Who is he working for? Even Republicans think this is a bad move. Trump is bribing Turkey to keep quiet about the Khashoggi murder plus they bought weapons from the US.
Trump claims ISIS has been totally defeated in Syria but this is not true.
New statement from @PressSec confirms that the US is withdrawing troops from Syria and reiterates Trump's claim that "the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate" pic.twitter.com/zuwiQdw5ds
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) December 19, 2018
If this actually happens, it’s a stunning development both procedurally and substantively.
There’s lots of room for reasonable debate about what role—if any—the US military should be playing in Syria. But a knee-jerk, unplanned, across-the-board withdrawal seems … unwise. https://t.co/tO2N2qeZGf
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) December 19, 2018
Here is the full Reuters quote:
The decision came after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. “Everything that has followed is implementing the agreement that was made in that call,” the official said.
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 19, 2018
MORE: All U.S. State Department personnel are being evacuated from Syria within 24 hours – official pic.twitter.com/XOnbuEzarZ
— Reuters Politics (@ReutersPolitics) December 19, 2018
Syria pullout + Patriots + plus promise to look again at Gulen extradition; Erdogan got an awful lot from Trump. In exchange for what? I expect we won't be hearing much more from Turkey about the Khashoggi murder. https://t.co/zRpPJeqhhU
— Jackson Diehl (@JacksonDiehl) December 19, 2018
Isn't one likely explanation of the Trump Syria announcement that it's part of the price paid to Ankara to go easy on the Saudi crown prince? The 2000 US personnel are deployed with Syrian Kurds- a big irritant to Ankara. Syrian Kurds now weakened https://t.co/Goap3G2jTJ
— David Frum (@davidfrum) December 19, 2018
Three separate reports including by the Pentagon Inspector General, by the United Nations and by @CSIS have estimated that ISIS still has between 20,000 and 30,000 fighters just in Iraq and Syria, but sure, let’s call the group “defeated.” #DejaVu https://t.co/6hDb4ilUIR
— Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) December 19, 2018
Marco Rubio railed on the president’s decision to pull out of Syria, saying whoever advised him has done a “great disservice” to the country. He said to us that Trump has put the US at risk by his decision – and it will make the world view America as an unreliable partner.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 19, 2018
Trump ally Lindsey Graham calls a withdrawal from Syria “an Obama-like mistake,” arguing that it will "be seen by Iran and other bad actors as a sign of American weakness in the efforts to contain Iranian expansion."
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) December 19, 2018
Responding to this, a Pentagon official asks me: “so when does Russia announce their victory?” https://t.co/1kWL3XH9oT
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 19, 2018
We have not defeated ISIS in Syria or Iraq. We have, however, left Raqqa and Mosul in ruins, filled with dead bodies and unexploded ordnance, and cut recovery aid. There is every reason to expect the group’s resurgence. https://t.co/GwRoksaESh https://t.co/bZPKc2g71e
— Ben Taub (@bentaub91) December 19, 2018
#Syria & US racing developments:
• Trump ready to withdraw ~ 2000 US troops: WSJ , CNN , Reuters
• Move coordinated with Erdogan: US military disagrees, State sidelined
• Pence to the Pentagon
• Trump called Erdogan Friday
• Allies informed— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) December 19, 2018
There is no strategic logic behind what the President just did in Syria, unless the strategy is changing the news cycle and trying to rally the base in anticipation of worse news to come.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) December 19, 2018
Nice to know everyone in the Trump administration is on the same page regarding Syria policy https://t.co/Fmf7ufENOu
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) December 19, 2018
“But one Defense Department official suggested that Mr. Trump also wants to divert attention away from the series of legal challenges confronting him over the recent days: the Russian investigation run by the special counsel…” https://t.co/fGWsPVUbLm
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) December 19, 2018
The president has now dismissed or undermined US intelligence assessments on:
– Russian interference in the election
-Saudi Crown Prince direction of Khashoggi murder
– North Korea’s continued missile and nuclear activity
– ISIS’s continued presence in Syria— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) December 19, 2018
Sad! 