Over the past few days, I have read a number of articles and heard from a bi-partisan group of leaders regarding America’s abandonment of the Kurds in Syria. Stated differently, the Kurds in Syria, a foreign state, were not a direct threat to Turkey. Therefore, what is the justification of America’s acquiescence to the “invasion” of a foreign land? Is this not a symbolic throwback to the world’s indifference to Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia and Germany’s grabbing of the Sudetenland?
To cut to the chase, I have not heard one coherent argument that supports Trump’s acquiescence to the wishes of the effective dictator of Turkey “President” Erdogan.
The Kurds have been our effective ally against ISIS, suffering some 11,000 casualties. Moreover, they served as prison guards of some 10,000 ISIS fighters. Since the outbreak of hostilities, Syrians, Russians, and Turks have killed innocent Kurd civilians. Because the Kurds are under intense military attack, some 700 ISIS fighters have escaped their imprisonment.
President Trump’s defense that (1) he opposed a broad-based Turkish advancement into Turkey has not resulted in effective American counter measures and (2) the pulling out of troops was part of a long-range policy to remove our military personnel from the Middle East was undermined by our “simultaneous” decision to send another 2,000 troops to Saudi Arabia.
Erdogan has threatened Europe that he will facilitate massive immigration into Europe by his Syrian refugees highlights his internal domestic problems. That is, the 4 million Syrian refugees are a demographic and economic burden to Turkey. That said, I still question what is Erdogan’s end game strategy. Does he expect 4 million Syrians to immigrate to Europe or does he think they will resettle in lands currently held by the Kurds in Syria.
Widespread reports highlight that Trump’s decision was “spur of the moment” without consultation with leading state department or military personnel. Moreover, in abandoning an ally is Trump not also sending messages to Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia that America can abandon our allies on a whim. Why would any political leader stick his neck out to help America? Give or take, President George H.S. Bush got 41 countries to support our efforts to oust Iraq from Kuwait. Do you think Trump could assemble a large number of allies to support a similar effort?
In conclusion, irrespective of America’s current domestic success, which I believe is a function more of effective capitalism than top-down decision making, Trump’s legacy in foreign affairs is an unmitigated disaster!
Originally published in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
