President Donald Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of parts of Syria has led to concerns that it may lead to Kurdish fighters in the area being slaughtered and a revival of ISIS. Are these worries founded?
What’s happening:On Wednesday, Turkey announced it had begun a military operation into parts of northeastern Syria currently held by the Kurds. The move came a few days after President Trump announced that American troops in the area would be withdrawn to allow the Turkish incursion to move forward. American soldiers had been in the region to support Kurdish forces, who have been a key ally in the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria.
Trump’s abrupt decision was met with intense pushback, even from members of his own party. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Trump had “shamelessly abandoned” a key partner in the war on terror. Trump’s former envoy for the global coalition to defeat ISIS Brett McGurk said the move was a sign that the president is “not a Commander-in-Chief.”
There is also major concern that the move might lead to a resurgence of ISIS. With Kurdish forces preoccupied by potential conflict with Turkey, some experts worry that nascent Islamic State groups that had been beaten back after years of fighting could regain a foothold in territory they’ve lost in recent years. Others fear the humanitarian impact of resettling millions of refugees in an increasingly unstable area of Syria.
Story continuesWhat’s next:Turkey has faced diplomatic pressure on many fronts to halt its advance or at least avoid open conflict. Trump warned that he would “totally destroy and obliterate” Turkey’s economy if Erdogan’s forces did anything that he deemed to be “off limits,” though he didn’t specify what those limits might be. Officials from Russia, Iran and the European Union have also urged caution.
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