Topline
The U.S. should not get involved with the conflict in Syria, President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday, where rebels are threatening to oust President Bashar al-Assad as hundreds of American soldiers remain deployed in the country.
The president-elect signaled during his first administration that he wanted to withdraw U.S. troops … [+]
Key Facts
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote Syria “is a mess, but is not our friend,” adding the U.S. should have “NOTHING TO DO” with the country’s conflict and instead “LET IT PLAY OUT.”
As rebels opposed to al-Assad’s government take control of several Syrian cities, including their approach to the Syrian capital of Damascus, Trump suggested Russia’s withdrawal from Syria might “be the best thing that can happen to the country.”
Russia, an ally of al-Assad’s, intervened in Syria’s conflict in 2015 but “seems incapable” of assisting al-Assad “because they are so tied up in Ukraine,” Trump said.
Trump also criticized Barack Obama’s administration, which he said failed to protect the “RED LINE IN THE SAND,” referencing the “red line” policy from Obama’s presidency indicating the U.S. would intervene in Syria’s conflict if al-Assad deployed chemical weaponry.
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Crucial Quote
“There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid,” Trump wrote. “In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, and THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
Big Number
900. That’s the number of U.S. soldiers deployed in Syria, according to the Pentagon. Most of the troops are deployed in eastern and northeastern Syria to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State militants, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said earlier this week.
Key Background
Tensions in Syria swelled in 2011, when protestors were met with deadly force after they called for the ouster of al-Assad. The conflict appeared to stall after al-Assad’s government regained control over several Syrian cities with the help of Russia, Iran, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and ISIS. Some areas have remained under the control of the U.S.-backed rebel groups in northern and eastern Syria. In 2018, Trump called for the U.S. to execute a “full” and “rapid” withdrawal of all U.S. military from Syria, suggesting militant group ISIS—which defended al-Assad’s regime—had been defeated in the country. His request was reportedly criticized by allies in the Middle East and by former military officials, who instead warned of a growing threat of ISIS in the region.
