In comments on Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought to downplay the US withdrawal from Syria, saying it was merely a “tactical change” that would neither deter the US war on ISIS not hurt US interests in the region.
These comments come amid Pompeo’s tour of the Middle East, during which
he is both explaining the Syria withdrawal and pushing the idea of US
hostility toward Iran in visits to the GCC member nations.
With the Pentagon’s narrative on Syria long presenting the US presence
as a big part of picking fights with Iran, the pullout has raised
concerns among hawks, and has left Pompeo and others to explain the
policy abroad.
Much of the resistance to the US pullout from anywhere the military is
entrenched centers on the fear it would threaten the status quo. That’s
why Pompeo’s message is to downplay it, reflecting last week’s speeches
in which he emphasized that US interventionism in the Middle East
remains a go-to tactic.
A sound discussion by Jason Ditz.
Bolton is a humiliated hawk that provides cover for the dovish Trump – dovish compared to all previous US Presidents including the last one, a Nobel Peace laureate. LOL.
Bolton set out to humiliate Trump but he is the one humiliated although you will not see this so much as hinted at in the MSM consumed as it is with TDS.
Bolton tried to undo the Korea deal also and had to simply bypassed by Trump and Pompeo.
Bolton is a useful hawkish cover – Machiavelli would be proud of Trump for his “employment” of Bolton. Again the press cannot understand or will not say this.
Pompeo is simply a very loyal lap dog hired for his loyalty and also for the hawkish cover he gives Trump.
Next step Afghanistan withdrawal and some meaningful summits with Putin which hopefully will dismantle the nuclear powder keg on which we sit.
p.s I await the thinly disguised neocon trolls or their neoliberalcon or progressivecon brothers.
Trump sent more troops to Afghanistan, increased the bombing and lessened the rules of engagement. He sent more troops to Syria and he did two missile attacks based on bullshit. He allowed and enabled the Saudis to escalate in Yemen and his anti-Iran, orb rubbing, sword dancing visit there was sickening. His UN speech was equally disgusting and equally anti-Iran. He has been more hardline towards Russia than even the phony Nobel peace prize winner was. His administration has expelled more Russian diplomats and imposed harsher economic sanctions. US troops have participated in NATO exercises at an increased pace within a few hundred yards of Russia’s western borders. US security relationship has escalated sharply under Trump, we are training Ukraine military personal, have conducted joint exercises with Kiev’s forces and approved two major arms sales. Not to mention our wanting to build up their navy after the recent incident with Russia. You can accuse me, and everyone else who doesn’t have blinders on, of being afflicted with TDS but it is you and all the other faithful followers who actually suffer from that affliction.
“we are training Ukraine military personal”
This includes Neo Nazi’s who were caught red handed collaborating with white nationalists organizations back here in the states.
Hi Wars,
I wrote your buddy Dave below. That should help you too.
How do your lies help anyone ??
Here’s my problem with Trump. He pulls out of the JCPOA, he visits Saudi Arabia and rages against that state sponsor of terrorism, Iran. He goes to the UN and gives a speech reiterating what he said on his Saudi visit with the same “state sponsor of terrorism” clichés. He even threaten them with annihilation in a twitter rampage. And then just last week he said Iran could do whatever they want in Syria. And regarding Syria, he orders the withdrawal and almost immediately talks about re-entering from our bases in Iraq if need be. He talks about good relations with Russia while ratcheting up our support for Ukraine. The only thing he has been consistent on is his pro torture stance, his love of our off shore gulag/military adoration and his petulance.
What I don’t understand is how an intelligent man like yourself can be taken in by this conman. Him being the lesser of evils or that Obama was worse aren’t good enough for me.
Trump moving the Troops from Syria that he himself deployed into Syria in order to facilitate the destruction of Iran’s ally, as well as the largest weapons deal of any US president in history, is not dovish in any way shape or form.
You’re thinly disguised accusations against anyone that disagrees with your talking points is VERY revealing, thanks for the tip !
Your job seems to be to conflate moving troops around(tactics) with policy change, and you’re failing miserably.
When the weapons sales cease and the sanctions are lifted, as well as the bait and switch tactic of replacing US troops with spooks, proxies, or mercenaries has ended, we’ll know someone is trying to stop the war machine.
Until then, you may want to tell your boss that his talking points are very see through by folks who are truly anti war.
This doesn’t even include Trump’s effort to further militarize our police forces and the police state.
The pro Zionist position of this administration, as well as the push for hostilities and increased sanctions on Iran, are not in any way shape or form consistent with an anti war policy goal.
Dave, Dave, Dave,
Your little factoid about Trump deploying troops to Syria only to withdraw them is as superficial as they come. Since you are a very historically accurate fellow, I scarcely need to remind you that:
the US led coalition bombing in syria began under obama.
at first Obama said there would be ” no boots on the ground’.
then special forces were deployed secretly.
when it was no longer secret they acknowledged it.
trump did the first official attacks on syrian forces but under obama the most destructive attacks took place when the US coalition “accidentally” bombed Syrian forces on a hilltop very near Deir Ezzor, allowing ISIS to take over the strategically important area. That was actually the DOD and deep state giving the finger to Kerry’s planned coordination between US and Russian forces in eastern Syria. That was in Sept 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_2016_Deir_ez-Zor_air_raid
And for the overall context of what this withdrawal means I advise you to read the following from Stephen F. Cohen. “What Trump’s Withdrawal From Syria Really Reveals”.
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/448688-trump-withdrawal-syria-russia/
The withdrawal from Syria is the beginning of reversal of the murderous policy of the last 30 years – not a reversal but the first step in what will be a zig-zag process. But Rome was not deconstructed in a day.
And for God’s sake quit changing the subject and prevaricating by omission. It is not attractive.
How about you read this instead of trying to bullshit people into thinking changing tactics is changing policy ?
Trump Administration Stops Disclosing Troop Deployments In Iraq And Syria
https://taskandpurpose.com/trump-troop-deployments-iraq-syria
You can blame Obomber all you want but in the end it wasn’t his policy either since the policy goes back into the 90’s MIC push for global hegemony.
You still cannot answer to any questions put to you and you still rely on blame shifting and fallacy to support your trolling efforts.
You have to answer for Trump’s increase in violence since he’s become president as well as the increased sanctions.
Sorry I have to reveal your sock puppet job to everyone but the facts are simply the facts……
President Trump’s War Crime Is Worse than the One He Accuses Assad of
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/04/17/president-trump-war-crime-worse-than-one-he-accuses-assad-of.html
Replacing US troops with spooks, proxies, or mercenaries is not stopping aggression nor is it changing policy.
You are far too deceptive to be naive about this conflation of tactics and policy.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-iraq-20181226-story.html
Right in the above story is where he reveals pulling the US troops out of Syria has nothing to do with the policy goals in the ME and is only a PR stunt to get him reelected despite not changing anything.
Strangely Pompeo is right, this withdrawal will not hurt US interests. I don’t think he understands why though.
These neocon warmongers just can get over their craving to squander American lives in search of Empire.
In that you’re right, Schmizer. These Trotskyists aka Neocon warmongers can just get over their craving to squander American lives in search of Empire. We have a POTUS who’s withdrawing all US troops from Syria and preparing to reduce the number of troops from 14,000 to 7,000 and gradually to ZERO.
However, the Trotskyists aren’t about to give up those cravings, it’s in their blood. What Trump has to do is just toss them out of the White House and refuse to listen to their warmongering plans.
Except you forgot to mention he deployed the very troops he’s “withdrawing” form Syria and that pesky little fact that special forces don’t count as troops much like spooks, proxies, or mercenary forces.
Changing tactics isn’t anti war. Changing policy goals along with ending sanctions instead of escalating them would be closer to actual change than his latest batch of baffle the base with BS.
Except that troops were introduced into Syria during Obama’s reign.
Talk about an apology tour…
At least he accidentally told the truth about the conflation between changing tactics and changing policy goals. We’re just gonna bomb Syria from Iraq now and have the usual mix of proxies, mercenaries, and spooks do the patrolling and target acquisition.
The Yemen model of soft genocide.