President Trump has continued to back away from his announced total US
withdrawal from Syria this week, with administration officials on
Thursday and Friday confirming that they now intend to keep 400 troops in Syria indefinitely after the pullout.
The US is estimated to have 2,000 troops in Syria presently, which Trump
announced were all being withdrawn, as of late last year. On Thursday,
officials indicated that 200 troops will stay to be part of an international stabilization force.
By Friday morning, however, the drawdown was cut back even further, with
officials saying that in addition to the 200 troops already announced
to be staying, a further 200 troops would remain at al-Tanf base on the
Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq.
Hawkish Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) declared that the US troops
will be confronting Iran, fighting ISIS, and protecting the Kurds from
Turkey. The Tanf base troops seem likely in particular to be targeting Iran.
The US had previously tried and failed to convince Britain and France to
stay while they left Syria, and it may ultimately be that this shift is
intended to keep the Western European nations involved in the war.
This is an updated version of a previous story from Thursday night. That
version only included the 200 troops staying in northern Syria, and not
the extra 200.
Keeping troops in Syria after “pulling out” of Syria ain’t a “pullout”. Maybe that’s the best trump could squeeze out of the MIC and warmknfo neo/demo-cons…
Yes, it’s Trump vs the world. Or maybe he’s full of it, which is not only a much simpler explanation but also consistent with the way he’s comported himself for the last 40+ years.
There is still a enormous value in Trump presidency. He became the president saying what elites would not even whisper. Trillions of dollars in invasions and regime change bureacracy wasted. Carcasses of industries littering countryside. Corporate greed and tax avoidance, national debt that cannot be repaid, He still looks like a guy that has broken the pattern on Korean Penninsula, un spite of opposition. The only way he shurs up the opposition is by saying the craziests things — making the representatives of “decency” in Democratic party back off from joining his belicosity. Then he goes back to Kin being his bestie.
Keep in mind — what be said cannot be unsaid. This is why elites are furious with him. He broke the code — the one likes of Sanders, Warren or Gabbard are not likely to. Sanders supports Venezuela regime change by supporting “aid” charade. He was not against the withdrawal of troups from Syria, but not “the way Trump was doing it”. Indeed, we have heard plenty of such weasel words.
He was the first candidate and then president that is open about what we all know — media LIES all the time. Do you agree with Trump or not — these are the brought into open the stink of our murky elite control over policies.
One does not have to have liking or even respect for his life choices, for his demeanor or lack thereoff.
But as a wrecking ball, he is superb. Nothing brought more into stark relief the stodginess of Republicans — not any Democrat. Nothing brought more into stark relief the vapidity of Democrats and their “Big Tent” filled with ever growing divisions of our society. Both parties are trying to preserve status quo ante Trump. When Americans were neatly supporting a party of their choice, having never had any choice in real decicikn making. There is no way to restore the illusion.
Trump will pay for this.
The outcome, absent good leadership, will be fracturing of society. Wrecking balls are a historic phenomena every time societies are unable to reform gradually under the pressure of social or technological changes. And we for sure resisted and still resist change. We had a chance in 2008, to address root causes of our problem, our economic and financial model. Yet, elites were in consensus — full steam forward, more of the same, double down on credit creation, money from the thin air. The outcome is Trump. He is at least hanging onto American identity thst binds, one nation under Gid, indivisible. But it appears that those who could most profit from the inclusivity are laughing at it, pointing out their separatenes, uniqueness — while nationalism is somehow become “white” phenomena. Democrats are damaging the very foundation of our society, as if there is no tomorrow.
And if chais persists —,which it undoubtedly will — there is no way of telling who may come to power. Perhaps Bolsinaro lookalike?
Yes, when in doubt, considering all evidence, simpler explanations normally suffice. Also the common road to sanity as speculation on motives and meaning of PR would be a never ending story.
Trump literally does not care about the factual! It’s not even a secret he believes that or has lived his life that way. But he cares about you caring or someone else hating. He’s right about one thing though: beware of those who claim the full facts of anything. As that’s always trumped by intention, ideology, expectation and adding or subtracting value, at least when it comes to applying these facts to politics and complex human decisions.
Tripwire troops.
The al-Tanf base is an Israeli project against Iran. The “officials” who push it are also pushing Trump, with promises not yet authorized. Trump does most things Netanyahu wants, so this is not a big leap, but we must be clear on whose policy this is, and why.
The al-Tanf base is an Israeli project against Iran. The “officials” who push it are also pushing Trump, with promises not yet authorized. Trump does most things Netanyahu wants, so this is not a big leap, but we must be clear on whose policy this is, and why.
First there was full pullout in 60 days, then no exact date. Then 200 “peacekeepers” will stay.
Now 400, tomorrow it will be 800, next week it will be to the present 2000.
The only thing the US is consistent with…is breaking it`s words, treaties, agreements, waging wars, sanctions, threats, killings and invasions.
It’s not hard to imagine trump had no idea what he was saying when he announced a “full withdrawal”. So, he wanted to retain the capability to send air strikes and naval missiles into Syria, and was then educated, probably again, that he needed the 400 troops to do that. He is left with pulling out the marines that he put in (and didn’t know what he was doing) in 2017. And yet, they remain, plus some, according to some sources. Then, when, and if they leave, they go to Iraq, where they are definitely not wanted either. Those few anti- interventionist who voted for trump, hoping that his ignorance and bungling might accidentally have a positive effect, are being shown the exact opposite.
I guess we all have to redefine the meaning of the word, “leaving”. I thought it ment going away, being absent, being gone, otta there and so on.
For the record, the interest in Al Tanf is it blocks the Damascus – Baghdad highway. At some point Iraq is going to want to ship stuff to and from the Mediterranean, so I wonder what happens then?
Shocking, an interventionist Iran hating Islamophobe POTUS isn’t going to remove all US troops from Syria, especially one who increased the number of them from 500 to 2,500.
The greater issue is whether the aerial bombardments in Syria and Iraq will or will not continue and if they will continue will shift against Assad.
Figures they would try and save al Tanf to try and block the Shia crescent. What a waste of resources.
Also, no drawdown has really happened yet.
And who will protect THEM?