President Donald Trump would have you believe that hisdecision to withdraw US troops from northern Syriameans Washington is ending its wars in the Middle East. But that’s not the case, and it’s looking more and more like he’s not sure about the military policy he leads.
On Wednesday morning,Trumpdid his best Michael Moore impression by ripping America’s involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts over the past two decades.
…. IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY! We went to war under a false & now disproven premise, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. There were NONE! Now we are slowly & carefully bringing our great soldiers & military home. Our focus is on the BIG PICTURE! THE USA IS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)October 9, 2019
Trump is right to note that the US has lostthousands of Americansandspent trillions of dollarsfighting these conflicts (though not quite as many trillions as Trump suggests) – not to mention thesuffering endured by citizens of these war-torn nations.
But Trump is saying these things to justify hisSyria decisionon Sunday. It’d be one thing if he were bringing all 1, 000 US troops in the country home, but he’s not. Instead, he’s moving just 50 US service members out of northern Syria to get of the way of a just-startedTurkish invasion.
In other words, Trump isn’t ending America’s involvement in Middle East wars, he’s just changing the military’s posture. That’s how the Pentagon presented the change Tuesday, too.
“Turkey has chosen to act unilaterally. As a result we have moved the US forces in northern Syria out of the path of potential Turkish incursion to ensure their safety, ”Jonathan Hoffman, the Defense Department’s chief spokesperson, said in a statement to reporters. “We have made no changes to our force presence in Syria at this time.”
This is a controversial decision, as manyexpertsworry Turkey will slaughter Syrian Kurds – America’s main ally in the fight against ISIS – while allowing Russia and Iran to gain more a foothold in the country. Others, however, say America couldn’t perennially keep Turkey out of northern Syria, and so the small withdrawal was nothing more than a recognition of reality.
It’s worth noting that the US had 2, 000 troops in Syria back in December and then Trump had the Pentagon cut that force in half in March. That’s definitely scaling back US involvement, but it’s still a far cry from ending any US role in the Middle East – and, again, it’s not what’s happening this week.
Okay, but maybe the US isn’t ending the war in Syria, but surely Trump’s stopping American involvement elsewhere , right? Nope.
A late Septemberreportfrom US Air Forces Central Command showed that the US launched the most airstrikes in Afghanistan over a single month in roughly a decade. American troops have ramped upairstrikes in Libyatargeting ISIS fighters there. And the US continues itsshadow war in Somaliato fend off Terrorist Groups There.
This is fits into a grander narrative of the Trump presidency: While he says hewants out of wars, he continues to fight them and in many casesescalates the conflicts. He may talk a big game when it comes to Middle East conflicts, but actions, as they say, speak louder than words.
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