Tag: Turkey

Syria? Whose Oil Is It?

Riddle me this…….

The US is not at war with Syria, right?

We are there to defeat ISIS nothing more, right?

Then what gave Trump the right to “control” the oilfields in Syria?

Over the weekend I read some stuff that made me confused more so than normal about the events within Syria….

In puzzling comments earlier in the day, President Trump appeared to be declaring Syria a war about oil, and declaring victory, Tweeting “We have secured the Oil. Bringing soldiers home!”

The context wasn’t readily apparent, and it wasn’t true anyhow since comments from Defense Secretary Mark Esper made clear US troops are not coming home. Now, it turns out some US troops aren’t even leaving Eastern Syria, and the reason is the oil.

Sunday night’s report say Trump is now leaning toward a scheme to keep around 200 ground troops in eastern Syria, based on a plan the generals have sold him on. The 200 troops would have a”dual purpose” mission to fight ISIS and to keep Syria’s government from controlling Syria’s oil production facilities.

It makes more sense that this is a US goal, however, or at least a talking point, given Trump’s bragging about having “secured the oil” in Syria. Whether they can actually do this is another matter.

Where the US troops will be positioned is unclear, as the Pentagon is refusing to comment. at all on the matter. But for those who viewed going from Syria to Iraq as a big disappointment when with Trump talking about “bringing soldiers home,” having hundreds not even leaving Syria at all is an even bigger letdown.

If this turns out to be the case, this will be the second time in the past year that Trump has announced a military withdrawal from Syria, defended that plan in the face of criticism, and then ultimately bailed on it to keep troops in place with more military goals added all the time.

And if all the troops are coming home, according to Trump, then whom will be “controlling” these oilfields?  (BTW troops from Syria are going to Northwestern Iraq not home)

A few more thoughts……

1–Syria is a sovereign nation

2–The US was never asked by Syria for our help

3–The US is not at war with Syria

4–The oil in Syria is a Syrian natural resource

5–US control is tantamount to theft.

Nothing about this Syrian situation is coherent…..but then most of Trump’s foreign policy seldom is…..not coherent that is……

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

That Syrian News

Whiz Bang……..We have some Breaking News…….Stop The Presses…..”Give me re-write”……..

But first a trip in the “Way Back Machine”……the year is 1938, the location is Munich, Germany…..

81 years ago one of history’s greatest con jobs was foisted on the world…..Neville Chamberlain, the PM of the United Kingdom, told the world that he had secured “peace in our time”……. Seeking to avoid war in Europe, leaders from Britain, France and Italy signed the Munich Pact on September 29, 1938, agreeing to Hitler’s demands and ceding Czechoslovakia to Germany. Upon his return to England the following day, the architect of the appeasement policy, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, declares “peace in our time.”

For those youngsters that do not appreciate history…..here is the speech Chamberlain gave with his return from Munich……https://wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/workbook/ralprs36.htm

For a deeper look into this agreement and the history around it…..https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/on-this-day-1938-peace-for-our-time-was-a-hollow-boast-by-neign nation, in this case Syria.eville-chamberlain/

This situation was the precursor to World War 2….and it all began with a con job….will history repeat?

All this background is leading to the “ceasefire” that the VP and his entourage came to Ankara to solve the problem they created by letting Turkey invade another sovereign nation, in this case Syria.

The Breaking News is….we have a 120 hour “ceasefire” in Northern Syria……(BTW Turkey says it is a “pause” not a “ceasefire”)

Turkey’s invasion of Syria may be short-lived, ABC News reports. The country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed Thursday to halt the invasion for five days while Kurdish fighters leave a safe zone in northern Syria: “It will be a pause in military operation for 120 hours, while the United States facilitates the withdrawal of YPG (a mostly Kurdish militia) from the affected areas in the safe zone,” said Vice President Mike Pence, who had been sent to Ankara with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to negotiate a deal. “And once that is completed, Turkey has agreed to a permanent ceasefire and the United States of America will work with Turkey—will work with nations around the world—to make sure peace and stability are the order of the day in this safe zone.”

The deal is that President Trump won’t impose any more sanctions on Turkey and—when a permanent ceasefire is announced—will withdraw sanctions inflicted on the country last week, per the New York Times. (Sanctions had been placed on three ministers and two federal departments in Turkey, per CBS News.) This means the Kurdish militia has 120 hours to abandon a safe zone that extends roughly 20 miles below the Turkish-Syrian border. Pence said the White House was opposed to Turkey’s invasion, but US officials also sympathized with Turkey’s view that Kurdish fighters are a terrorist group. Trump responded happily: “Great news out of Turkey,” he tweeted. “…Thank you to @RTErdogan. Millions of lives will be saved!”

Sadly….Trump and the Boyz gave Erdogan everything he wanted…..a swath of Syria (a country the US cannot give away), dispossess thousands of Kurds from their homes, a free rein to commit a possible genocide after the 5 days, open the door wide for Russian influence in the Middle East, a loosening of sanctions and the promise of no new sanctions…..Turkey “got everything they wanted”……I smell the possibility for another Turkish genocide (I pray I am wrong)……

So what does the agreement actually say…..we know what the MSM wants it to say but what does the document actually state?

the full text of the joint US-Turkey statement: 

  1. The US and Turkey reaffirm their relationship as fellow members of NATO. The US understands Turkey’s legitimate security concerns on Turkey’s southern border.
  2. Turkey and the US agree that the conditions on the ground, northeast Syria in particular, necessitate closer coordination on the basis of common interests.
  3. Turkey and the US remain committed to protecting NATO territories and NATO populations against all threats with the solid understanding of “one for all and all for one”.
  4. The two countries reiterate their pledge to uphold human life, human rights, and the protection of religious and ethnic communities.
  5. Turkey and the US are committed to D-ISIS/DAESH activities in northeast Syria. This will include coordination on detention facilities and internally displaced persons from formerly ISIS/DAESH-controlled areas, as appropriate.
  6. Turkey and the US agree that counter-terrorism operations must target only terrorists and their hideouts, shelters, emplacements, weapons, vehicles and equipment.
  7. The Turkish side expressed its commitment to ensure safety and well-being of residents of all population centers in the safe zone controlled by the Turkish Forces (safe zone) and reiterated that maximum care will be exercised in order not to cause harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.
  8. Both countries reiterate their commitment to the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria and UN-led political process, which aims at ending the Syrian conflict in accordance with UNSCR 2254.
  9. The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the re-collection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions.
  10. The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces and the two sides will increase their cooperation in all dimensions of its implementation.
  11. The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal.
  12. Once Operation Peace Spring is paused, the US agrees not to pursue further imposition of sanctions under the Executive Order of October 14, 2019, Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria, and will work and consult with Congress, as appropriate, to underline the progress being undertaken to achieve peace and security in Syria, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. Once Operation Peace Spring is halted as per paragraph 11 the current sanctions under the aforementioned Executive Order shall be lifted.
  13. Both parties are committed to work together to implement all the goals outlined in this Statement.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/full-text-turkey-statement-northeast-syria-191017191203481.html

The one group most effected by this so-called “agreement”, the Kurds, were not part of the process….another Chamberlain-esque moment.

I read so you do not have to……

Chamberlain had…”peace in our time”…….Trump has “a great day for civilization” (from a Tweet)……neither would be accurate.

I love this stuff!  Syria is making people that make derogatory statements about the Middle East come to the defense of a president that makes shitty deals….and make no mistake this is a shitty deal the only person that benefits is Erdogan and Turkey and the Russians.  The US is still on the outside looking in.

Not to worry……I  am sure there will be more to this report……watch this blog.

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I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Baby Wrote Me A Letter

Closing Thought–17Oct19

The news around Turkey and Syria seem to change by the hour…as a student of international relations and conflict management I have heard, seen and read a bunch of unbelievable stuff……

In a presser with the Italian president our president made several comments to questions asked that would make any sane person grimace……

“The Kurds know how to fight, and as I said, they’re not angels. They’re not angels, if you take a look. You have to go back and take a look. But they fought with us, and we paid a lot of money for them to fight with us, and that’s OK. They did well when they fought with us. They didn’t do so well when they didn’t fight with us.”

“The Kurds know how to fight, and as I said, they’re not angels. They’re not angels, if you take a look. You have to go back and take a look. But they fought with us, and we paid a lot of money for them to fight with us, and that’s OK. They did well when they fought with us. They didn’t do so well when they didn’t fight with us.”

Then shortly after the presser a letter was released that Trump sent to the leader of Turkey……at first I thought it was a release by The Onion or some equally absurd outlet….but after some research it is a real letter sent by an American president to the leader of another country.

Image

That is embarrassing….but it did remind me of a song from the Box Tops in the 60s…..which was far better than this letter…..

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Turkey And Syria

Enter the 3 Blind Mice…….Pompeo, Pence, O’Brien go to Turkey to basically demand a ceasefire in Syria….

The whole things reminds me of the opening of Dr. No……

Look familiar?

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will join Vice President Pence on a trip to Turkey this week in an attempt to broker a cease-fire in northern Syria.

Pence will lead a delegation on behalf of President Trump that includes Pompeo and national security adviser Robert O’Brien, the vice president’s office announced Tuesday.

Pence will meet Thursday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a bilateral meeting as the two sides seek to broker a deal to end the bloodshed that was sparked after Trump announced he was pulling U.S. troops out of the region.

The delegation will depart on Wednesday. It’s unclear when they will return.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/465917-pence-to-meet-with-erdogan-during-trip-to-turkey-to-broker-ceasefire

Trump’s desired ceasefire may not be the ideal answer…..

Russia said it was working to prevent a conflict between advancing Turkish and Syrian government forces on Wednesday, as Turkey’s president defied growing pressure and sanctions from Western allies for a ceasefire in northern Syria. Russia moved quickly to further entrench its leadership role in the region after President Trump ordered the pullout of American forces in northeastern Syria, the AP reports. The American move effectively abandoned the Kurdish fighters who were allied with the US and cleared the way for Turkey’s invasion aimed at crushing them. America’s abrupt reversal pushed the Kurds to strike a deal with the Russia-backed government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Late on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed he would not accept a ceasefire in northern Syria, despite growing pressure from the US and Europe. Speaking to a group of journalists, Erdogan said Turkey would only consider a ceasefire once it had cleared the border region of Kurdish fighters that it considers a threat for links to an insurgency within its own territory. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is committed to ensuring security in the region as it works to mediate between the Syrian government and Turkey. Erdogan told journalists that he had rejected US offers to mediate. He also said Turkey was “not concerned” by US sanctions.

During a news conference with the Italian president Trump made some of his weirdest comments about the situation in Syria….

In what Politico calls “perhaps the president’s most dismissive defense of his widely condemned decision earlier this month to allow Turkey to invade Syria,” the president on Wednesday cast the US-allied Kurds as “not angels” who are fighting a battle “that has nothing to do with us.” In comments made from the Oval Office as he sat beside Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Trump had had this to say: “The Kurds know how to fight, and as I said, they’re not angels. They’re not angels, if you take a look. You have to go back and take a look. But they fought with us, and we paid a lot of money for them to fight with us, and that’s OK. They did well when they fought with us. They didn’t do so well when they didn’t fight with us.”

Politico notes the Kurds have turned to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for support. “The Kurds actually are pulling back substantially from Turkey, and Syria is pulling in,” Trump said. But the New York Times writes he waved off concerns that he has provided an opening for Russia, Iran, and Syria to swoop into the area. “I wish them all a lot of luck,” Trump said. “If Russia wants to get involved in Syria, that’s really up to them.” In the AP’s view, “The president appeared to make light of the desperate situation the Kurdish fighters face with the loss of US military support,” and it points to this line as evidence of that: “They’ve got a lot of sand over there, so there’s a lot of sand that they can play with.” NBC News notes Trump characterized the decision to pull US troops as “strategically brilliant.”

Trump caught lots of flak from the GOP over his decision to bring the troops out of Syria…..but they are now kowtowing to the president and his ill conceived decision……

The Republican rebellion against President Donald Trump was short-lived.

Republicans unleashed perhaps their most aggressive outcry of the Trump era after he abandoned the U.S.’ Kurdish allies and ceded northeastern Syria to Turkey. But now GOP lawmakers are dialing back their direct criticism of the president — instead working with Trump, dinging Democrats and trying to move forward.

Just makes me more positive that the GOP is manned by spineless cowards that have NO morals left to use….

I will admit that I am with Trump when he says he wants to bring our troops home……I just think that he is going about it all wrong.

The Republican rebellion against President Donald Trump was short-lived.

Republicans unleashed perhaps their most aggressive outcry of the Trump era after he abandoned the U.S.’ Kurdish allies and ceded northeastern Syria to Turkey. But now GOP lawmakers are dialing back their direct criticism of the president — instead working with Trump, dinging Democrats and trying to move forward.

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/15/republicans-buckle-to-trump-on-syria-047618

I find myself agreeing with Trump on ending our endless wars….however I do not agree with his strategy to do so…..

Retreating and abandoning allies may not be the optimum strategy

Whatever might be said about Donald Trump, I always figured him for a savvy New Yorker who knew a good deal when he saw one.

A prime example was in Syria where the commander in chief, despite understandable misgivings about foreign entanglements, had deployed a small contingent of highly skilled troops to accomplish a mission vital to America’s national security.

In military jargon, President Trump was employing “economy of force.” In the context of recent history, he had adopted what might be called a Goldilocks Doctrine.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/15/president-trump-not-ending-the-endless-war-in-syri/

I wish I could feel better about this decision by our president……but sadly I feel it will not make things better at all.

Image

And Thursday begins!

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Breaking News–Syria #2

The Kurds are suffering!  Does any American give shit?  Of course they do not…they would not know mam Kurd if one bit them on the butt.  And yet the MSM has gotten plenty of reporting off their backs…..Sorry but most Americans could care less about the Kurds.

With the mash up with Turkey, the Kurds, Syria, Russia, Iran and irregular forces……there is yet another situation to be considered….

It is possible that a wider war could be simmering…and the US has a problem that needs working on….nukes.

The military situation near the Turkish border in Syria remains in flux, with allegiances shifting quickly amid uncertainty of how everything will shake out. But the fast-moving developments also have drawn attention to a lesser-known fact of US foreign policy: The Pentagon has about 50 tactical nuclear weapons stored in Turkey at its Incirlik Air Base, reports Business Insider. The big question: Is it still safe to keep them there now that US-Turkey relations are fraying? Related coverage:

  • Under review: Officials in the State and Energy departments have begun “quietly reviewing” plans to evacuate the weapons, reports the New York Times. “Those weapons, one senior official said, were now essentially Erdogan’s hostages,” writes David Sanger. “To fly them out of Incirlik would be to mark the de facto end of the Turkish-American alliance. To keep them there, though, is to perpetuate a nuclear vulnerability that should have been eliminated years ago.”
  • In vaults: The bombs have been stored in underground vaults at Incirlik since the 1960s, per a backgrounder in the New Yorker. That goes back to the days when Incirlik turned into a crucial Cold War base. The story says the vaults “hold about fifty B-61 hydrogen bombs—more than 25% of the nuclear weapons in the NATO stockpile.”
  • Old question: Business Insider notes that experts have been questioning the safety of keeping the weapons in Turkey even before the latest developments. “An airbase is a not a fortress; it is not intended to withstand a siege by the host government any more than an embassy might,” wrote Jeffrey Lewis of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at Middlebury College in 2016. The base is less than 100 miles from the Syrian border, where the new conflict in unfolding.
  • Deterrent: A piece at Quartz notes that one reason the stockpile has remained in Turkey all these years has been the hope that it would deter Turkey from seeking nuclear missiles of its own. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that he could “not accept” arguments to keep Turkey out of the nuclear club.
  • Still allies? Trump has been threatening to unleash economic doom on Turkey if it goes too far in its Syria incursion, raising the question of whether the two nations are still trusted allies. On Monday, Trump tweeted that Kurds—who were until this month allied with the US but are now allied with Syria because of the US withdrawal—may be deliberately releasing ISIS prisoners “to get us involved. … Do people really think we should go to war with NATO Member Turkey?” he asked.
  • That phone call: The phone call between Trump and Erdogan that set off the recent chain of events is under scrutiny, too. An analysis at Axios suggests that Erdogan “called Trump’s bluff” about the US president wanting to remove American troops from the border region, but that Erdogan also incorrectly thought “Trump would restrain him” in regard to the subsequent invasion.
  • Putin happy: Whatever the US and Turkey hoped to get out of this situation, the real winner appears to be Syrian ally Vladimir Putin, writes James Hohmann at the Washington Post. “He got to sit back and watch the Turks and the Americans unravel five years of success and not only did it not cost him anything, he didn’t even have to try to make it happen,” says a Western military official in the story. Meanwhile, a New York Times investigation alleges that Russian jets have been bombing hospitals in Syria to wipe out the last bit of resistance to the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

It’s not clear this is an immediate problem, but it was enough of a concern that both the State and Energy Departments launched reviews of the plans to evacuate the US nuclear bombs from Turkey soil.

The Pentagon has declined all comments on the matter, and claims no changes at Incirlik. In the past, if US-Turkey tensions started to rise, there has always been speculation of expelling the US from the Incirlik base, an idea favored by Turkish nationalist groups.

I still believe that diplomacy should be the first line of defense not an after thought after the conflict erupts in violence.

Then there are all the reports of the civilian causalities…really?  The MSM picks now to worry about the civilians.

Turn on any US cable news network or click on any mainstream media news story about the Turkish offensive in Syria and you”ll see lots of worrying about civilian casualties. On the first day of the Turkish campaign, all the major networks covered the mass exodus of Kurds facing imminent bombing and invasion, with most also airing the first reports of Kurdish civilian casualties. Everywhere we see expressions of concern for the innocent Kurds caught in the path of Turkey”s onslaught.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/10/11/mainstream-media-suddenly-care-about-syrian-civilian-casualties

Why are Repubs so goddamn crazy?

The newest piece to total bullshit comes from Liz Cheney…..

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney claimed in an interview with Fox News on Monday morning that Democrats are to blame for Turkey’s invasion of Syria because they launched an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, despite the fact that the president withdrew U.S. forces from the Middle Eastern nation to give the Turkish forces the greenlight to enter.

“I also want to say that the impeachment proceedings that are going on and what the Democrats are doing themselves to try to weaken this president is part of this,” Cheney, who represents Wyoming and is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, argued.

“It was not an accident that the Turks chose this moment to roll across the border,” she claimed. “And I think the Democrats have got to pay very careful attention to the damage that they’re doing with the impeachment proceedings.”

(Newsweek)

I surprised this total loser that she did not blame Obama…..I mean that would be closer to the truth than her lame ass statement.

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Closing Thought–14Oct19

By now the whole world and even FOX News watchers know that Turkey is invading Northern Syria in search of the Kurds.

First, Kurds?

The Kurds are mostly Sunni Muslims who share a common language, customs and cultural traditions. But they don’t share a nationality.

https://www.newsy.com/stories/a-brief-explainer-on-the-kurdish-people/

And the Kurds DID assist the Allies in WW2…..

Image

The #Kurds DID fight on the Allied side in WW2. They helped break the siege after the 1941 pro-Nazi Coup d’état in Iraq & were part of the (pro-Allied) Iraq Levies. In 1942 Kurds made up 25% of the force. By 1943, 10 of the 44 companies of Iraq Levies were Kurdish.
@Akil_N_Awan

Now that you have been brought up to date on the Kurds….

My problem is that Turkey has invaded a sovereign nation in this case Syria……I do believe that this is frowned upon by most international treaties.

Like treaties the US has signed over the years Trump is null and voiding most of them in his narcissistic rampage through our foreign policy.

I believe that this invasion is a violation of the United Nations Charter Article 2…..

  • The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.
  • All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.
  • All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.
  • All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

I wish I could say that Turkey is the sole violator…but that would be a LIE.

Now we wait to hear what the UN will have to say and/or do…..

What about NATO…since Turkey is a NATO memeber and Syria were to attack them…..the US would be compelled to enter into this conflict….

  • Collective defence means that an attack against one Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies.
  • The principle of collective defence is enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
  • NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time in its history after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
  • NATO has taken collective defence measures on several occasions, for instance in response to the situation in Syria and in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
  • NATO has standing forces on active duty that contribute to the Alliance’s collective defence efforts on a permanent basis.

All the confusion in and around Syria made me thonk of a song from my past…..

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Breaking News: Syria

The Middle East just took a step closer to a full blown war….instead of the hunt for a “safe zone”…..

NATO ally has invaded a sovereign nation, Syria, in pursuit of a people they say are terrorists….the Kurds….

In a meeting the scales are weighted…..Syria has ageed to defend the Kurds from Turkish aggression…..

This might be a last-minute, desperation deal—but now Syrian Kurds have some protection. They said Sunday the Syrian government has agreed to send army forces to the nation’s northern border to try to curb Turkey’s assault, the BBC reports. Russia brokered the deal over three days between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and President Bashar al-Assad’s government, a Kurdish intelligence official tells the Washington Post. What the Kurds gave up in response is unclear, but Mazloum Abdi, leader of the SDF, described it as a necessity.

“We know that we would have to make painful compromises with Moscow and Bashar al-Assad if we go down the road of working with them,” he writes in Foreign Policy. “But if we have to choose between compromises and the genocide of our people, we will surely choose life for our people.” Abdi expressed appreciation of America’s “generous support,” but said “Turkey would never attack us so long as the US government was true to its word with us. We are now standing with our chests bare to face the Turkish knives.” Indeed, Turkey attacked as President Trump ordered most or all US troops in the area to pull out.

This situation is leading to an old stand-off…..NATO vs Russia……Syria has help…Russia and Iran…..NATO has Turkey……

This should test the strength of the NATO charter.

On the other front in this….American troops…..

US officials had already made a big deal of withdrawing from northern Syria, but President Trump on late Saturday has finally ordered a full withdrawal from the area, covering about 1,000 troops that were still in potential combat areas.

Among the troops withdrawing were the personnel in a US base at Ayn al-Issa. Turkish forces were approaching the area, and had cut off US supply lines by seizing the highway. Keeping the base at that point seemed no longer feasible.

That the Pentagon is reporting this new order covers 1,000 troops in northern Syria is interesting, as just days ago the US claimed to have only 15-100 troops left there, when they came under fire from Turkish artillery. Even before that, Trump claimed the US had only ever had 50 troops there in the first place, as to downplay the pullback.

It is not clear from the reports where these 1,000 troops are going, though so far there is no indication that the US is actually leaving Syria. Rather, it is likely they’ll just move deeper south, as to give Turkey more room to operate.

With Turkey moving its troops deeper into Syria, and Syria’s Army advancing into the area to resist them, the fight could get very complicated very quickly. The US clearly doesn’t want to get directly involved, though these slow, incomplete pullouts mean the US is also determined to keep a toehold in the country.

(antiwar.com)

The news will be daily around this situation…..I will be watching.

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Trump’s Syrian Decision

Holy crap!

Trump promised to bring the troops out of Syria when elected….he was elected and he did so….now the MSM is goin g batcrap crazy condemning the president for his promise kept.

The Neocon press is getting all butt hurt over the decision…..

While Washington should never leave American troops in harm’s way a day longer than national security interests require, President Donald Trump’s decision to pull back or withdraw U.S. troops from the Syrian border is morally wrong and strategically short-sighted.

His decision is wrong because the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which include a significant contingent of Kurds, have courageously fought alongside the U.S. to dismantle ISIS’s so-called “caliphate.” Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to crush the SDF due to longstanding concerns regarding the Kurds. By pulling U.S. troops back from the Syrian border or withdrawing the troops altogether, Trump is giving Erdogan a green light to attack the SDF.

The SDF has taken heavy losses in the fight against ISIS because the U.S. mainly provided the air power, while the SDF provided the ground forces. Gen. Joseph Votel, who recently retired after serving as the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said: “The SDF have been exceptional partners.” He estimated the group suffered nearly 11,000 casualties in the fight against ISIS. While ISIS and its ideology are not defeated, the SDF’s sacrifices likely spared the U.S. the need to deploy tens of thousands of ground troops.

https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2019/10/08/trump-syria-withdrawal-decision-immoral-and-short-sighted/

That says it was immoral…this article calls it giving aid to our enemies in the Middle East……

Thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters gave their lives to help America defeat the Islamic State, but President Trump just decided to abandon the Kurds to their worst enemy, Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This is good news for the Islamic State, which can mount its comeback more effectively if the Kurds are distracted. It is also good news for the Islamic Republic of Iran, which wants to turn Syria into a base for attacking Israel, something that will now be a lot easier.

Trump’s decision came out of the blue last night, in the form of a brief announcement from the office of the White House press secretary. Top national security officials had been working for months on an agreement with Turkey to prevent it from attacking the Kurds. That agreement appears to be dead.

The White House said Trump’s decision came after a phone call with Erdogan earlier on Sunday. This is actually the second time Trump has attempted a sudden reversal of his Syria policy after a phone call with Erdogan. Last December, the president said he was going to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria — they numbered about 2,000 at the time — and let Turkish forces deal with any remaining problems caused by the Islamic State.

https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2019/10/07/trumps-syria-decision-is-a-victory-for-americas-enemies-in-the-middle-east/

I am sick of Israel being used by the Neocons to keep fighting and keep our troops to protect someone other than the USA.

The troops in Syria say they feel betrayed….

A U.S. special forces member serving with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria said Turkey is inflicting atrocities as it invades northeastern Syria. 

“I am ashamed for the first time in my career,” the unidentified soldier, who has been involved in the training of indigenous forces on multiple continents, told Fox News Wednesday.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/465143-us-soldier-in-syria-i-am-ashamed-for-the-first-time-in-my-career

Plus…..https://www.rawstory.com/2019/10/trump-blasted-by-us-veterans-for-abandoning-kurdish-allies/

Then there are some that see the whole Syrian decision a bit differently……

Trump’s move has been called an “abrupt shift” that would “abandon” the Syrian Kurds who make up the bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). For an abrupt shift, it has been a long time coming: Trump’s Syria troop cut in December 2018 was a preview of his intent, which he reiterated this week: “I campaigned on the fact that I was going to bring our soldiers home.”

As to abandoning the Syrian Kurds, the U.S. intention for the region’s Kurds was plain in 2017 when Washington advised the Iraqi Kurds to cancel an independence referendum but stay in Iraq’s federal system. Likewise, the Syrian Kurds were encouraged to open negotiations with the Assad regime to secure limited local autonomy, and it sure must be working as the SDF sells the Assad regime oil and natural gas, violating the sanctions on Syria in the process, but getting $378 million a year in oil revenue alone. And these are the “good guys”…

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/10/10/trumps_troop_pullback_in_syria_is_part_of_a_consistent_policy_114788.html

Then the GOP has not taken Trump’s decision well…his enabler in the Senate Graham has made a threat to Turkey…..

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Republican ally of President Donald Trump, has vowed to lead efforts in Congress to make Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “pay a heavy price” over his military operation against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.

“Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration,” Graham said on Wednesday, shortly after Ankara announced the start of the incursion. 

“This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS,” the senator added, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State (IS) group.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/trump-ally-vows-make-erdogan-pay-heavy-price-over-syria-offensive

Shame that this GOPer, Graham, is not this brave with other issues.

Further Reading:

https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/eastern-mediterranean/syria/calling-halt-turkeys-offensive-north-eastern-syria

This situation is as convoluted as most issues dealing with Trump….I am pleased he brought some of our troops out of Syria…granted there is a better way of doing such a thing…now Trump needs to figure out how to bring more of our war weary troops home.

It is Friday Morning……

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Closing Thought–10Oct19

Before I begin the mind numbing geopolitics…I would like to wish John Lennon a Happy Birthday…..born 09 October 1940…he is sadly missed…..https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/john-lennon-birthday-2019/

We need to move on……

By now we all are aware of the events unfolding in Syria with the Turks and the Kurds.

Trump basically gave Turkey a green light to attack the Kurds in Northern Syria……..but he has a unique reason for turning his back on an ally…..

President Trump angered critics including fellow Republicans with bizarre remarks Wednesday downplaying the importance of the alliance between US and Kurdish forces against ISIS, and of alliances in general. The president defended his decision to allow a Turkish offensive in northern Syria by pointing out that Kurdish fighters did not assist the US in military operations like the D-Day landings. “They didn’t help us in the Second World War, they didn’t help us with Normandy for example,” Trump said. “They’re there to help us with their land, and that’s a different thing.” Business Insider notes that Normandy is around 2,500 miles from the Kurdistan region, and isn’t part of the US. “With all of that being said, we like the Kurds,” Trump added.

Asked whether he felt abandoning the Kurds sent a worrying message to other US allies, Trump replied: “Alliances are easy,” adding that it will be easy for the US to form new ones. He also said America’s “alliances” have “taken tremendous advantages of us.” Trump’s own alliances with some Republican lawmakers appear to be weakening. “At request of this administration the Kurds served as the primary ground fighters against ISIS in Syria so US troops wouldn’t have to,” but Trump then “cut deal with Erdogan allowing him to wipe them out,” tweeted Sen. Marco Rubio. Rep. Liz Cheney said she couldn’t understand why Trump “is leaving America’s allies to be slaughtered and enabling the return of ISIS.” Cheney and other Republican lawmakers described news of the Turkish offensive as “sickening.”

I got a history lesson today…I am so pleased (sarcasm)….I just love a good ad lib…and this was NOT one of those.

Please tell this person to STOP trying to re-write history….someone correct the BS…..

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

Trump Threatens Turkey

The news about the US troops withdrawal from Northern Syria has the MSM going batcrap crazy…. Since the surprise announcement from the White House that said U.S. troops will be withdrawing from areas of Kurdish-held northeast Syria to avoid a planned Turkish assault, an onslaught of U.S. politicians spoke out against the decision. Members of Congress from both parties used the same talking points to argue for a continued U.S. presence in northeast Syria. ………https://news.antiwar.com/2019/10/07/washington-loses-its-mind-over-announcement-to-move-troops-in-syria/

The blow back to the negative news by Trump was more to shut up the critics than anything else….his Twitter message had a couple of things that were disturbing….

As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over…

First, “in my great and unmatched wisdom”?  WTF?  Does he believe that he has god-like vision?

Second, his statement about the destruction of the economy of Turkey “(I’ve done it before)”….just when did he do this thing?

All that aside…Trump warned Turkey has taken his threat as lightly as I took his messianic vision…..

Turkish forces have begun their long threatened military offensive against the Syrian Kurds. Starting Monday night, Turkish warplanes began carrying out airstrikes, starting with a Kurdish base in Hasakeh Province.

Syrian state media reported the strike was at al-Malikiyah. It is being presented as part of Turkey unilaterally creating a “safe zone” in northern Syria. The safe zone was originally meant to be a joint US-Turkish effort, but Turkey has been complaining about US reticence.

The White House position now is a bit less clear. On the one hand, officials are saying the US won’t be involved in or support Turkey’s offensive, and that they intend to hand over responsibility to the region to Turkey. On the other hand Trump is threatening to “obliterate” Turkey’s economy over the invasion, cryptically adding (I’ve done it before!) to his Tweet.

(anitwar.com)

Apparently Turkey missed the threatening Tweet from our Beloved Supreme Leader……or maybe they just chuckled and did what they wanted…..so far…what has Trump’s tough talk accomplished?

This is NOT the first time that the US has turned its back on allies…think Vietnam…..

Our short sighted view of history is fed by the MSM in their corporate-centric reporting.

I Read, I Wrote, You Know

“Lego Ergo Scribo”