WASHINGTON | While dealing with questions about the pace of his exit from Syria, President Donald Trump opined Monday that he’s getting “bad press” for his decision to pull American troops out of the country and insisted all he was doing was making good on his campaign promise against U.S. involvement in “never ending wars.”
Trump abruptly announced in mid-December that he planned to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. The decision was heavily criticized by his national security advisers and Democratic and Republican lawmakers, several of whom asked him to reconsider. It moved Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down, and the U.S. envoy to the coalition fighting Islamic State militants resigned in protest.
Trump chimed back against the criticism.
“I am the only person in America who could say that, ‘I’m bringing our great troops back home, with victory,’ and get BAD press,” Trump tweeted Monday. “It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy!”
Critics warn of a resurgence of IS, and also worry that the American exit is a betrayal of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria and leaves them vulnerable to an attack from Turkish forces. Turkey considers the U.S.-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which now controls nearly 30 percent of Syria, a terrorist group connected to an insurgency within its own borders.
Critics also argue that the U.S. withdrawal would strengthen Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, will travel to Israel and Turkey in early January to discuss what the White House says is the “deliberate and coordinated” withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria. Bolton also will speak with leaders about increased cooperation with the Turkish military and other partners.
Bolton’s spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement Monday that Bolton will be joined in Turkey by Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and James Jeffrey, the secretary of state’s special representative for Syria engagement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on New Year’s Day at the inauguration of Brazil’s new president in Brasilia.
Some critics also have been agitated at the thought of a rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a Trump backer and leading voice on national security and foreign affairs on Capitol Hill, had lunch with the president Sunday and emerged from the White House saying that Trump was slowing down the withdrawal from Syria.
“I think we’re in a pause situation where we’re re-evaluating what’s the best way to achieve the president’s objective of having people pay more and do more,” Graham said. “The pause is to assess the effects of the conditions on the ground.”
“I think we’re slowing things down in a smart way,” Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds.
Graham said his meeting with Trump was reassuring. “The president will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed, 2) Iran doesn’t fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected,” Graham tweeted.
