In Move From ‘Endless Wars,’ Trump Stokes Mideast Uncertainty by Dion Nissenbaum and Vivian Salama - Wall Street Journal
Turkey’s military offensive against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria opens an uncertain new chapter in Washington’s Middle East policy as President Trump willingly cedes influence to Ankara and other regional players.
In clearing the way for Turkey to attack Kurdish fighters who were directly armed by the U.S. in the fight against Islamic State, Mr. Trump shifted the U.S. approach to the region by setting aside commitments by American officials who previously assured the fighters the U.S. wouldn’t abandon them.
The move holds potential implications for other U.S. interests in the region. The U.S. military said it has suspended joint operations with Kurdish-led forces against Islamic State extremists because of the Turkish assault. And Iranian and Iran-backed forces in Syria, if emboldened by the U.S. pullback, stand to pose a heightened risk to Israel, which has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in Syria against them…