The Rojava Kurds should have seen this coming. The US has a long standing tradition of abandoning Kurds. The abandonment is not the worst part of this policy decision. It is the decision to turn over the jihadis captured by US, YPG and SDF forces over the last few years to Turkey... just in time for Erdogan's announced invasion of northeast Syria. Those jihadis will be rearmed and sent into battle across northern Syria, including Idlib, by Erdogan. Ah, the dreams of a neo-Ottoman Empire are coming into focus.
It appears Fox News, the neocons and the old lady from South Carolina were blindsided by this move.
And while news of the U.S. pullout stunned Syrian Kurds, the announcement also "completely blindsided" top brass at the Pentagon, U.S. officials told Fox News.
Aside from the existential threat to the Kurdish fighters posed by Turkey, Syrian Kurdish forces are also warning that ISIS sleeper cells are actively plotting to free about 12,000 militants currently detained by the Kurds and may take advantage of the Turkey-triggered turmoil to aid their plans.
Those in custody include about 2,500 foreign fighters from Europe and elsewhere whose native countries have been reluctant to take them back — and about 10,000 other captured fighters from Syria and Iraq. (Fox News)
It is too bad Trump allowed himself to be talked out of leaving Syria back at the beginning of his term. That would have given the Kurds the incentive to make peace with Damascus and left a united R+6 in a better position to take on the jihadis and keep the Turks at bay. Trump's rationale of "withdrawing America from an endless war that does not serve US interests" is reasonable and worthy. But his timing is terrible, even characteristically cruel. Worse yet, he still plans on keeping the troops in Syria, just out of the way of the coming Turkish invasion. It's the worst of both worlds for everyone except Erdogan.
On a personal note, I find the treachery of this move to be shameful and abhorrent, not unexpected or without reason, but shameful and abhorrent. My 10th Group coin was vibrating in rage on the nightstand.
TTG
https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-syria-isis-mass-prison-break-us-withdrawal
Why the ho hum in your headline?
Posted by: Rms | 07 October 2019 at 12:37 PM
Thanks for your take
Posted by: James Doleman | 07 October 2019 at 01:13 PM
12,000 wahhabist jahhadi recycled as freedom fighters what could go wrong.
Pity they will not return to sender.
Some gulf monarchies should be able to enjoy some of the "freedom" they have been sponsoring.
Posted by: Sbin | 07 October 2019 at 01:22 PM
So what does Damascus have to say about our noble ally Turkey invading thier territory?
Posted by: Fred | 07 October 2019 at 01:26 PM
Yes, too bad that Trump was FORCED to stay in Syria by the Deep Staters; under constant coup threat had to give ground. Kurds never fail to fail. Compose peace with Syria, retain some autonomy; don't and lose all to Turks & jihadis when they are again abandoned. Kurdistan ain't happening, lost that chance when the imperial powers screwed them at end of WW1. Jihadis should be considered hostis humani generis & dealt with accordingly; you can't coexist with rattlesnakes. Rum deal for Syria & fractious Kurds, those fools.
Posted by: JerseyJeffersonian | 07 October 2019 at 02:04 PM
RMS
We betray peole all the time. It's what we do!
Posted by: turcopolier | 07 October 2019 at 02:06 PM
The Russians and the US are both courting the Turks and Erdogan and the Turks know it and will use it to their advantage. They are still fighting Balaclava and the charge of the light brigade (Crimea) and Gallipoli (access to the Black sea via the dardenelles) its about access to or restricting access to warm water ports and the Mediterranean for the Russian Navy. The big winners are the Turks and the losers are the Syrians and the Kurds and no one cares about either of them in the big picture.
Posted by: luke8929 | 07 October 2019 at 03:12 PM
luke,
Really? The Russians want to spend money they don't have on a blue water navy to sail the med - but no longer stop at that navy base in Syria they've used for decades? What for, Greek olives and some good Italian pasta? The Syrians no longer matter? Does that mean the Russian Aerospace forces and all the rest have been withdrawn, somehow that didn't make the news.
Posted by: Fred | 07 October 2019 at 04:08 PM
Fred, Damascus sees both the US and Turkey as invaders occupying Syrian territory without authorization by Damascus or the UN Security Council. Russia has been moving some troops closer to Turkish positions north of Aleppo and south of Afrin for a week or so.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 04:59 PM
"On a personal note, I find the treachery of this move to be shameful and abhorrent," by TTG.
Count me in too. The Kurds and their Syriac & Arab tribal allies are better allies than the Israelis, Saudis, Afghans, and Iraqis ever were or ever will be. And I also agree that we should have left long ago but with a secret advance warning to the Kurds so they could position themselves as the ones that asked us to leave and get a warm cuddle from Damascus.
Lots has been said in the media about Trump Towers in Turkey were the reason for the sellout. Maybe so, but I suspect that the 'Trump-Whisperer' in Moscow had a hand in this also.
Posted by: Leith | 07 October 2019 at 05:24 PM
We've been trying to work out what to do with these 12000 jihadists for a while now....sounds like we have found a solution.
Posted by: Effinghell | 07 October 2019 at 05:52 PM
Leith, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Trump Towers Istanbul figured into this decision. However, Trump's policy all along has been to get us out of the region's wars. He could have started with evacuating Tanf to let the Kurds know he was serious about getting out this time.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 07:34 PM
Effinghell, letting the bulk of those jihadis go to serve as Erdogan's Foreign Legion is a pretty weak solution. We could turn them over to the Russian Reconciliation Center and let them deal with them.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 07:39 PM
TTG,
Just how many of them does Erdogan trust and how many think he is pure enough to serve under?
Posted by: Fred | 07 October 2019 at 07:49 PM
Evacuate al-Tanf? What? I don't think he will abandon AIPAC.
Posted by: Leith | 07 October 2019 at 07:50 PM
Fred, he doesn't have to trust them any more than a of the jihadis already doing his dirty work in Idlib and Afrin. I doubt he wants them in Turkey and doubt he wants to feed and clothe them in refugee camps/prisons in Syria. He'll use them.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 07:55 PM
Leith,
How valuable will that licensing deal be after the now Turkish ISIS legionaires blow up part of it? Especially since Erdogan has wanted the name removed for a couple years now?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-turkey-trump/turkish-partner-condemns-donald-trumps-anti-muslim-remarks-reviews-ties-idUSKBN0TU0JD20151211
Posted by: Fred | 07 October 2019 at 08:37 PM
All, the R+6 will adjust. Al Masdar reports Russian "special forces" have completed a bridge over the Euphrates between the SAA and SDF lines in Deir Ezzor Province. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a freelance journalist reporting from Rojava for years, reported a large column of SDF troops left the Omar oil fields today. Clearly they are moving to the northern border. I can see the SAA soon moving into those fields. It will be a welcome move for the Syrian economy.
I have a feeling Trump will eventually order our troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq as well. Russia and Iran will probably fill the void as needed. Maybe even China economically. In the long run, we'll all be better off. The final question will be what our relationship with the Saudis become?
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 09:27 PM
Fred, if the choice is between a lucrative real estate deal and the lives of hundreds or more Rojava Kurds, Trump will take the real estate deal without blinking an eye. Having said that, I think Trump's primary motivation is to get the US out of endless wars, a platform he ran on and won an election. It's a wise decision. Even if he loses the next election, it will be near impossible for the US to reinsert itself into the region again.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 09:39 PM
TTG,
You mean getting us out a foreign entanglements is exactly what he's doing and personal enrichment from some licensing deal has absolutely nothing to do with his decision. On that I agree.
Posted by: Fred | 07 October 2019 at 10:14 PM
Fred, Trump has no ideological use for foreign military entanglements. He sees them as a cost center. I consider that a good thing. If he follows through on this view, he should be actually pulling out of Syria and perhaps Afghanistan and Iraq soon. That would be keeping a campaign promise. Since he proved he can make these decisions and is not held hostage by the neocons, his failure to follow through on the campaign promise would be totally on him.
In this case Erdogan rolled Trump. He told Trump he will be invading Syria soon. Trump pissed himself and decided to move our troops away from the border to allow Erdogan to commence his invasion. If that's as far as he goes, he's a gutless wonder, all bluster and no backbone.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 07 October 2019 at 10:45 PM
No backbone, but plenty of bone-spurs. He's as bad as Slick Willy, the other draft dodging president.
Posted by: Leith | 07 October 2019 at 11:57 PM
I personally don't care what 10th Group wants, I don't want anymore 10th group or anymore Americans to die in Syria. Hopefully this leads to a complete pullout. Why should any American die for a Obama/Clinton Syria failed overthrow. My advice to Kurds, make a peace with your neighbors, sorry for your bad neighborhood.
Posted by: Kevo | 08 October 2019 at 01:25 AM
“Trump has no ideological use for foreign military entanglements. He sees them as a cost center.”
Cost center to the tune of several trillion dollars. If we had spent all those trillions which are projected to be anywhere between $6-$12 trillion between the Afghan, Iraqi, Libyan & Syrian wars on upgrading our infrastructure we would have brand spankin new highways, bridges, mass transit, electric grid, air & maritime ports. We could have even thrown in a few gigawatt nuclear reactors.
Posted by: Jack | 08 October 2019 at 02:20 AM
Time for the Kurds to make a deal with Assad and gain his protection.
If Trump can get our military and CIA operators out of the Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian quagmires and throw the headchopping House of Saud under the bus in the process, he would have shown more courage than any recent POTUS in the past 40 years. That would be sufficient grounds for re-election, IMO.
Posted by: Jack | 08 October 2019 at 02:28 AM