- President Donald Trump on Wednesday portrayed his Syria retreat as a big win, despite its calamitous consequences.
- Trump’s move to abandon Kurdish forces to a Turkish invasion has opened the door for an ISIS comeback, gifted a geopolitical victory to Russia, catalyzed a humanitarian crisis, and sparked bipartisan criticism in Washington.
- Trump said he showed “vision” and “courage” in Syria.
- Trump said Turkey had agreed to a “permanent” cease-fire in the region, though he expressed scepticism about it. Trump also announced that he was lifting economic sanctions imposed on Turkey as a consequence of the Syria invasion.
- The president also confirmed that some troops would remain in Syria to help protect oil fields, after previously saying he was bringing troops home.
President Donald Trump sought to paint his disastrous Syria retreat as a success for the US on Wednesday, a day after Turkey and Russia reached an agreement that effectively solidifies Moscow’s dominance in the region.
“Today’s announcement validates our course of action with Turkey that only a couple of weeks ago was scorned. And now people are saying, ‘Wow, what a great outcome. Congratulations,’” said Trump, who continues to face widespread criticism of his recent moves in Syria. He did not specify who had congratulated him.
Trump said Turkey told him on Wednesday morning that there would be a “permanent” cease-fire in Syria, though he added that the notion of permanence in the Middle East is “questionable.” He then said his administration was lifting sanctions on Turkey that were imposed in response to its invasion of Syria.
Read the article by John Haltiwanger in Business Insider Australia.