Donald Trump’s troop pull-out from Syria weakens US hand in the Middle East and boosts Russia
- Withdrawal could have extraordinary geopolitical ramifications
- Plunges into uncertainty the fate of US-backed Kurdish fighters who have been tackling Islamic State jihadists
Numerous foreign policy experts and former officials and diplomats branded the decision a mistake, in part because the defeat of Islamic State militancy – Trump’s stated reason to have troops in Syria – is not yet complete or, to use the administration’s word, “enduring”.
“Like walking away from a forest fire that is still smouldering underfoot,” said retired US Admiral James Stavridis, a former Nato commander.
For many, the withdrawal also represents the United States ceding its traditional dominance in the Middle East.
Already, Iran, Russia and Turkey were months into negotiations on Syria’s political future – excluding the United States.
As if on cue, Iranian President Hassan Rowhani travelled to the Turkish capital of Ankara on Wednesday and lavished praise on the country, especially as a counterforce to the United States.
The withdrawal hands victories to two of the United States’ most fierce adversaries, Iran and Russia, who have been steadily carving out parts of the country for their own purposes and in cooperation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.