Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Trump warns Turkey over US Syria troop pullout

Trump warns Turkey over US Syria troop pullout

There is political fallout in the US amid fears Turkey may launch a long-threatened attack on Kurdish fighters.

President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Turkey's economy if Turkey goes "off limits" after his surprise decision to pull US forces out of north-eastern Syria.

In a series of angry tweets, Mr Trump defended the move that could open the way for Turkey to launch an attack on Kurdish fighters across the border.

The withdrawal was heavily criticised even by Mr Trump's Republican allies.

Kurdish forces were key US allies in defeating the Islamic State in Syria.

The US has some 1,000 troops across Syria and about two dozen had been pulled out from the border area, according to a senior state department official.

The withdrawal was described by the main Kurdish-led group as a "stab in the back", and critics say it could facilitate an IS resurgence and leave Kurdish forces at risk of being attacked by Turkey, which regards them as terrorists.

But Mr Trump warned Turkey not to take advantage of his decision - which goes against the advice of senior officials in the Pentagon and state department - saying he could "destroy and obliterate" its economy.

Last year, the US raised tariffs on some Turkish products and imposed sanctions on top officials as relations between the two Nato countries worsened over a number of issues.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his aim is to combat Kurdish fighters in the border area and set up a "safe zone" for up to two million of the more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey.

The country's defence ministry tweeted later that the establishment of such a zone is "essential" for Syrians and for peace in the region. "All preparations for the operation have been completed," the tweet said in Turkish.

- Turkey v Syria's Kurds explained


- Who are the Kurds?


- Why the battle for northern Syria matters


In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said "the Department of Defense made clear to Turkey - as did the president - that we do not endorse a Turkish operation in Northern Syria".

Earlier, Mr Trump said it was time "to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars, many of them tribal" and that "Turkey, Europe, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds will now have to figure the situation out".
In the place of clarity we only have President Trump's tweets and statements which appear to contradict him from both the state department and the Pentagon.

This morning he appeared to signal the start of a US troop pullout from Syria and seemed to be washing his hands of the country, implicitly giving a green light for a major Turkish incursion.

Now both the state department and the Pentagon say there is no major shift in US policy; that only a handful of US troops have been pulled back for their own safety, fearing some Turkish move. And they insist that this administration, including the president, stands firmly against any further Turkish move across the border.

So did the President act on a Twitter whim in the wake of his phone call with Turkey's President Erdogan, only to be appraised of the likely consequences afterwards by officials? This is an object lesson in how dysfunctional US foreign policy-making has become.


'Disaster in the making'


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in Congress, was among those who criticised the decision. He said a "precipitous withdrawal of US forces from Syria would only benefit Russia, Iran and the Assad regime".

In a statement, Mr McConnell also said a majority in the Senate voted in January for an amendment expressing concern about the threat posed by Islamist militant groups in Syria and support for a continued military presence, and that "the conditions that produced that bipartisan vote still exist today".

Lindsey Graham, another Republican senator and a close ally of the president, called the move a "disaster in the making", and said he would introduce a Senate resolution opposing the decision and calling for it to be reversed.

In other reaction:

Nikki Haley, former US ambassador to the UN, said the Kurds "were instrumental in our successful fight against" IS and that "leaving them to die [was] a big mistake"


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the president "must reverse this dangerous decision", described by her as "reckless" and "misguided"


Kino Gabriel, spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - which occupy former IS territory in north-eastern Syria - told Arabic TV station al-Hadath that the move "was a surprise and we can say that it is a stab in the back for the SDF"


Brett McGurk, former US special presidential envoy for the coalition against IS, said the announcement demonstrated a "complete lack of understanding of anything happening on the ground"

Mr Trump's decision was announced by the White House late on Sunday after a phone call with Mr Erdogan. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia - the dominant force in the SDF alliance - an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades.

Last December, Donald Trump's announcement of a "full" and "rapid" withdrawal of US forces from Syria set off a firestorm of criticism that culminated in the resignation of Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Mr Trump eventually backed down, but his opponents appear to have secured only a temporary victory. Like last time, Mr Trump made Sunday night's withdrawal announcement after a phone conversation with Turkish President Erdogan.

Unlike last time, there are fewer advisers within the White House positioned to dissuade the president. And also unlike last time, Mr Trump is currently in the middle of a congressional impeachment inquiry that could very well leave him fighting to stay in office during a Senate trial.

If that happens, he'll need all the Republican friends he can get. This move, however, has even Senate loyalists like Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell calling the president's judgement into question. The president is taking a big gamble at a delicate time. For whatever reason, he has decided the risk is worth it.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×