Turkish forces have fired on a declared U.S. military outpost in northern Syria. Turkey knows all of our locations down to the precise grid coordinate as confirmed by SECDEF and CJCS only two hours ago. This was not a mistake.
Secretary Mnuchin today briefed from the WH podium that Trump signed an authorization to impose sanctions but that no sanctions have been imposed. This is meaningless nonsense. 100k people are already displaced and US soldiers are being fired upon. What’s the bar for sanctions?
Hard truth: Erdogan knows that Trump wants U.S. forces to leave Syria. Putin knows that Trump wants U.S. forces to leave Syria. Khamenei and Assad know the same thing. Trump himself yesterday (incredibly) said we no longer have forces in Syria. We do, and today they were shot at.
It is dangerous to keep Americans in harm’s way with no support or backing from their commander-in-chief. Marie Yovanovoch spoke to this principle for diplomats confronting the Russians in Ukraine. The same goes for our brave soldiers and diplomats on the ground tonight in Syria.
It is equally wrong and immoral to make any false promises to the SDF and suggest that Trump is committed to staying in Syria when everyone knows that he is not. These false promises delayed, and may now have foreclosed, what was an alternative arrangement for them with others.
And with each day this Turkish attack continues, the risks increase for American personnel and our ability to get out safely at all becomes gravely jeopardized. Either Trump changes course rapidly and clearly (ASAP) or else it is necessary to plan a safe exit.
In January, I wrote reluctantly in WP that in light of Trump’s clear intent, declared to the the world and to our enemies, US policy had to focus on getting our people out safely and allowing the SDF to cut a hard bargain with Damascus and Moscow. washingtonpost.com/outlook/trump-…
The ambitious goals and objectives for Syria as declared by US officials (but never by Trump himself) are dead. The consequences of a shift to a far more limited approach will be serious but need not have been disastrous. It may now be too late, however. foreignaffairs.com/articles/syria…
