Turkey from attacking.
So which is it? He's either evil, or he's clueless. Take your pick.
13
@RichardL
You are forgetting , Erdogan's domestic troubles.
Erdogan lost Istanbul majoral election. Istanbul means Turkey, period, No discussion.
Economy is in shambles, debt is waiting to be paid.
There is no easy way to out, in fact this military assault is just distraction, There is nothing to make very glorious out of this Military action.
Turkey since 1984 more than dozen times went in to Iraq and couple of times since Syrian civil war.
Erdogan just want to get a time.
He has 3.6 million refugees to feed.
it is all kabuki theatre, golden days past for Erdogan , but while he is going down , all nastiness on display too.
1
@su - I'm not sure I understand your point. Are you suggesting that because Erdogan has issues domestically it's understandable, or justifiable that he would act militarily against the Kurds, across Turkish borders? If that's the case, I cannot agree with you. And based on his actions, there will likely soon be more refugees to feed.
But frankly, in my mind the issue is Trump. Had he not pulled American troops, Turkey would not gone into Syria. And no, I don't particularly like having American troops anywhere in harm's way.
1
brilliant Trump diplomacy!
2
Somewhere in Moscow Putin is smiling and laughing at the perfect outcomes to the installation of his puppet.
He could not have planned it better.
14
"with a goal of maintaining some leverage over any future settlement of the conflict"
The goal was to chop up Syria in ways that pleased Israel. Golan region to Israel. Areas near Iran to an Israeli-dependent Kurdish state filled with "US" bases that were actually heavily used by Israel, as they were in among Iraq's Kurds.
The Syria war made no sense, unless one first sets aside the massive deluge of lies told by those hiding American motives from the American people.
8
Do you mean US motives were not the liberation of Kurds?! OH well!!! Too bad for the US media they lost a very good story!
1
@Mark Thomason
That plan was still born. in-fact not israeli backed Kurdish state, it is Saudi Gulf alliance backed ISIS was planned.
Turkey and Israel helped ISIS indirectly via Saudi's
Somehow in USA , ISIS was standalone organization like perceived. In fact In middle east ISIS was accepted as Wahhabism first armed version unleashed by Saudi and Gulf alliance on to Shiite people of Iraq and Syria.
This particular recipe is the same as Mujaheddin (CIA lab animal) unleashed on USSR when they occupied Afghanistan in 1979.
It was so successful, USSR collapsed.
If ISIS succeeded , Iran may affected from this fatally. it may end up loosing Iraq and Syrian shiite people and even receiving millions of refugees.
But rabidness of ISIS created a big backlash and also if the aim is becoming martyr, Shiite are ready to become a martyr too, they are not merely USSR soldiers,
this was a sectarian cutthroat disembowelment , ISIS lost.
Kurds never attempt such a big plan to take over due to ethnic status in the region.
lets read the regional realities correctly.
2
Does anyone think this whole process wasn’t orchestrated by Putin?
5
Putin is gonna come and get ya!
South Korea must now be very, very nervous.
If I was a young person considering enlisting in the military I would think long and hard about trusting my life to a man who won’t listen to his advisors, lies incessantly, and has zero grasp of reality. Our country and enlisted personnel need better than this.
What happened to the souls of the members of the GOP? Where is their compassion? Where is their respect for our veterans who fought and sacrificed? Where is their outrage? Hey, Republicans! Grow a spine and stand up for our country, not the madman currently in charge.
5
@Sandy I mourn for all of the young people who enlisted in the military under the two previous administrations and died in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have nothing but respect for their service and sacrifice. Unfortunately we should have never been involved in those conflicts. The situation in Syria has been a mess since 2011. I hope somehow things can end smoothly but I feel this is no longer America's fight. We have spent too much blood and treasure for nothing.
This was all part of Putin's plan. "Don, it's time to abandon the Kurds. Then I give them a call and offer protection."
"Ok, Vlad."
12
@DJS2018
You forget the smoke screen,
Don I am calling to Erdogan he is going to unleash bombs over Kurds
Ok Vlad.
2
This is being turned into a Political argument where everything is speculation and second guessing....for every we shouldn't of Pull back...which is what We have done...We have Not PUlled out....The people who are Well paid to deep think this ....are the ones who presented the President all the Factors and Cost...and he concluded ...Correctly that We are not the World's policeman and this is not worth the cost for what might be gained ...this struggle being played out over there is between fractions that have deep resentment for each other that goes way back ....this is a time to do Exactly what is being done and reassess events as they unfold....in others words....Save your word Bashing for what really matters and get the Facts before you overReact!
4
What a convenient way to create a war situation for America; send in a ridiculous Presidential candidate who would bring out the haters in America and band behind his hate-filled agenda, have him create chaos around the world, things a "normal" president wouldn't do, and then we'll all have to go to war to fix all the chaos and lost allies. What a mess! How long are we going to ignore the preposterousness of the whole situation?? Sick, sick, sick!
6
We, as whoever we are ever now, are never to be trusted. Remember how Republicans liken their agenda to a small family, we have to tighten the belt, blah , blah, blah. I am the rebellious family member. I want trump out of here. He is an abusive person and I will not put up with it. Impeach and convict him. He is the abuser that kids never stood up against, he is the Jerry Sandusky , the Harvey Weinstein, the Jeffrey Epstein, He is the person that never faced consequences . I know this because families protect their own. People, Donald John Trump may be apart of our collective family, but it is time we call an intervention or better yet impeachment and l get him out of here. I will not be anymore calling for bipartisan. When someone you love is deranged, one should try to do something. Trump is deranged.
6
45 is doing more damage than we can possibly imagine. My 14 year old son asked me, after hearing about today’s extremely disturbing news, “Mom, could Trump start WWIII?”
I of course, said, No, that will not happen. I did not want him to worry.
However, my brain did wonder, if Trump could be so damaging that he could ignite a 3rd world war. Impeach and convict 45. Not just for you, your families, our country, but for the world!
9
People are so bent on blaming Trump, they are not paying attention to the facts. Women and children, frequently abused, are escaping horrendous detention camps that violate the Geneva Convention. Innocent civilians locked up for no good reason. And everybody is up in arms and wants America to return the women and children to the horrible camps. What hath God wrought?
7
Gee, if only we knew that trump was beholden to Putin for something, we'd be able to make sense of the US withdrawal. But as it is, gosh, I just don't know what to make of it.
6
I have been reading and agreeing with (for the most part) these comments for hours this evening. My wish is that every single one of the American commentators will tomorrow pick up the phone and/or email his or her U.S. House representative and two Senators and express these same opinions: especially those of us who reside in red and purple states. While we’re at it, perhaps we can each convince a few people to do the same. It’s a wonderful privilege to express oneself freely in a country that CURRENTLY has freedom of speech and a free press. I believe it is beyond time to ask our legislative branch to do what is moral, what is honorable, and what is constitutionally required by them.
8
@Thunderhead
A Great suggestion I hope everyone will follow up on.
I started Thursday and spent 2 hours making calls. I was exhausted afterward because, with each call I made, I just got more and more angry. ... But that is minor to what the Kurds must be feeling now.
7
What is so fascinating is how fast two related stories are playing out. The first is this story is the events in Turkey, Kurdistan, and Syria. This story couldn't be more tragic, with the unnecessary loss of life and the sudden reversal of the minor gains in stability in the region.
The second story is the troubles and possible downfall of President Trump. Trump's evil enabled the first story, through his withdrawal of our troops in northern Syria and his greenlighting of the Turkish incursion. And the tragic outcomes of this incursion have intensified his other recent problems, which began with the revelation of his interference in the Ukraine.
The United States used to take some pride in preventing problems like those we're seeing now in Syria. We didn't always get it right—being the world's policeman is a tough job. But at least there was some nobility to our cause. Yet it's hard to see the nobility in the reign of President Trump. I find it hard to believe that our once-great country has fallen so low. It's unfortunate that it took these events to finally unmask President Trump, but it's hard to imagine that many Americans can still not see him for the evil person he is.
My hope is that both stories will mark a point of departure for our once-great country, and that we can get ourselves on the long road back to our former greatness. The world's people need for this to happen, and so do our own.
7
ISIS prisoner will be taken over by Assad regime after Kurds agreed with alliance.
SO lets get this straight; Assad regime is not going to let ISIS run loose , Turkey may let hem loose but Assad and their Iranian Military support most likely already moved in. So IF ISIS prisoners runaway and loose their footprint in the public , yes.
When Assad regime and Iranian take over the prisoners , there will be total annihilation of ISIS prisoners including their families.
That is assured.
1
Swearing is our new foreign policy, this works.
I predict that in 2021 Donald Trump Jr or Eric will join the Board of Directors, very renumeratively, of Academi, Blackwater’s successor. It’s gonna have to be either Americans or mercenaries to be on the ground against ISIS or terrorists from now on. Mark my words.
4
I am afraid it is all about Trump protecting his and his family's financial interests in Istanbul . It would be interesting to know what transpired during the telephone call between Erdogan and Trump last Sunday. Erdogan most likely told Trump his plan with regards to Syria and the Kurds and told Trump that he needs to OK it if he wants his financial interests in Istanbul protected.
For Trump it is always money and finacial in interests before America's interests and security and the lives of others. Remember Trump's financial interests in Saudi Arabia before Jamal Khashoggi's life.
8
The Kurds may have had no choice than to team up with Assad, but even that will be no easy thing... any Kurdish leadership who led the cooperation with the US will need to step down or lose much power within their ranks.
3
To quote former Republican strategist Rick Wilson: “Everything Trump Touches Dies.” Trump has abandoned our allies, set loose ISIS, and disgraced our nation completely in the eyes of the world. His cheering supporters are a disgrace to their country.
At this point, I’m not sure how much lower this administration can sink, but I’m sure Trump and his supporters will find a way.
All of us should be ashamed.
23
Meanwhile, Vladimir is smiling .... his puppet has done well. And, his electorate revels in the knowledge that America is becoming great again.
14
It's almost as if Trump is trying to strengthen a reconstituted axis of evil...so we can join it!
That this necessitates an explicit rejection of Bush's terrible war--and that the same Republicans who supported it now stand by Trump--is truly bizarre.
4
So now all the money and lives invested in the American project in Syria have been wasted.
12
Barack Obama: “Donald Trump is uniquely unqualified to be president of the United States”.
We all knew that there would be disastrous consequences resulting from Trump’s ignorance and incompetences.
It is now happening in real time before our eyes.
16
I've never been a big fan of getting involved militarily in other countries. That said, once you're in, you certainly don't back out on your allies and leave them hanging. Trump has tarnished the US yet again. It will take decades to undo the harm that Trump has done to the American brand.
18
This is a tragedy for the Kurds and for us.
All the special training we have provided the Kurds will now be in the hands of Assad. The very tactics we have taught them will be used against us by someone at some point.
Trump should be hauled from the Whitehouse and confined until he is impeached by the House and tried in the Senate.
8
As always, give the man two choices, he always sides with the Devil.
Environment. Gun Control. Turning his back on allies. Selling out Americans at every opportunity. Welcoming adversaries with open arms. Giving every dictator on earth to play him like a fiddle.
He comes down on the wrong side of the ledger. Every disgusting time.
I don't care if there's a yellow-stained mattress hidden in some secret room somewhere in the Kremlin. This was wrong. Everyone told him it was wrong. And he still did it and lied about it every time he was cornered.
There's no other deduction. The man is a dolt and a dupe and needs to be removed from office and housed someplace away from America.
Guantanamo comes to mind.
18
@Scott Montgomery If he's convicted of treason, it could be a lot worse for him than Guantanamo.
1
Fingers crossed.
2
Make no mistake -- this boneheaded move by Trump was simply his attempt to change the conversation from the rising tide of impeachment that could sweep him from office. His ignorance and incompetence has left America shrouded in shame. And he's also the genie out of the bottle, and it has bloody hands.
11
@questionsauthority
Disagree slightly. I think he sees impeachment coming for him and it gives him one more opportunity to make a gift to Putin.
Since he expects to make a deal to step down at some point, he'll get his payoff from Putin and his riches will increase and that is all he wants.
5
The American conservatives will not only destroy this nation but also the world unless we stop them in 2020. Enough is enough.
12
Is there no way to stop King Donald for deliberately destroying the honor of the United States? Must we acquiesce to his whims and fantasies as he tears the country down?
Amendment 25 to the Constitutions says, "Whenever the Vice President and a majority of the principal offices of the executive department or such other body as Congress may by law provide transmit . . . their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and dutines of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume . . ."
Mr. Pence and associate, the ball is in your court.
2
@Tom - Until today I never thought that we would see Trump removed via the 25th Amendment. The reason is that the authors of the amendment wisely called for the VP and the president's own party to take the lead on the process, so that he couldn't be removed in this way as a result of partisan disputes. And as unstable as Trump is, it seemed with his great popularity among the 40% or so of Americans who continue to worship him that Pence and the others wouldn't dare to remove him. But this has gotten so bad I think the door is now a bit open for this.
1
It's so strange that Europeans hardly take responsibility of any global issue, if the interest of few major EU members are not at peril. Despite of all the faults of Trump and USA, it would be better if EU start taking more active role to protect global order and promote democracy with or without US, if needed.
Mere talking and "condemning" US and/or such rogue regimes like Syrian Govt, Putin's Russia, Khomeini's Iran does not much help anyone- even the Europeans. Mass migration and growing social unrest in many European countries are directly related to apathy and/or inability of the Europeans.
2
@bonku
This particular catastrophe has nothing to do with the Europeans. Chalk it up to Trump and his base.
7
@bonku French forces are all over North Africa, aiding in the fight against ISIS. Many NATO countries followed us into Iraq and Afghanistan and stayed for years. What you might not realize is, by now, they just might be questioning the wisdom of US leadership in many of these conflicts and, perhaps, rightly so.
5
@bonku
Look in the mirror. You helped create the most frightening "rogue regime" on earth now. You helped create it when you put Putin's puppet in office. What's totally disgusting is that the majority of Americans who DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS MAN have to suffer along with you and the rest of the sane world. Hope the made-in-China red hat was worth it.
8
Putin gets another gift in return for election support?
5
@Sunrise747
OR maybe he just can't admit he made a mistake.
Sharpie 2.0
2
There are two Trump Towers in Istanbul. There are no Trump Towers in Kurdistan. Why should we expect 45 to care about the Kurds?
7
Well, there is for this historian, several comments:
1. The Russians have finally won the "Great Game" which began with Great Britain in the 19th Century. Russia now has given a move to warm waters not only to the Mediterranean but down to the Persian Gulf,. It's just time.
2. The old conflict of the last two or three centuries between Turkey (Ottoman Empire) and Russia goes on again.
3. The Turks are war again the Arabs. This has been going on 2000 B.C.E. when the Hittites and Syrians (as well as other Semitic peoples) down to the Egyptians are on again. New Faces, New Countries (sort of), and new Weapons but the same 4000 war from 2000 B.C.E.
Nothing changes just the faces and weapons. People are sill hating people, People want to conquer others one way or another, even with sanctions but bright new ways of killing.
1
All the NYTimes picks and readers' picks have voiced so many edges of the same table top - the trustworthiness of our country's promises has been demolished by a complete fool's policies. We feel ashamed of ourselves before our allies and friends for short-term expediencies decided by a man who doesn't know which way is up. My fellow Americans, we are going to need another 50 years to mitigate the distrust we have created among friends because of this man and his lackeys. American credibility is dead.
9
Trump literally handed this to the Russians. How can anyone not see this?
Trump also unleashed many ISIS fighters.
Why is trump not facing treason charges?
12
@Paulie William Barr
5
Thank goodness for trump's Great and Unmatched Wisdom:
Betraying friends
Driving them into an embrace with Assad
Allowing ISIS to regroup
Destroying allies' trust in the US as a reliable ally
Advancing Putin's interests (well, we knew that already, didn't we)
Who else could have pulled off such a multiple coup?
MAGA (making America GRATE again)
22:20 EDT, 10/13
12
So now we have a Syrian, Iranian, Russian, KURDISH alliance... and ISIS is fully active again! Can anybody stop our insane President?! The entire Republican Party is responsible for this. Their greed and lust for power has made them national enemy No. 1.
15
Whatever happened to mutiny? US forces have to sit back and watch brothers-in-arms be mowed down while Trump burps up another tweet? We have a depraved unfit commander. Staging ally vs. ally is world class entertainment for this carnival bum. Step right up folks for his bloody spectacle of slaughter and betrayal. This treachery shreds any hope of humanity, and will likely spark WWIII. I can’t believe this monster can’t be hauled out as unfit, and dumped back into the cesspool from which he oozed.
16
@Ann M-C Osama Bin-Laden was fighting with US advisors at some point. Why didn't they mutineered to protect him?
1
Impeach now.
He is letting ISIS go free.
Impeach.
And make the Republicans in the Senate vote for ISIS or impeach.
19
So Trump yet again does something directly beneficial to Russia while endangering our national security by letting terrorists escape. I bet we’ll soon see Syrian troops, Iranian troops, and the Russian Air Force fight Turkey. This could start a war, since Turkey is a NATO ally in the defensive alliance. Turkey could claim it’s being attacked and trigger the NATO pact and Trump could come to its aid, thus giving Trump an excuse to attack Syria and Iran. If NATO members then refuse to protect Turkey since it’s the aggressor, this will be NATO’s undoing by showing the “defensive pact” is bogus. Therefore the West will be split and the Russians can exploit the diplomatic gaps.
11
Does Trump do ANYTHING that isn’t exactly what Putin wants?
Anything at all.
17
Trump had no reason for this action with the possible exception of an as yet secret deal with Erdogan. However, once Erdogan finds this move has solidified Iran, Assad, the Kurds, and the Russians against him, Trump will find his “deal” goes South.
8
@JoeG...there are more twists in your logic than bends in the Passaic River (check it on a map). The fear is that the wheels are now turning toward another tragedy on the scale of 9/11, thanks to the impulsive and/or Russian-influenced actions of a draft dodger with fake bone spurs. There are several comments here by true Vietnam War vets who feel the same way. And for the record John Kerry was a decorated soldier.
9
America's sworn enemy, Syria? Our Twitter President is in tune with Russia and Turkey. He is helping his friends. This is no longer about articulating America's interests and responsibility in this region. Assad, Putin and Trump have made a complicated situation tragic. Who is to blame for the deaths that come with this? The President said the Kurds didn't help us at Normandy. It's all 7,000 miles away. All of us Americans are responsible for this. We do not remember history.
3
Anyone who continues to support Trump now should be considered a pariah, anti-American, and a traitor. This means your neighbor, your ignorant uncle, your co-worker. Don't hire them. Don't shake their hand at church. Don't buy from their businesses. They are no longer to be tolerated. If they experience hardship as a result of this rejection, celebrate, because their demise is our gain as a nation.
22
The principle of intended consequences is one of the underlying basic principles of history. Its fundamental principle is the basic incorrect assumption that if one decides to do something expected to effect only one thing, everything else will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. In this particular debacle, it has taken only a couple of days for everything else to change. So now the question is... Rational people who understand the previous several millenia of recorded human history, will be able to answer this question.
So my question is WHEN will Republican sin congress DO SOMETHING to reign Trump in? Will they allow him to destroy our world standing AND our country from within? Are they really this blind to facts? If trump supporters really wanted to burn it to the ground it looks like they really are going to do it. unfortunately they fail to realize burning down the house to spite your brother just leaves you homeless too! All becasue the brother you share a house with thinks gays, non Christians, women and brown people deserve equal rights. I had hoped they would realize how foolish they were being but I've given up hope at this point they will ever realize this. I just hope they have not ruined the country for good.
5
They will only do something when WE do something! Ready for a March! We are a great Nation and must do our part to stand up and demand that our representatives act in accordance with our values.
Turkey may lose its part of Kurdish majority area within Turkey if Syrian kurds play its cards carefully in collaboration with Baser Al Assad Govt along with Iran and Russia, both of which are considered traditional enemies of Turkey.
2
Trump’s properties in Turkey are built on the Kurds’ blood and selling of America’s reputation.
Shame!
8
@Life Is Beautiful - And with the release of ISIS terrorists and a whole lot of angry Kurds, the Trump Towers Istanbul are a target. Along with every one of his golf courses around the globe.
1
What happens when our very stable genius, with his great and unmatched wisdom, impulsively decides to nuke North Korea?
Republicans?
2
Sorry Green Berets. Absolute tragedy.
Did most of you vote for Trump?
8
I had thought that Trump's violation of his Oath of Office and Obstruction of Congress, and felonious act in extorting Ukraine to meddle in our Elections was over the top with respect to the damage Trump has done to the security of the USA, the World, and Society-At-Large, but this is really beyond the pale. This is what happens when we have a sociopath with narcisstic personality disorder as POTUS. I initially thought Trump was working as an intelligence asset for Russia, but its clear that he does not have the intellectual or mental capacity to function as an actual "asset", but instead serves as a Useful Idiot for Putin, MBS, and Kim Jong Un.
Moreover, the Senate Republicans who have sold their soul for Power and Money in supporting Trump, have also violated their Oath of Office. My heart goes out the Syrian Defense Forces, one of the most valiant fighting forces the World has ever seen, and our own troops in Syria who have been forced against their will to abandon their Brothers-in-Arms.
Leave No Man or Woman Behind.
8
Who makes money when sanctions are imposed?
1
Trump threatens to release Biden phone calls with Ukraine.
Well, we need to hear Trump phone calls with Putin.
Trump is a traitor and laughing at America and Congress as he hides behind Executive Privilege to continue committing his crimes.
19
I have no doubt that Donald Trump has put our country in mortal danger. These people will find a way to attack us by using ISIS terrorists. He is a madman who is unfit to serve our country in any capacity, let alone as President. Article 25 should be invoked as soon as possible.
21
“... the escape of hundreds of women and children linked to the Islamic State from a detention camp.” ... these are the “high value” ISIS detainees we keep hearing about, who escaped? Would love more context here.
The Bully in Chief “In my great and unmatched wisdom” has unleashed the “Dogs of War” in the Middle East !!!
This “very stable genius” has driven US security interests in the Middle East to its greatest depths of peril and danger to a level never seen since 9/11 !!!
OMG … this clown must go !!! He has no clue as to what he is doing on anything !!!
19
First : Kurds believe that Turks want genocide them because turkey has long history of this like Armenian’s genocide in 1950 and republic of turkey stablished by been Turks nation,there are about 20 million Kurds , imagine if you be Kurdish kid and every morning in school before class you should say : I am Turk and I am proud to be Turk and many thing including killing people by nothing.PKK is result of this discrimination for fight back but turkey because of geopolitical resone is very important for west and Turkey is NATO so, for eliminating this new movement and continue to Kurd’s assimilation took advantage and put PKK in black list and west accepted it .
In 2015 after peace process has broken by MIT (Turkey intelligent) Turkey bombarded 3 Kurdish town that if google it you will see that completely destroyed them in accusation terror .
Now , by same accusation turkey incursions NE Syria but every one know that it’s just uncertain operation and Kurds know that they become to genocide them and one reason for that is : Arabs militias back by turkey killed 3 young man in the rode while their hands were bond, and they recorded , it means turkey as supporter of this militias never told them,you should act as human and in contrast may be they have been told that kill every one in the way no matter man. Women,children.but same Kurds know human right and west because some interest do not say anything.
Assad is bad but turkey is worse and Kurds prefer bad for save people lives.
4
@Goran Bahrami
Look to Afrin to see what Turkey has in mind.
1
@Goran Bahrami
Armenian genocide happened in 1915 during WWI under Ottoman Empire not in Turkish Republic.
Don't round up everything this much simple.
Turkish Republic is not Ottoman Empire.
However Erdogan has lots of inspirations to become an Ottoman empire status and caliph over Muslim world which is a poor man dream.
Erdogan has no mercy and this particular military assault on Kurds is not going to achieve any good for Turkey , but he needs desperately a distraction ever deteriorating economy in Turkey.
If Kurds agrees totally with Assad, YPG really become a second PKK for Turkey. Because Erdogan clearly stated after syrian Civil war started , he has eyes on the Syrian soil. Assad will never forget that , he is going to use YPG this time for a good against Turkey.
Which I consider Erdogan ( who is more or less Trump level intelligence) greatest mistake and decades to come regional problem for Turkey.
1
Now that they're there, the Turks will *never* leave unless routed in a major war. Russia supports Syria. The Kurds support Syria. Syrian opposition is gone. Who does the US support, the country whose economy it plans to devastate?
Something new in the annals of US foreign policy, a one-sided proxy war. Oh Joy.
1
@Stevenz Did you say annals? Sorry... we Aussies sometimes don't quite get the Kiwi accent
1
Erdogan will come out popular and regain some votes by waging this war. Putin of course wins twice - once by propping up Assad and once by driving a rift between Turkey and the west. Trump doesn’t care and will get a hotel out of it.
America will never be trusted again.
14
And this makes America great. So says Trump.
4
All one need do is listen to Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) to know that the GOP is turning on Trump over his incompetence in foreign policy. Kinzinger rightly claims that America could because of its standing and strength rely on only 50 American SF troops in Syria to prevent ethnic cleansing and genocide of Kurds in Syria and that the decision to cut and run was impulsive and a betrayal and ruins America credibility and reverses the victory over ISIL. Pretty damning stuff from an IL Republican Congressman.
9
What has happened was inevitable. Trump has not unleashed anything, he did the right thing - got us out of Syria. Turkish incursion has not started because American troops started a sudden withdrawal, the incursion was planned long time ago and American troops had no other options but to withdraw, unless American people want to take part in another ME war, this time against its NATO ally Turkey.
3
@Crow
Good grief. The Turkish invasion started one hour after Trump gave them the green light.
12
There was no “withdrawal”. Troops were not removed from Syria. They were only moved out of Turkey’s way.
2
I haven't seen one interview with the family of a soldier who is coming home. Does the media want our soldiers to get caught between one ally and another NATO ally? Where is Europe in all of this? Or is the press demanding we put lives at risk to feed their political agenda? I think we know the answer. Bring our troops home. We did not go to Syria to play policeman between Turkey and the Kurds. We went their to defeat the ISIS threat that emerged under Obama. Trump accomplished the destruction of the caliphate, now I want my heroes back home.
3
Except Trump’s actions will cause the resurgence of ISIS and result in mistrust of the US throughout the world due to our doublecrossing of the Kurds. Nice going.
6
@TL First of all ISIS emerged in the aftermath of the foolish invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein engineered by the Bush II administration- Obama policies were not responsible, Second of all, Trump did not destroy the caliphate, the Kurds who he just betrayed destroyed the caliphate. This will cause much more chaos in the Middle East, and ultimately our heroes will end up staying there longer, and in much more dangerous conditions, than they would have without Trump's massive bungle.
5
@TL ISIS has NOT been defeated, weakened yes, but not defeated. Our troop are still in the region, they have not come home. Turkey would not have dared to invade Syria with US troops in place, If Trump cared so much about US troops coming home he would not be sending more to Saudi Arabia. Remember the Kurds stood by us, Saudi Arabia has spread terrorism throughout the world. 911 is not that long ago. Trump has betrayed our friends and rewarded those who helped bring down the Twin Towers, how smart is that?
2
How TRAGIC that Trump lost all "his" generals -- military men who would know what to do -- because he is such an incredibly incompetent leader.
Now we have civilians whose primary experience is corporate, saying things "we were going to get caught."
WELL NO KIDDING. My cat could have figured that out.
4
This “betrayal” pushes US “allies” like Japan and Australia to realize they can be betrayed. Seriously, this, long been neglected, has been introduced as a thing to consider; making multi variable strategic equations more difficult to solve.
But remember, please, it is the American democracy that put this sleazy self/righteous dealer into the White House.
2
Not just Americans - we had help from the Russians.
3
This was a great move by President Trump - we need to stop playing the world’s police and force other countries to protect themselves.
It’s stupid beyond belief to run a $trillion deficit to subsidize other countries‘ Strada wars against us.
2
This is the result of no exit plan by the US even though this day was foreseeable 2 years ago.
Too much time for Trump on the golf course and firing everyone who disagreed with him.
4
How this action on 45's part is not treasonous,betraying our Kurdish allies ,letting ISIS terrorists free to attack Europe and us again. Russia again benefits. This faux ignorant evil president must be stopped before more harm is done. He will do ANYTHING to distract from his corruption and stay in power.
13
@Marylee, the Kurds live in Syria, who is not an ally. Turkey IS an ally. Turkey has taken in over 2 million refugees and considers many Kurds to be terrorists. What US law allows or directs the President to spend taxpayer funds fighting a NATO ally to protect alleged terrorists?
Oh, we are told there are "good" Kurds with whom we fought against our common enemy, ISIS. Just as there were "good" Muhjahdeen with whom we fought against our common enemy, the USSR. Just as there were "good" A-Nusra, until many of them joined ISIS.
Can you understand why many thinking people are not buying this middle east policy anymore, no matter what the latest "good" cause is claimed to be?
2
Trump has attacked everything that Obama accomplished in foreign policy, but at that time we had trusted allies, an workable nuclear deal with Iran, a handle in our fight against ISIS and was respected around the world. Trump can never again claim or believed with a straight face that he is a more accomplished leader than President Obama or Hillary Clinton, his secretary of State. If Trump believers can not acknowledge what he has unleashed in Syria, they must truly be deaf to the chorus around the world condemning Trump's actions and Putin's laughter as he gains the benefit of supporting our idiot in chief.
15
This has all the signs of payment to Putin. It could be payment for Putin's silence on our compromised president or out and out corrupt business dealings. Probably both.
The silent majority of Republicans are a disgrace. Lindsey Graham, the hypocrite, feigns outrage and then shines Trump's shoes.
The rally-goers are as clueless and ignorant as their Fuhrer. What suckers.
15
@Enough - Trump knows he is going to be impeached and there is more and more chance of the Senate turning against him.
I think he is trying to get his friends, including Putin, as much as possible before he exits.
He claims that this sudden withdrawal is because he is against endless wars yet he has tried to start to other wars - Fire and Fury like the world has never seen in N. Korea and Iran.
"a sworn enemy of Washington that is backed by Russia"
"America’s former Kurdish allies in Syria on Sunday announced a new deal with the government in Damascus — a sworn enemy of Washington that is backed by Russia"
Any country backed by Russia is A-OK with traitor trump since he is putin's lap dog.
This no excuse fora president or a man must be taken out, one way or another.
4
Have you no shame, Mr. Trump?
6
@S B Lewis The answer to your question is, sadly, obviously no.
1
Israel has got to be hoping Trump doesn't have a tower under construction in Syria or Iran or with one of its other enemies, because they know they'll be sold down the river in a heartbeat.
3
Betrayal to Kurdish people reminds me , Polish situation during WWII.
When Britain decided to Hitler go a head and invade Poland. However that is more , they are not really able to to anything against the Hitler.
However Trump agreed with Putin and served Kurdish people to Russians in a golden plate, Now Putin can control entire Syria with Assad regime.
This showed clearly , Putin marauded the western world with impunity ( remember chemical weapon attack in UK ).
So far Trump is the master accomplice of Putin great plans.
4 more years of Trump ( winning 2nd term), I can assure you Finland will be occupied by Russia.
4
Dear Republicans in Congress,
You know better. You know this is a colossal screw-up.
So what are you going to do about it?
The Frankenstein monster you have created, who sits in the Oval Office, is out of control. This is all on you. And we, the voters, are paying attention. You broke it. You bought it. Now fix it.
16
At no other time in American history have run this president made so President Donald Trump possibly some financial reasons with his two hotels in Turkey today a young girl died in the front 10 years old Kurd ask why Pres. Donald Trump cut run. The Turkey President led by Putin of Russia .
Is time to think about the world so dangerous one dictator or several able to destory the world thousand times over Putin still plays with that idea/Russian people should've stand up to him. Last year the parliament in Russia who showed off nuke Florida.
But now what we say to the Kurds sorry we left our Pres. had financial reasons to leave, or was president Donald Trump persuaded by Putin with his hotel holdings and golf course. Will Nancy Pelosi ever impeach him because she didn't do her job of the House Speaker shame on her. It's possible the Democrats had played this card wrong in 2020 vote them all out office Democrats 2018 they were to replace Nancy Pelosi she's in the way of everything the Democratic process and denied the Constitution or she took the oath of office.
I'm getting tired of winning, sick and tried.
I'm also tired of being embarrassed by the POTUS.
I'm beginning to feel like an IRONMAN athlete at the end of the bike leg. A marathon is still in front of me.
1
Such a surprising result -
Given to competence of the Trump presidency .
LOL
Trump and his supporters are war criminals
8
@Chuck How is Trump a war criminal for getting out of harms way in Syria? Why is Washington involved in Syria?
1
@tmauel -- Didn't Trump make a big deal out of bombing a Syrian air field because he wanted to protect Syrian civilians from their government?
Also, how come Trump went over 2000 troops to Saudi Arabia-- BTW are you aware that , since May,2019, Trump has sent 14,000 US troops to the area?
1
@cec
So Trump should be chastised for moving troops out of harms way in Syria because he is escalating the war in Yemen?
If I were the leader of Taiwan, I'd be looking to make some accommodation with mainland China. And South Korea better see what they can work out with the North.
4
I blame Obama. He should have explained to Trump in his presidential orientation that the Kurds were our allies, and that Russia and Syria are the ones using nerve gassing children.
Obama probably left out that whole subpoena explanation too.
I’m glad we are pulling our military out of the Middle East though. I’m sure it is just more liberal fake news that we currently sending missile defense-systems and deploying US troops to Saudi Arabia.
13
Fascinating, blame Obama? Trump has been educated by everyone who has come and gone in this Administration as well as the previous administration. He has never listened to his own investigatory departments and has made enemies of everyone both right and left. He doesn’t listen to his military advisors. He fires anyone that he disagrees with. (He actually is too weak to fire them himself, so he has someone else do it or he does it by tweet.) It is illogical to take a simple narrative and twist it into knots. It’s logical that dtrump is in it for a profit and could care less about anyone or anything besides himself. But if it involves dtrump and you voted for him, and you have not regretted that vote, than you have to blame someone other than the orange one. So you blame the previous guy. Doesn’t make much sense, but either does continuous support by an ever dwindling number of dtrump supporters.
6
@✅Dr. TLS ✅
There is no evidence that Assad used nerve agents against his own people as you allege. There is plenty of evidence connecting Syrian al-Qaeda rebels to a series of false flag chemical attacks that were designed to be used as an excuse for direct military intervention by Washington in the Syrian civil war.
2
@SR Obama shares the blame because his administration provided direct and indirect aid to al-Qaeda rebels throughout the Syrian civil war. Washington was responsible for igniting and fueling the needless horror story of the Syrian civil war.
2
This will sound like a conspiracy theory but is Trump slowly handing everything over to Russia? If we continue at the current pace of isolationism we’ll be surrounded by our foes with no friends left. Has no one seen The Manchurian Candidate??
11
@DaveSam What business does Washington have interfering in the internal affairs of Syria or any nation in the Middle East. Look at the death and destruction Washington is responsible for in Libya and Iraq, and Afghanistan, and Somalia, and Yemen. Enough already. Time to get out and stay out.
2
then the deal is good for everyone. the United states leaves. the Kurds no longer have a leverage to carve an independent country and Syria gets to assert their sovereignty of their territory and the Turks no longer have to fear the Kurds and will be dealing with a central government in Damascus.
5
I could not agree more. Finally Trump did something right. This is not, and should not be our problem.
3
When did Syria become a sworn enemy of Washington? During Obama's time. Why? Because the war mongers in Washington like McCain wanted to depose Syrian president Bashar Al Assad. Yes Syria was under the influence of the Soviet Union until it collapsed but Syrian president Hafez al Assad was an ally and a part of a coalition of daddy Bush to evict Saddam from Kuwait. To call Syria a sworn enemy is rewriting history. Sure Syria was no friend but Syria after the invasion of Iraq by George W. Bush and few years later when Obama was president the arming of the rebels trying to oust Assad resulted in the birth of ISIS who was against the Assad regime and the barbaric behavior of ISIS terrorized the world. The Trump administration crushed ISIS with coalition including the Kurds, Russians and Iranians. By withdrawing US troops and handing the troops the arms and the ammunition the USA gave the freedom to the Kurds to decide their destiny and make their own alliances and teams to fight for their survival and their dream for a free and independent KURDISTAN. .
I cannot believe that the combined wisdom of the gang 4 Hubbard, Savage, Schmitt and Kingsley fail to get the facts right.
3
@Girish Kotwal
Syria has been our enemy since the late 1960's, when Israel was attacked. Way before Obama.
4
@John Harper from Carlsbad, CA. Israel defended itself without any US troops against the Arabs during the 1967 war as well and later in the 70s but it was not a sworn enemy when Syria joined the coalition to force Saddam out of Kuwait in 1990. Americans could travel to Syria and Syria, the cradle of civilization was intact. After the USA tried to topple Assad by arming the rebels, Syria was devastated and ISIS was barbaric during Obama's presidency and there was an epic migration out of Syria. Why are people in such denial and twisting history and promoting deception.
5
@John Harper
Actually, it was Israel that attacked Syria, Egypt and Jordan, in the name of preventive self defence in the 6-day war in 1967.
2
This is pure treason. Trump is a lapdog of Putin. Putin threatened to withdraw his support (or exposing his secret deals) for Trump which resulted in the egregious act. Trump is a so-called champion of Israel. The move will strengthen the hands of Iran and ISIS. His support for Israel evaporated as soon as Putin made the threat and the man with zero governance skill made an outright decision to put our allies to serious harm without consulting the experts. This is not the first event of his loyalty to Putin. he destroyed our long relationship with Europe under the direction of his paymaster. Congress MUST move forward with treason charge. Trump is a great danger for our nation every second he occupies the White House.
8
A ton of vets voted for Donald and will again.
3
Where are the patriots in the U.S. Congress? Are there truly only partisans who wear blinders and can, in apparently good conscience. forget our soldiers and allied troops who were deployed to protect Syrians and contain ISIS?
We have lost our credibility in the world. Anything our government says is now worthless.
6
Good luck to the Kurds! Like the Ukrainian people, they have learned that, with the treacherous, unstable Donald Trump as US President, it is far better to be aligned with the autocrats of the world - like the Russians and the Syrians, when fighting a Turkish autocrat who is trying to steal Kurdistan. Trump is never to be trusted.
12
@Joe Miksis
Kurdistan doesn’t exist and that’s the core problem. To create one, one would have to carve up the Middle East once gain. Not going to happen.
3
He cheats on his wives, he cheats on his subcontractors, he cheats on our allies. He showed us who he is long ago. How anyone could be loyal to or vote for someone they must know will eventually cheat on them and their children is a question not so far from the question and mystery of what is the nature of evil itself. I wonder is his side gig selling his children who just aren’t conscious of it?
8
There must be some further background on this decision by Trump. At a time when polls suggest waning support for him, why would he commit such an obvious blunder?
Why would Trump risk alienating so many people who have served in our military? Almost no one agrees with this self created travesty.
It leads one to think that the leaders of Turkey and Russia are calling in some favors. It is just all too wierd.
And after rattling sabers at Iran to the point of threatening all out destruction, why is Trump opening the gates for their greater role in this region? What is up?
Is our president compromised or is he just a dangerous idiot?
15
He is compromised- it is that simple!
I agree. Trump does nothing that doesn’t benefit him personally. He’s getting something out of this. The question is, “what?”.
We armed and trained the Taliban and look where that got us.
Now we’ve been doing the same with Kurds, helping them build a 60,000 strength battle hardened army in Syria, trained and supported by us.
With Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria having large Kurd populations with aspirations of statehood, what could go wrong?
We create and use mercenaries for our immediate purpose, and then howl when the mercenaries we created go off and do what they really want.
The Taliban we armed, enabled the terrorists causing 9/11. Kurdish terrorists already have killed thousands in Turkey. Now we’ve created the military umbrella for them to continue to support and carry out terrorism in Turkey and further embolden Kurds across the Middle East to demand their own country. Just what the region needs!
Female Kurdish fighters and handsome unshaven Kurdish male fighters may create exciting photo ops for the NYT. The military and terror impact, risk and result from tens of thousands of American trained Kurdish fighters is a very different picture. It’s not pretty. But it is news. And one expects that news to get the profile it deserves at the NYT. It’s much more important than photos of fetching soldiers preening for the camera.
6
Nonsense. Superficial analysis of a complicated issue.
4
@cec
Your insights are thoroughly illuminating.
The reasoning itself makes the complex, lucid.
Thank you. Awaiting the book!
3
@AJ -- Thank you for your generous comment. I appreciate the fact that you recognise talent.
1
This story is disturbing, labeling the communities daesh is in as all supporters. Following this logic they should all be our enemies.
1
This is a disgrace to our military, who sacrificed blood to gain the trust of the Kurds who fought ISIS on our behalf. Their honor has been sold by a coward who would not know honor if it bit him. This is just so he can get his Trump Tower in Istanbul completed. What a disgusting excuse for a human being....
13
Trump has to get US troops out of all of Syria so that Putin has freer reign in Syria. If Trump had stood firm, Turkey would not have dared to invade. Trump seems to work for Putin.
16
Ancient tribes like the Kurds have very, very long memories. Shame is when they take their revenge on the US for abandoning them, like Bin Laden did, you still won't learn the lesson.
When they do, the rest of the world will likely shake it's head, like we did back in 2001, and say sadly, like we did back then, 'now the yanks know how it feels to get a taste of their own medicine'.
4
@Flossy
The Kurds are honorable people and they will never take revenge on the US, particularly now knowing that the whole civilized world including the US is on their side, condemning the Trump treachery.
However, it is now up to us the US citizens to take revenge on Trump and his Republican enablers and defenders.
Another example of Trump ruining everything In his wake. Unbelievable. Will Republicans ever denounce this traitor?
It’s just all so sad.
18
Trump is the greatest danger this country has ever faced. He must be impeached, convicted and removed from office,sooner rather than later. The face and identity of every Republican who votes against conviction must be burned into our collective memories as the ones who cared more about self-preservation that country. They too must be voted out of office.
We have met the enemy. The enemy is us.
24
Trump has lost any sense of control that the US possessed in the Middle East and has sparked a very possible war between Syria and Turkey which has the potential toescalate into a larger war involving Iran and Russia. And where will the US stand in the mess it has created by withdrawing our troops precipitously? Turkey is a NATO ally and in the past has been a bulwark against Russia in the middle East The area is now a powder keg that needed diplomacy not the stupidity of our so called 'genius' of a president.
8
I'd like it for once if just veterans and active duty members made comments. The others aren't worth reading as they are clueless. Beyond clueless and cowards.
3
@Daniela
Really? You would prefer that non-military voters and taxpayers are silenced so that only veterans have a voice in our foreign policy? I thought my citizenship and participation in my government gave me a voice. Why do we have a diplomatic corps, now that Trump has gutted it of all those with experience. You do realize that Trump dodged the Vietnam draft with fake bone spurs, right? The war my cousin fought in with the Marines, the war in which his best friend died. I don't believe my cousin would agree with you; he didn't fight on the side of fascism or censorship.
8
Republicans greased the slippery slope that Trump has rapidly descended.
17
Article 25! Impeach! Whatever legal means are available! Congress: do it now! Indict! If the Republicans won’t embrace it and convict, then shame on them. Perhaps voters will wake up by November 2020. A Congressional Bill of Impeachment should at least clarify things and show all voters what this administration really is: hopelessly corrupt.
20
@Chet Walters
Article 25: Unfit to serve. Given Trump's ties to Putin and Russian oligarchs via his extensive loans from them, I think he qualifies as unfit, on so many levels. His tax returns would show the the loan deposits of money laundered through the Bank of Cyprus and deposited in Deutsche Bank, the lender. Trump does nor want any access to that bank's records.
2
This was totally expected. What other options did the Kurds really have? Sitting in wait for more ethnic cleansing and genocide from Turkey? We already know they did this in Afrin and transplanted Arab Muslim refugees in the homes of Kurds, Christians, and other minorities of the Jazira. It is possible that in the long term this agreement along with others will result in the reunification of Syria to over come the disintegration of the country with a proxy global war. This sentiment will not be popular with those who don't really care about the conditions Syrian people are living in, or the brutality of a Turkish invasion that will surely be an occupation. Those who are still craving more war don't have to live without running water and electricity for years on end, so it is easy to be an armchair general.
6
@malaouna
The Turks have a history of genocide with the Armenians. They are capable of genocide against the Kurds, our real allies in the fight against ISIS.
2
So, with Trump being led by the nose by both Putin and Erdogan, what to make of Syria/Russia going toe to toe with Turkey, a NATO ally? Russia and Turkey are not enemies, at least not till now. Both seem quite pleased with Trump's betrayal of the Kurds.
Putting on my conspiracy hat, this gives Putin an excellent opportunity to "wage war" against Turkey just enough to show that NATO -- or at least the U.S. -- will not come to the aid of another NATO country.
5
For five years, United States policy relied on collaborating with a Kurdish-led militia both to fight the Islamic State and to limit the influence of Iran and Russia, which support the Syrian government, with a goal of maintaining some leverage over any future settlement of the conflict.
I was in college with Kurdish refugees in 1994, in the United States. We have been allies since the first incursions into Iraq.
7
Trump drove our allies into the arms of our enemies. Doesn't that qualify as treason?
24
So Trump has now chased our Kurdish allies, who did most of the work of ending ISIS in Syria, into the arms of Russia.
What a coincidence.
20
The new alliance between the Kurds and Syria was a completely obvious outcome of our abrupt withdrawal. Aligning with the Syrians against the Kurds, and quite neatly with Russia, was really the only place for them to go for aid and strength in the face of the Turkish incursion, and we led them there. "We" being the guy in charge who doesn't think anything through that's too complex.
8
@T. Max
The guy whose only military experience is with finding a quack to document non-existent bone spurs. The guy who has never fought for anyone, or anything, except tax cuts for himself and his cohort.
2
please dont forget that daddy Bush paved the way to slaughter the Kurds by allowing Saddam to fly helicopters again in northern Iraq during the first gulf war. I am a veteran of that war and got out of the military as a result. I thought we a nation had lost all credibility then, but this move by bone spurs is so much worse. so much senseless loss-and for what?
16
America is being led by a narcissistic, impetuous idiot. End of story.
14
If Republicans sit quietly by and let Trump do this much destruction to US national interests in just a few days, against the advice of his ENTIRE National Security team (or at least what's left of it), then they are so far gone that they need to disappear and be replaced by another political party.
Putin must be shaking his head in disbelief at what an incredible payback he has received on his investment in Trump.
23
You, I, we, or they can’t fix Stupid!
Still sad but true
1
It’s ok. Jared’s got a plan.
6
@Jc
Yes. Jared's plan is a real estate development in northern Syria.
3
It is the right development and the way Trump wanted. It will lead to permanent solution of ethnic conflicts in Syria without disintegration of Syria and without any loss of American life and much loss of American treasure. Another win for Trump. Later the powers can decide what to do with Assad.
1
@Alex E
In this no one is a winner, least of all Trump. But I’ll be interested to hear you explaining your rationale to the next victims of a reformed ISIS.
And, by the way, no loss of American life? What about those troops still in country — caught between the warring factions?
3
@Alex E
How about the loss of Kurd lives? Remember, our allies who fought with us against ISIS? Trump is a draft dodging loser, incompetent to run a casino, a business, or a clean government. Trump is the poster boy for corrupt.
@Dunn Arceneaux: This is a war, people will die and they are willing to die for their cause. If they want peace, they can talk to find a solution. It is not worth American lives. Assad and others are fully capable of handling ISIS. Theses radical Islamists are happy to die for Allah and expect to be rewarded with 72 virgins. Now, Assad and Erdogan can do whatever they want to fulfill ISIS wish of early reaching to Allah for their rewards. Trump is least bothered if they reach Allah early and get their rewards.
1
It’s difficult to understand all of this conflict, chaos and human tragedy in northern Syria and Turkey. I can’t wait for President Trump to help explain all of this when he holds his next news conference with reporters.
2
The unanswered question: does the GOP care, or will they remain subservient yet again?
12
Merry Christmas Putin. Trump and the GOP just handed the Kurds to Russia
14
"Oh, What a tangled web Trump weaves." Will the Republicans do anything? How many lies will it take? How much damage to our reputation in the world? How much damage to our nation and the world itself will it take? How polluted must our air, freshwater, and oceans become? How much debt must we bare while Trump and his family enrich themselves at the expense of hard working Americans? This is getting dangerous. I know I am not alone in my concerns.
7
Somehow, it seems if Donald Trump is still doing his utmost to serve the Russians well. Earlier that was the case when he backtracked on his decision to attack Iran. That decision in itself was incomprehensible. A couple of days ago he offered Syria to Russia and Iran, on a silver platter. The new coalition between the Kurds and Bashar al-Assad could be a blessing in disguise, and outmaneuver the Ottoman dreams of Turkey.
4
So far Putin plan worked like swiss clock.
Accomplices are Trump and Erdogan
Victims are Syrian Kurdish people
The result is absolute destruction of American stance in the western world ( forget Entire world).
Now US allies certainly understand , Trump is playing this game with Putin.
Erdogan is a henchmen in the plan, creating great smoke screen and distraction for Trump and Putin, Massacring Kurdish people.
Putin wants to keep Latakia base so Assad's regime, that is required Kurds coercion to agree with Assad regime or choose to fight against Turks endlessly.
Does this looks like to you a conspiracy theory or so far what happened ?
which one?
5
We handed Iraq to Iran, Syria to Russia, Assad, and Iran, and who knows who will get Afghanistan other than The Taliban and even possibly ISIS. Next we'll beef up Africa in war and hand that over someday too. It's like Monopoly ony the military gets to test their toys, the bankers get to make more money, and the poor get sent home crippled, in body bags, or with suicidal PTSD. God bless America. Home of the naive.
7
He’s so weak and transparent about it. Trump so badly wants praise from these strongmen because they remind him of his daddy. He can’t say no to dictators because he grew up in a household with one. Textbook insecure narcissist with daddy issues. He knows the American people mock him so he finds solace in the swamp with rest of the Republican degenerates who feign loyalty because they are all career politicians who are too afraid to stand up for the truth.
14
The time has come for Donald Trump to either resign or be removed from office. His incompetence is placing American military personnel at risk. In time it could also have an impact on America’s civilian population given the history of terrorism arising from chaos and betrayal.
The events that are unfolding will have consequences.
19
Trump's lack of judgement is gob smacking.
13
Kinda funny unless you are a Kurd. These unfortunate people owe no one allegiance, especially the u.s.
3
It was predictable that a Turkish invasion and U.S. withdrawal of its token force would drive the SDF (Kurds and non-jihadist Syrian rebels) to seek an alliance with the Syrian government and its Russian ally.
This is the best thing that could have happened in bringing the Syrian conflict to an end.
Russia has led efforts to reconcile the Syrian factions and to foster a new national constitution. It will likely take advantage of this alliance of necessity to bring the two sides closer together. Under a new alliance, all Syrians will combine to end the mostly foreign jihadist "rebel" threat in Idlib province, which mainstream Western commentators remain so stubbornly confused about.
The Idlib "rebels" are mostly an al-Qaeda in Iraq spinoff, like ISIS, that was close to turning Syria into its "caliphate" in 2015, when Russia stepped in to prevent such a regional and global disaster. These are the same kinds of jihadists (and their families) the U.S. bombed mercilessly in Raqqa and Mosul.
Trump is right to pull U.S. token forces out of Syria (whatever his reasons). The U.S. alliance with the Kurds was always one of momentary convenience in the ISIS fight; Syria is more important.
1
@Nick Wright Shame on you, and shame on us!
8
@JeffreyHF : I can only suggest you do some reading on the subject.
The Kurds have had a tacit nonaggression pact with Damascus since early in the war. The U.S. doesn't like that, since its goal has been to keep Syria in a state of war until Assad is overthrown. A firmer and more direct alliance between the Kurds and Damascus works against U.S. efforts to keep Syria divided.
In short, the U.S. goals in Syria -- apart from helping to end the ISIS international jihad -- have always been cynical and absolutely not in the interests of the Syrian people.
1
Overnight - thanks to Trump's abandonment of the Kurds - Trump has played right into Putin's hands. Turks, Kurds, Syrians will have Russian as their language for a long time to come.
13