The President of the United States minus the “Mission Accomplished” banner, announcing the “historic victories against ISIS” and withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria:
After historic victories against ISIS, it’s time to bring our great young people home! pic.twitter.com/xoNjFzQFTp
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018
McGurk on #Syria from Dec. 11 @StateDept briefing (con't):
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) December 19, 2018
Nobody working on these issues day to day is complacent. Nobody is declaring a mission accomplished. Defeating a physical caliphate is one phase of a much longer-term campaign."
3/https://t.co/YSZomDKSMS
Two days ago Amb James Jeffrey, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement, outlined “The Future of US Policy in Syria”
— Paul Danahar (@pdanahar) December 19, 2018
He makes no reference to removing US troops because ISIS has been defeated.
Seems, once again, Trump has blindsided his staff.
https://t.co/uxYtlOhAOh https://t.co/LIliV4fhss
From yesterday's briefing with @StateDeputySPOX re northeast #Syria:
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) December 19, 2018
" … as you know US forces are present in the campaign to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. We’ve made significant progress recently in the campaign, but the job is not yet done."https://t.co/xrVD6Ng8R3
US diplomats shaken by Trump decision to exit Syria https://t.co/n3RnHyy2KH via @AlMonitor
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) December 19, 2018
Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria defied the warnings of his senior advisers — including Bolton, Mattis and Pompeo — while blindsiding U.S. allies, from @missy_ryan and @jdawsey1 https://t.co/jPvqVYdf3Z
— Alan Sipress (@AlanSipress) December 20, 2018
This decision only underscores that the Administration has no plan for Syria other than allowing Vladimir Putin to dictate U.S. policy. President Trump’s Russia-first policy in the Middle East is harming U.S. national security. https://t.co/3MQgCRTZny
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) December 19, 2018
Sr. Admin. official tells me re Syria withdrawal: “Senior officials across the Administration agree that the President’s decision-by-tweet will recklessly put American and allied lives in danger around the world, take the pressure off of ISIS allowing them to reconstitute, and…
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 20, 2018
The happy, thumbs-up people:
The #US🇺🇸 decision to pull its troops from #Syria🇸🇾 creates good prospects for a political solution in that Arab country – #Zakharova
— Russia in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) December 19, 2018
👉https://t.co/HmwlnBz44y pic.twitter.com/g0f5tqcSPm
I am happy to see a President who can declare victory and bring our troops out of a war. It’s been a long time since that has happened. https://t.co/fEBb8080fK
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 19, 2018
Erdogan and his foreign minister say Donald Trump has assured them on key disputes dividing the NATO partners – on a possible Turkish incursion into Syria and on the extradition of a cleric wanted in Turkey on coup charges https://t.co/a5v420Gwpp via @AlMonitor
— Ayla Jean Yackley (@aylajean) December 17, 2018