Trump just destroyed the US Special Forces. Their jobs will forever harder and more dangerous. Our nation weeps.
History: Special Forces are grounded in unconventional warfare. Historically they embedded with local resistance fighters. Modern SF operates behind enemy lines, often with support and coordination with local militias and partners. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_o…
In the news we hear about the big operations like Osama Bin Laden or disasters like the Niger ambush, but the true work of US Special Forces is to try to build local alliances; defend the rule of law; and be ambassadors for US ideals abroad. time.com/5042700/inside…
The US Army Special Operations manual is public. It contains a section entitled "Special Operations Imperatives" - EVERY SINGLE ONE IS BASED ON BUILDING TRUST WITH PARTNERS. fas.org/irp/doddir/arm…
SpecialOp Imperative 1: Achieve deep knowledge of local actors, including political and military decisionmakers. 
SpecialOp Imperative 2: Honor the political situation, even at times over the military one.
SpecialOp Imperative 3: Cooperate or else.
SpecialOp Imperative 4: Make your indiginous partners look good and stay out of the news.
Special Op Imperative 5: Consider the long term effects.
Trump dropped an atom bomb in our ability to build trust with local partners. "Remember the Kurds" will be in the minds of everyone until long after we are all dead and buried.
"Without legitimacy, credibility and trust, Army special operations forces will not receive the support of indigenous elements that is essential to success." US Army Special Forces Manual, p. 18. July 31, 2019 revision.
By pulling out of Syria, Trump destroyed the credibility of every US commander; field officer; non commissioned officer; and enlisted person that gave their word that we would be there for the Kurds.
By pulling out of Syria, Trump handed Putin the ultimate "I told you so" moment. Putin (and putin's descendants forever) will never let this moment be forgotten. Concrete evidence that the US cannot be trusted.
By pulling out of Syria, Trump has placed NATO in crisis; literally ceded territory to Russia; and dismantled our best means of working in foreign countries: special forces operations with cooperation of indigenous forces.
Trump literally blew a hole in every Special Operations Imperative, like "Ensure Long Term Engagement."
This was the Kurds. Then Trump took all of our investment in training and weapons and credibility and give it to the Russians.
After Trump, what sane person on the ground would give the US actionable intelligence?
Trump depth charged our ability to get actionable human intelligence in the field.
If you dig this kind of thing, please follow. It's hard to keep up with the unpatriotic disinformation operatives, but we must try.
