US National Security Adviser John Bolton’s clarification on the conditions pertaining to the US exit from Syria should go a long way towards reassuring allies worried by Donald Trump’s statement on a rapid US troop withdrawal. Speaking in Israel, Mr Bolton made it clear that US forces would remain until the last remnants of Islamic State were defeated and Turkey had provided guarantees that it would not go after Kurdish fighters in Syria who had done much of the heavy lifting in the West’s battle against the jihadists. Mr Bolton said contrary to the initial impression given by Mr Trump that US forces were “coming home now”, they could remain in Syria for months or even years.
It is encouraging Mr Bolton has clarified the situation and important there are no more mixed messages to concerned US allies or the tactical alliance involving Russia, Turkey and Iran operating in Syria alongside the Assad regime. Mr Trump is right when he argues the caliphate has been defeated. But as US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Joseph Dunford says, thousands of Islamic State fighters remain active across Syria.
Read the editorial in The Australian.