Trump’s Pullback of US Troops Reshapes Syrian War
Trump’s Pullback of US Troops Reshapes Syrian War by Jeremy Bowen – BBC News
It has taken a week to reshape the map of the Syrian war, in the seven days since President Donald Trump used what he called his “great and unmatched wisdom” to order the withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria.
He set off a chain of events that betrayed America’s ally, the Syrian Kurds, and opened a cornucopia of opportunities for Turkey, the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, its backers, Russia and Iran, and the jihadist extremists of Islamic State (IS).
Eight years of war in Syria have shaped and changed the Middle East. This last week has been another turning point. Perhaps President Trump’s wisdom helped him to foresee events. Or perhaps his habit of following his gut instincts is a serious mistake when it comes to the infinite complexities of the Middle East…