Trump announced Withdrawal of U.S Troops from Syria

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On Wednesday, the U.S President Donald Trump called for a U.S withdrawal from Syria over the apparent objections of military advisers. The withdrawal of more than 2,000 U.S troops is based on Trump’s decision that the mission against ISIS is complete. Military leaders, including the U.S Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in recent weeks and months have spoken of the need for U.S troops to remain in the eastern part of the country to help stabilize it and allow for peace negotiations to proceed.

The U.S Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., derided the decision of Trump to withdraw, likening it to those made by former President Barack Obama to announce ahead of time plans to reduce forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Graham tweeted, “Withdrawal of this small American force in Syria would be a huge Obama-like mistake”.

Graham also said that Trump’s action would represent a major win for ISIS, Iran, Bashar al Assad of Syria, and Russia. Graham added, “I fear it will lead to devastating consequences for our nation, the region, and throughout the world”. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted that the move was a major blunder made against the advice of Pentagon.

The U.S Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations panel, called it a dangerous decision. He said that it would destabilize the region, endanger Kurdish allies and embolden America’s enemies. The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday that the U.S has defeated the territorial caliphate. She said, “These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign,” Sanders said in a statement. “We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign”.

Trump declared victory on early Wednesday morning. He said, “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency”.