Donald Trump said Monday that as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria, he has put the fate of America’s former Kurdish allies in the hands of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose regime he called ‘our enemy’ in the same breath.
And he announced that his administration aims to punish Turkey’s incursion into Syria by canceling a $ 100 billion trade agreement, hiking import tariffs on Turkish steel, and readying economic sanctions against anyone in Erdoğan’s government who threatens ‘peace, security, or stability’ in Syria.
Lawmakers from both sides of America’s political divide have attacked Trump’s approach. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that he was ‘gravely concerned.’ His Democratic counterpart Chuck Schumer blasted the president for what he called ‘erratic, reckless decision making in Syria.’
Turkey is a NATO ally. It’s also the aggressor whose military incursion both the Syrian army and the Kurds are trying to push back. And sitting inside the Incirlik air base 250 miles inside Turkey, whose operation the U.S. has shared since the mid – 1950 s, are about 50 American tactical nuclear weapons.
A senior US officialtold The New York Timeson Monday that the WMDs, though under American control, have effectively become Erdoğan’s hostages.
The United States has 180 of these weapons, precision-guided B 61 – 12 nuclear bombs, spread across allied bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.
Leaving a large number of them at Incirlik could become a deadly security risk in a nation whose artillery have already fired across the border on US military units as they bugged out of Syria.
Pulling them out would signal an end to a military alliance that gives the United States a crucial staging ground for Middle East operations.
Erdoğan said in September that he ‘cannot accept’ international rules that stand in the way of Turkey obtaining its own nuclear weapons. Trump has already invited him to visit the White House in November.
The coming confluence of pressure points is stirring righteous anger and creating nervous uncertainty in Congress.
‘President Trump’s erratic, reckless decision making in Syria has put Americans at risk & given a free hand to dictators – Putin, Assad, Erdogan, ‘Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said on Twitter.
‘ This is a dereliction of duty, ‘Schumer added . ‘***Ans (need) stand up to him now before more ISIS prisoners go free.’
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican Trump ally from Kentucky, piled on the scorn.
‘I am gravely concerned by recent events in Syria and by our nation’s apparent response thus far,’ he swiped at the White House.
‘Turkey is our NATO ally and has legitimate security concerns stemming from the conflict in Syria. But Turkey’s offensive against our Syrian Kurdish partners is jeopardizing years of hard-won progress in the fight against ISIS. ‘
McConnell vented about a’ power vacuum in Syria that will be exploited by Iran and Russia ‘ as a result of a US withdrawal, and warned of a ‘strategic calamity’ to come. ‘
How Trump changed U.S. policy in Syria: Scroll down to read his full statement
Sanctions threat: Donald Trump announced the threat of sanctions against Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a Monday afternoon statement
The US president’s policy announcements, made in five tweets, completed a stunning reversal of eight days ago that has already seen Syrian and Turkish forces squaring off for full-blown armed conflict across a border hundreds of miles long.
Caught in the middle as Turkey invades are a Kurdish minority, whom the US trained and protected since 2014, shortly after Syria’sRussia– backed army abandoned the vast region where they live at the height of a civil war.
Now, Kurdish military units who once fought alongside American soldiers against the ISIS terror army are aligned with Assad against ****, which considers them terrorists.
Syrian government troops have since assembled in Kurdish-controlled border towns to help push back Turkish fighters. Assad has so far allowed the Kurds to maintain political control of the region that they see as part of a future sovereign country stretching across parts of five nations.
The new alliance has quickly replaced the fragile one Trump crumbled in his fingers by announcing a troop pullout that drew near-universal condemnation.
‘Some people want the United States to protect the 7, 000 mile away Border of Syria, presided over by Bashar al-Assad, our enemy, ‘he tweeted. ‘At the same time, Syria and whoever they chose to help, wants naturally to protect the Kurds. I would much rather focus on our Southern Border. ‘
Trump may not have had practical choices other than a withdrawal or the sort of long-term military heel-digging that he has publicly railed again.
‘Anyone who wants to assist Syria in protecting the Kurds is good with me,’ he tweeted, ‘whether it is Russia, China, or Napoleon Bonaparte. I hope they all do great, we are 7, 000 miles away! ‘
Instead of focusing on the Kurds’ long-term survival, which is itself bound up with that of other Kurdish populations in Iran and Iraq, the president chose Monday to rattle sabers in Erdogan’s direction.
‘Turkey’s military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace, security, and stability in the region. I have been perfectly clear with President Erdoğan: Turkey’s action is precipitating a humanitarian crisis and setting conditions for possible war crimes, ‘he warned in a lengthy written statement.
‘ Turkey must ensure the safety of civilians , including religious and ethnic minorities, and is now, or may be in the future, responsible for the ongoing detention of ISIS terrorists in the region. ‘
Syrian government forces have begun moving into Kurdish territory to defend against a Turkish invasion of northern Syria after striking a deal with the former US allies. Assad’s troops were seen near Manbij on Monday as Erdogan said his forces were ready to attack. Syrian troops also arrived in Ain Issa and Sari Kani, where fighting is already underway
Turks move in: Turkish infantry troops and a light armored vehicle were on patrol in Tukhar, inside Syria, Monday
Strategic location: Incirlik air base has been jointly operated by the USAF and Turkish forces since the 1950 s. Erdoğan’s ‘Operation Peace Spring’ – his invasion of northern Syria – is being supported by Turkish air power taking off from the same base where around 50 US nuclear weapons are stored
U.S. presence: A KC – 135 is refueled before the sudden change in relations between the US and Turkey. Incirlik’s location means it is used by the USAF as a staging post to the further Middle East and was instrumental to defeating ISIS
What’s stored at Incirlik: Around 50 B 61 bombs are in the air base’s inventory
Threatening economic sanctions, Trump said he is ‘fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey’s economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path.’
The president’s tweets in the hour that preceded that statement, written in his own disjointed voice, criticized European nations for their unwillingness to hold ISIS detainees who left their countries to wage jihad.
‘I offered ISIS prisoners to the European countries from where they came, and was rejected on numerous occasions. They probably figured that the U.S. would bear the tremendous cost as always! ‘ he tweeted.
His more formal statement boasted that ‘United States forces have defeated the ISIS physical caliphate,’ and tweaked his previous statements to indicate that some servicemen and women will remain in Syria to prevent new flare-ups.
‘United States troops coming out of Syria will now redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014, when the neglected threat of ISIS raged across Syria and Iraq, ‘he said.
‘ A small footprint of United States forces will remain at At Tanf Garrison in southern Syria to continue to disrupt remnants of ISIS. ‘
Both the Syrian and Russian governments consider the presence of that small US base to be illegal. It houses an estimated 200 military personnel.
DONALD TRUMP’S STATEMENT N SANCTIONING TURKEY
October 14, 2019
I will soon be issuing an Executive Order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey and any persons contributing to Turkey’s destabilizing actions in northeast Syria. Likewise, the steel tariffs will be increased back up to 50 percent, the level prior to reduction in May. The United States will also immediately stop negotiations, being led by the Department of Commerce, with respect to a $ 100 billion trade deal with Turkey.
This Order will enable the United States to impose powerful additional sanctions on those who may be involved in serious human rights abuses, obstructing a ceasefire, preventing displaced persons from returning home, forcibly repatriating refugees, or threatening the peace, security, or stability in Syria. The Order will authorize a broad range of consequences, including financial sanctions, the blocking of property, and barring entry into the United States.
Since my first day in office, the Trump Administration has worked tirelessly to preserve the safety and security of the United States and its citizens. The United States and our partners have liberated 100 percent of ISIS’s ruthless territorial caliphate. Turkey must not put these gains in jeopardy. Turkey must also prioritize the protection of civilians, particularly vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities in northeast Syria. Indiscriminate targeting of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and targeting of ethnic or religious minorities is unacceptable. Additionally, the return of refugees must be conducted in a safe, voluntary, and dignified manner.
Turkey’s military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace, security, and stability in the region. I have been perfectly clear with President Erdogan: Turkey’s action is precipitating a humanitarian crisis and setting conditions for possible war crimes. Turkey must ensure the safety of civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, and is now, or may be in the future, responsible for the ongoing detention of ISIS terrorists in the region. Unfortunately, Turkey does not appear to be mitigating the humanitarian effects of its invasion.
As I have said, I am withdrawing the remaining United States service members from northeast Syria. As United States forces have defeated the ISIS physical caliphate, United States troops coming out of Syria will now redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014, when the neglected threat of ISIS raged across Syria and Iraq. A small footprint of United States forces will remain at At Tanf Garrison in southern Syria to continue to disrupt remnants of ISIS.
The United States will aggressively use economic sanctions to target those who enable, facilitate, and finance these heinous acts in Syria. I am fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey’s economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path.
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