This is the third time Trump has changed his policy in Syria after speaking to President Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images After Trump spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, the White House announced that Turkey is preparing to invade northern Syria, where the United States currently has around 1,000 troops. According to White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, American forces “will not support or be involved in the operation” and will “no longer be in the immediate area.
The administration also did not mention its policy toward Kurdish armed groups like the Syrian Democratic Forces stationed in northern Syria, suggesting that the major American ally in the ground fight against ISIS will be left to fend for their own. Turkey has long considered Kurdish fighters to be terrorist groups, as they pursue autonomy and an independent Kurdistan in the region.
The move was immediately criticized by Democrats like Ruben Gallego, an Iraq veteran and congressman from Arizona: “Allowing Turkey to move into northern Syria is one of the most destabilizing moves we can do in the Middle East. The Kurds will never trust America again. They will look for new alliances or independence to protect themselves.”
The maneuver will certainly be condemned for its optics. As Ragip Soylu, Turkey correspondent for Middle East Eye, tweeted: “This is the third time Trump decided to pull US forces from Syria after a phone call with Erdogan,” with U.S. troop withdrawals announced in April and December 2018.
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