After focusing last week on the US slowing down the Syrian withdrawal,
John Bolton’s comments over the weekend about the pullout being
conditional is adding questions. Many make it unclear if the pullout is
happening at all.
The White House seems determined not to really clarify the matter at all. On Monday, their new statement claimed that Trump’s position is “unchanged.”
Since Trump has repeatedly scoffed at media reports trying to guess
what his position on Syria actually boils down to, that’s not very
enlightening.
To the extent they elaborated at all, they again emphasized that the
process is slow and will “take time” to make sure that the troops are
safe. There is no timetable, and it is expected to take several months.
With the Syrian Kurdish plans resting heavily on what happens with the
pullout, they are pushing the matter with the US, asking for
clarifications on the exact intentions of the US going forward, noting
that the US has not informed them of any changes yet.
Fire Bolton please.
If Trump was genuinely antiwar he never would have hired Bolton or Pompeo. Friedman or Kushner. Bolton is just the messenger. Netanyahu calls the shots in American Middle East policy. The only difference between Trump and his predecessors is that the Israel Lobby intimidated Obama, Clinton and the Bushes into putting Israel First. The Lobby doesn’t need to intimidate Trump because Trump is genuinely and fervently pro-Zionist.
Trump is a stupid demagogue who shoots off his mouth without thinking. But when he says something that threatens the Zionist colonization project, Netanyahu has many tools to bring his lap dog to heel. Firing Bolton would solve nothing.
Might not solve anything but it would still make me happy for a fleeting moment.
Al-Tanf is not being vacated.
At least not without discussing it with Jordan and Israel first like another column here pointed out yesterday. Actually I think that article was inaccurate in that it made it sound like we were lap dogs of both those countries when in reality we only take marching orders from one.
Al-Tanf’s the area wherein the battle-hardened Syrian army force of 20,000 troops are heading as we speak .. and their intention is to drive all 2,000 US troops out of Syria permanently.
Again, withdrawal is a distraction, the operative word is disengagement. Trump can order US forces to stop deadly force 5 seconds from now, or, 2 years ago in Syria. Jes dont want to.
Be careful about thinking that government works as it’s supposed to.
We really don’t know exactly how low our elites have sunken, but I fear it’s lower than we ever assumed possible.
It’s not as if there isn’t a history of fascist oligarchs in this countries DNA.
Maybe, yet one should also be careful that government works exactly as seen. That there may be someone pulling strings does not absolve the CiCs’ responsibility for his actions. Trump promised to carpet bomb ISIS cities and kill “terrorists” families. He is doing exactly that. What is certainly hidden, are the effects, and reporting on US military action, this too, was campaigned on, and delivered by trump.
Trump may have no choice, Dave Sullivan, some 20,000 battle-hardened Syrian army troops are headed straight for the US occupation area of Al-Tanf to drive the 2,000 US troops out of Syria.
Only two countries (Iran and Russia), along with Hezbollah, were invited by the Syrian Gov’t to help destroy ISIS and all other Jihadists .. no other countries were. Therefore, the US and its allies are in Syria illegally. Period. Trump must fire his two disloyal aides – Bonkers Bolton and Pompous Pompeo and replace them with those who want peace in the region and all disengagement started immediately. NO EXCUSES.
Bolton is playing hardball.
However, overt bullying is one thing Trump actually does understand. This could be one of the few things that Trump actually can handle.
We’ll see. I’m hoping for Bolton to be surprised by landing outside on his ear. He certainly has enough well deserved enemies to help Trump do that.
None of what’s going on publicly makes any sense. But, it is after all just a distraction from what’s happening behind the scenes, eventual war with Iran and Russia. That’s why Netanyahu had to be reassured about Trump’s true intentions by Pompeo and Bolton. He’s smiling now, waiting for the horrible false-flag event that will set everything in motion. Heaven help us.
“what’s happening behind the scenes”
Or more accurately, inside the billionaire owned and operated think tanks that actually govern us.
I’m honestly not convinced that anyone knows what the f**k is going on. This lunacy doesn’t seem planned to me because there are no clear winners yet. I think we have several different factions of warmongers competing for the attention span of a man who suffers from the worst bout of ADHD seen outside of the Ozark Meth Belt.
My theory is that Trump has made so many converging sweetheart deals, with Bibi, with Erdogan, with MBS, that what little fabric existed in regards to a Trump Doctrine has been completely shredded. Iran remains a long-term goal but the mess made in Syria has made that goal a lot more complicated. Trump’s own corruption may actually buy Tehran some much needed time to get their ducks in a row here.
I am sticking to my “trump not listening” theory. He was in a briefing which he interpreted as withdrawing troops. He leaped in front of the cameras to make his announcement. Bedlam in the Pentagon, as staff attempts to re-explain the briefing to dotard trump. Mattis retires in disgust. Multiple announcements from multiple sources, meanwhile, in Syria, the 155s continue the devastation.
Anythings possible with this guy. If Trump did f**k up like that then his pathological narcissism would force him to maintain that it was planned. There’s no such thing as a mistake with those types. He still insists that Muslims threw a block party in Jersey City on 9/11.
We just need to be thankfull for the Wrecking Ball that is Trump Presidency. By doung what he dies best — initiating something new, watching chaos break out, and deals with the mess. Is there actually any other way to change anything? With so many entranched interests at home and abroad, the only concern is — watch your pocketbook.
Bibi has not done one useful thing for Trump. He just hangs around —expecting more to drop into his lap. Trump has no other way to deal with Bibi — it is a status quo that is needed while US disentangles from the giant mess.
But Bolton visit to Israel and inanities he spouted while Bibi watched on, created an uproar in Turkey. It is hard for some in US to understand that YPG cannot remain in charge anywhere.
Turkey did not want to talk to Bolton, and the plan for military action is back on. Erdogan’s speech made that clear. YPG is playing tactics — miving out from one part of Manbij, and turning it over to Russian forces.
Problem YPG has is paying too much attention to US signals. Unless it gets serious, little games will not work. Russia and Turkey have managed many a difficult situation before, and are not likely to oblige YPG or Israel by getting careless now. At this point, even a false flag operation would not be usefull. With Gulf states recognizing Assad by reopening embassies, there is no possibility of a renewed humanitarian righteous indignation in Western capitals. And at this stage — nobody will back down. Not Turkey, nor Russia. Damascus is collaborating with Iraq, opened borders with Jordan.
At present US is in a very difficult position vs. Saudi Arabia. The killing of journalist Kashoggi did not result in a panic in Saudi Allegiance Council. It was expected that the mere threat of US disfavor— was going to induce them to ditch MbS ror somebody more suitable — did not work. Our foreign policy elite is getting very hard of hearing. The Council — having decided in June 2017 to replace Crown Prince MbN with King’s son — had made a change in strategic direction.
And after Kashoggi, MbS received full support, given wide range of new authority. He just appointed new foreign minister — expert in economy, not geopolitics. Iran is not the top of agenda any more. Economy is — it is back to basics for Saydi Arabia. Since MbS got to power— Qatar crisis was defused, relationship with Egypt turned from the one of conflict to cooperation.
MbS also influenced US position on Sudan, and duffused the issue of Darfur accusations againstbsudanese president. It was MbS that sent Sudan president to Damascus, then getting Bahrain to lead the way in Gulf reentering Syria.
Now, US is giving away some otherwise off the limits technology.
Things are moving pretty fast now. Putin has a person very frequently visiting Gulf states, who has met eith every head of royals in the Gulf — president of Chechnya, Ruslan Kadirov.
Chechnya is opening a largest Russian polygon for special ops training. All Gulf states are interested. Also, private security busines in Chechnya is in demand in the Gulf, due to their experience in fighting islamic cults. MbS met him twice.
I do agree that agenda for fighting Iran has been derailed for the time being — be that changes in the Gulf. Or donestic standoff between Trump and Schummer/Pelosi.
Bolton will be fired when the time is right. Trump is keeping the mongoose to keep the snakes at bay.
Bolton left Turkey after Edrogan cancelled their planned meeting stating “We cannot accept the message Bolton gave from Israel, we cannot be deceived by it,”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/erdogan-mistaken-syrian-kurd-fighters-safety-190108094851818.html
This is the best way to handle the Kurds . Now the Kurds know they best prepare for alternate protectors Trump methods will make the Kurds seek another way quick . But USA may stay or not stay a while if the Kurds can’t adjust to the changes fast enough .
Which stance is unchanged? Todays stance, yesterday’s stance? Boltons stance or Trumps stance? Ridiculous