Trump practically hands Syria to Russia

[Bullettime]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.ba63734bb254

Long story short, in addition to the cease fire agreement, Trump has now ordered the CIA to stop arming anti Assad rebels with weaponry to fight the regime. Given our no boots on the ground policy and Putin's backing of Assad, this is effectively the US pulling itself out of Syria at the request of Moscow with Trump agreeing to set the plan in motion.

- - - Updated - - -

One other concern here is that the CIA's operation was basically controlling who got what weaponry. With that no longer being the case, Turkey can move forward with supplying weapons to who THEY see fit which means more dangerous weapons falling into the hands of the more extremist groups involved in the anti Assad effort. The US has been blocking them for awhile.

So what exactly are we gaining from this? It's a pretty solid blow to the US's standing in the region, loses our support from moderate groups fighting, hands Assad and Putin control of the region, and puts worse weapons in the hands of worse people.

[Mittens]

That doesn't seem that bad.

[Bullettime]

That doesn't seem that bad.

The US loses support from moderates fighting since we're abandoning them. Turkey is ready to quickly move in and fill the void and lack of US support means they're free to move forward with plans they've had for years, that we've been constantly shutting down, of them arming anti Assad rebels with larger scale equipment and not picky of which groups get it.

There's also no clear sign of what the US is getting in exchange. This deal without receiving something back is an astronomical fuck up and blow to our influence in the entire region, not just Syria.

[Mittens]

The US loses support from moderates fighting since we're abandoning them. Turkey is ready to quickly move in and fill the void and lack of US support means they're free to move forward with plans they've had for years, that we've been constantly shutting down, of them arming anti Assad rebels with larger scale equipment and not picky of which groups get it.

There's also no clear sign of what the US is getting in exchange. This deal without receiving something back is an astronomical fuck up and blow to our influence in the entire region, not just Syria.

I know what the article says no need to make another summary. But I think it largely depends on how it's being phased out, the WaPo article doesn't really provide any details on that.

[Bullettime]

Note that I'm not necessarily saying the decision is a bad one. There's absolutely merits to it and backing of the rebels hasn't been the winningest of strategies thus far, especially after Putin turned the whole thing into his own game.

It's just a matter of what the US is getting out of the deal. If we get no concessions and it's just Trump doing what Putin thinks is best, it's a huge disaster. But there's been no inclination about what concessions, if any, are being offered and he's already agreed to the "deal."

[Acidbaron]

Giving a nation in conflict to Putin is a terrible idea, but i guess Trump thinks he's a good guy and never read a chapter about the Cold war on this continent.

Another playground for him to attempt to destabilize Europe from.

[downnola]

This is real bad if it affects U.S. support for the SDF. However, I didn't see anything about those operations in the article. The SDF have Raqqa surrounded, it would be pretty damn stupid to cut supplies to them now.

[Shalcker]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.ba63734bb254

Long story short, in addition to the cease fire agreement, Trump has now ordered the CIA to stop arming anti Assad rebels with weaponry to fight the regime. Given our no boots on the ground policy and Putin's backing of Assad, this is effectively the US pulling itself out of Syria at the request of Moscow with Trump agreeing to set the plan in motion.

There is one force that should get US support, and that is Kurds; and those are under Pentagon rather then CIA as far as i'm aware.

Supplying arms to areas that should be under agreed ceasefire (where CIA rebels are) would be quite transparently aiming to break it at some point.

[Deleted]

Is that how Trump wants to make america great again? By giving conflict regions to the enemy?

Sorry, Ukraine. You will be next. Followed by the baltic countries. Then Poland.

Trump and Putin will handle it.

[Kujako]

Well.... if we let Putin take over the rest of the world, dragging them down to Russia's level, America will be number one again!

[Rukh]

Just goes to show, don't ever fucking trust the US. They'll pull the carpet right out from under you.

[Puremallace]

Nothing practical about it. He literally gave Putin everything he could possibly want. Assad is going to stay in power now. Until NATO stands up to this dumbass president we have nothing will change.

Just goes to show, don't ever fucking trust the US. They'll pull the carpet right out from under you.

^ 100% this!!!!!!!!! We pulled this shit in the 1980's in Afghanistan and ended up with Osama Bin Laden. Trump is a FUCKING MORON. If I were in Ukraine I would be freaking the fuck out right about now.

Crimea is gone for good and you can kiss East Ukraine good bye here pretty soon if not West Ukraine also.

[judgementofantonidas]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.ba63734bb254

Long story short, in addition to the cease fire agreement, Trump has now ordered the CIA to stop arming anti Assad rebels with weaponry to fight the regime. Given our no boots on the ground policy and Putin's backing of Assad, this is effectively the US pulling itself out of Syria at the request of Moscow with Trump agreeing to set the plan in motion.

- - - Updated - - -

One other concern here is that the CIA's operation was basically controlling who got what weaponry. With that no longer being the case, Turkey can move forward with supplying weapons to who THEY see fit which means more dangerous weapons falling into the hands of the more extremist groups involved in the anti Assad effort. The US has been blocking them for awhile.

So what exactly are we gaining from this? It's a pretty solid blow to the US's standing in the region, loses our support from moderate groups fighting, hands Assad and Putin control of the region, and puts worse weapons in the hands of worse people.

syria does not belong to us, is not our business and we have no business supporting anyone there with weapons nor suplies.

[Bullettime]

There is one force that should get US support, and that is Kurds; and those are under Pentagon rather then CIA as far as i'm aware.

Supplying arms to areas that should be under agreed ceasefire (where CIA rebels are) would be quite transparently aiming to break it at some point.

syria does not belong to us, is not our business and we have no business supporting anyone there with weapons nor suplies.

The CIA's involvement kept Turkey out. Turkey wants to kill the Kurds as well as aiding the more extreme groups of the anti Assad forces. We significantly diminish our ability to keep Turkey out of the fight given that's been the main justification we've had for blocking their efforts. The "we're already doing that job and we've got it handled" defense.

Arming the rebels (aside from Kurdish forces) has been a strategy that has no clear victory in sight but allowed us to keep support from moderates in the region and control the flow of weapons. We pull out, Turkey moves in and we start seeing extreme groups setting up air defense systems and killing Kurds. That's not good.

Free handing the region over to Russia is a morale hit to the moderates, loses US support in the region, gives a stronghold for Russian foreign influence, looks terrible to our Kurdish allies, and is more likely to turn the country into a more explosive powderkeg down the line.

We have to gain something of considerable value for this to be considered a worthwhile deal. Otherwise, it's a pretty monumental disaster.

[primalmatter]

Why is this bad?

[Bullettime]

Why is this bad?

Kills support for the US among the region's moderates (even outside of Syria,) gives Russia an official uncontested extended sphere of influence, and we lose our ability to tell Turkey to step off which means more advanced weapons going into the hands of the more extreme groups and killing of our Kurdish allies.

Getting into this extended mess to begin with was a blunder by the previous administration but bowing out now in this way sets up the region to be an even bigger disaster. It wouldn't be so bad if there was any inclination of what concessions would be made to benefit the US but we've heard of none.

Basically, this solely benefits Russia at the cost of US support and there's no mention of what would be given to the US in return, if anything. It could be a potentially worthwhile deal or a foreign policy fiasco.

[Xeones]

It's very troubling to have our president to be an incompetent yesman to a dictator.

But I'm not eager to escalate Syria either. The incompetence of the orange shit stain wouldn't be able to manage the situation well either.

[Dextroden]

Kills support for the US among the region's moderates (even outside of Syria,) gives Russia an official uncontested extended sphere of influence, and we lose our ability to tell Turkey to step off which means more advanced weapons going into the hands of the more extreme groups and killing of our Kurdish allies.

Getting into this extended mess to begin with was a blunder by the previous administration but bowing out now in this way sets up the region to be an even bigger disaster. It wouldn't be so bad if there was any inclination of what concessions would be made to benefit the US but we've heard of none.

Basically, this solely benefits Russia at the cost of US support and there's no mention of what would be given to the US in return, if anything. It could be a potentially worthwhile deal or a foreign policy fiasco.

People support us? I thought we were a backwards country with racists that hate Brown people?

On topic. After crying about arming groups and stoking fighting, now we can't stop doing it. Please remember this the next time fighting breaks out between groups with American arms.

[Grapemask]

Trump in April: Syrian regime change is necessary. Mr. Assad must be removed from power.

Trump in July: lol I was jk, have fun gassing the kids Assad

[Puremallace]

Why is this bad?

Last time we did something like and cut and ran it was too a guy named Osama Bin Laden. This is a bad idea on historic levels of stupidity.