1. Israelis are deeply unnerved by Trump's decision to abandon our Syrian Kurdish partners to a Turkish invasion, as @halbfinger ably documents in this @nytimes piece. But it's worse than that.
nytimes.com/2019/10/08/wor…
nytimes.com/2019/10/08/wor…
@halbfinger @nytimes 2. The specific costs to US and Israeli interests are obvious: the abandonment of a moderate Sunni partner, the Kurdish fighters of the SDF; the victory handed to a nemesis, Erdogan; the upper hand granted to Assad, Russia, and Iran in Syria; the enabling of the revival of ISIS.
@halbfinger @nytimes 3. And, of course, the impression throughout the region that the US won't stand with its allies as Iran grows more aggressive toward our partners in the Gulf and toward Israel from multiple fronts. But its more than that, too.
@halbfinger @nytimes 4. It's the chaos, the impulsiveness, the lack of any organized way of reaching a decision. True, Trump is sticking to his known views on pulling back from the Middle East. But the how is as important as the what.
@halbfinger @nytimes 5. This decision was taken with no meaningful consultation with affected allies and partners, or within the US government. This was Trump being led along on a phone call with Erdogan and dashing out a statement that undercuts years of US policy, rolling over State and DOD.
@halbfinger @nytimes 6. When he did something similar in Dec, Mattis & @brett_mcgurk resigned over it. But others-Bolton, Jeffrey, Pompeo-were able to walk it back. Not this time. There's no one left w/the spine to walk or the mettle to talk him down. Erdogan's taking full advantage. Others will too.
@halbfinger @nytimes @brett_mcgurk 7. The decision looks even worse against the backdrop of the impeachment investigation. The evidence is clear Trump will undermine ostensible friends like Ukraine, to the advantage of adversaries like Russia, to advance his political interests, even to the point of illegality.
@halbfinger @nytimes @brett_mcgurk 8. And on his conduct, Trump's raging tweets & unhinged rantings give the impression of a man totally out of control, careening from crisis to crisis in a desperate bid for survival. Allies everywhere notice and worry: who & what else will he sell out as he goes into a tailspin?
@halbfinger @nytimes @brett_mcgurk 9. A POTUS needs to make decisions based on what is best for US interests, even when allies disagree. But we're stronger when allies understand the logic of our decisions, can make their voice heard, & have confidence that our own process is working. None of that exists now. End.
