Why Trump is Right to Pull American Troops from Syria

Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, 2019

3 Pages Posted: 24 Jun 2019

Date Written: January 22, 2019

Abstract

On December 19, 2018, President Donald Trump called for a “full” and “rapid” withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Syrian civil war, declaring on Twitter: “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there.” This decision was in line with his campaign promise to bring American forces home from a messy and prolonged entanglement in the Middle East. Nonetheless, it set off a flurry of responses, beginning with General James Mattis’ subsequent resignation as Secretary of Defense.

The Washington establishment reacted to these announcements in a typical fashion, condemning Trump’s decision and expressing shock over Mattis’ resignation. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) declared: “This is scary. Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration.” Senator Lindsay Graham called the decision an “Obama-like mistake” and a “big win for ISIS, Iran, Bashar al Assad…and Russia.” Scholars from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Atlantic Council, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Center for a New American Security echoed that sentiment.

Keywords: Syria, Middle East, Donald Trump, United States, Military, War, Bashar al Assad, Civil War, Withdrawal, Troops

Suggested Citation

Zambakari, Christopher, Why Trump is Right to Pull American Troops from Syria (January 22, 2019). Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3405810 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3405810

Christopher Zambakari (Contact Author)

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