The 1,000 elite US troops in Syria are making a chaotic and demoralizing retreat

[bronxiteforever]

The 1,000 elite US troops in Syria are making a chaotic and demoralizing retreat after Trump canceled their mission

By Mitch Prothero,
Business Insider US
October 15, 2019

In the course of 24 hours, the estimated 1,000 US special forces based in northeastern Syria to fight ISIS have found themselves overrun by Syrian, Turkish and Russian military units. It follows an abrupt series of confusing orders to conduct an immediate withdrawal, taken in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the region and allow Turkey to invade.

... US units were soon faced with heavy artillery strikes by Turkey that on Sunday appeared to target US positions. They also had to deal with fast-shifting control of cities and major motorways that were their pathway out of the country.

... As of Tuesday at least one small unit of US forces, estimated to be between 50 and 100 soldiers, was trapped in place by advances from two sides: by the Turkish forces along the border, and Russian-backed Syrian regime forces, who began arriving into the formerly Kurdish controlled cities of Raqqa, Manbij, Kobani, Qamishli and Ayn Issa... So not only is the most successful international counter-terrorism operation in history finished, but the winners are Syria and Russia, who didn’t even participate in the operation,” said an official.


https://www.businessinsider.sg/1000-us-troops-chaotic-demoralizing-retreat-syria-2019-10/

[C_U_L8R]

1. Trump has disgraced us

Trump really fucked this one up. All his backpedaling won't change the facts.

[bronxiteforever]

3. +1000 this is a monumental disaster

[bdamomma]

8. well after this

abandonment of our troops helping our ex allies, our troops will probably hate tRump for what he has done. Maybe they will show him no loyalty.

[triron]

48. Not for Putty. Come on now.

[Iliyah]

2. It is not finished but is starting all over again re: terrorist due to

yours truly t-rump.

Who can our troops depend on now for help in a hostile environment? Russia?

And yet where is the corporate media and Republicans?

[bronxiteforever]

4. +1 Brilliant point. Western Europe will suffer the most.

But IT45 doesn’t care.

[atreides1]

6. True

But wouldn't that be part of the Trump/Putin plan? ISIS will be released on Europe...but instead of concentrating on Western Europe...suppose that ISIS launches attacks in Eastern European countries...especially those that are NATO allies?

I don't think it'll take much to push Poland back towards Russia...considering the Polish government is becoming more fascist and less democratic...other Eastern European countries might follow!

[bronxiteforever]

11. +1 Wow,I hadn't thought of that. I think the Poles

Wouldn’t want to be part of Russia’s plan but then again I never thought I would read the above headline.

[JonLP24]

33. Russia has to deal with terrorism as well

Most of it from Chechnya which has wahabbi type groups like ISIS.

[Xolodno]

46. I have a hard time seeing Poland pivoting towards Russia.

You can partition Ukraine and give Kiev and everything east to Russia....and the rest would return to largely an agricultural economy (the way it was when Russia conquered it) and would largely be ignored.

In the case of Poland, when they were conquered, they still fought tooth and nail. And the country is Catholic, not Orthodox. I think Moscow learned its lesson in realizing that taking Poland isn't worth it, subjugating the country is way too costly.

[tanyev]

5. I would love to see a few prominent military retirements so they can come out talking.

[sarge43]

29. But who would Moron put in their place?

No one who would stand up to him, for certain.

[bdamomma]

7. and there are 50 nuclear arsenal

that needs to be hauled out of Turkey too. How in the hell are they going to get that out?

Russia has won again. Putin is spreading his tentacles over the Middle East.

[bronxiteforever]

10. +1 incredible isn't it. Never thought I'd see this day.

[former9thward]

14. Turkey is a formal NATO ally.

That is why the missiles are there. Do you think NATO should be abolished?

[uponit7771]

15. Not after what Putin has done in the last decade or so

[Polybius]

25. Why were they allowed in NATO in the first place?

Dumb move.

[Xolodno]

45. Not during the Cold War.

Turkey shared a border with the Soviet Union directly. The ONLY NATO country that had one. The rest may have shared borders with Satellite Nations, but they were nothing more than a buffer zone, like the "Neutral Zone" in Star Trek.

And yes, they've always been a pain in the ass, an unreliable partner, plagued with coup's and corruption, etc. But there is a longer history that spans beyond the existence of the USA. The Ottoman Empire which Turkey considers itself as the heir, has had a terrible relationship with Russia with numerous wars whose "idealistic aim" was to liberate Constantinople (Istanbul) and restore the Hagga Sophia.

And they knew we wanted the strategic position and we knew they wanted protection from the Soviet Union (yes, it was an atheist nation on paper...but that was on paper).

So now, W. Bush weakened NATO with a mass membership spree. Most of the long term members, and that includes Turkey, are not committed to defending some of the newer members. They are wary of that and for good reason, the polarization of alliances led to the Great War. Powerful Nations getting involved in the war because of the alliances they had with a smaller one, if no one reacted to a Duke getting assassinated or simply just demanded justice, a lot of nations would not have been shattered and a lot lives saved.

And of course, Putin is exploiting this and Turkey is reassessing its alliances. Turkey's previous strategic position with USSR is no longer as valuable, as some nations which are now NATO border Russia. Turkey's stock is down with the rest of Europe and they know it. So, they are now pivoting slowly towards Russia, forcing NATO in a position of choosing to continue to put up with the "NATO Brat" or slowly watch Turkey walk away.

[Turin_C3PO]

34. Turkey needs to be booted out of NATO

if they keep this shit up.

[LanternWaste]

51. I'd imagine there's a great deal of latitude between abolishing NATO and removing nukes.

But I can certainly understand if you think a false choice is the only valid option, thus leading you to be both unique and alone in mentioning the end of NATO.

[Polybius]

27. Very easily

We it's a US base, we can leave at will.

[Xolodno]

49. To be fair....

...and if my memory serves me correctly....

That arsenal is "stored" there and not operational. To put it into operation, its going to be awhile and could create a whole new crisis. Think its some sort of conciliatory gesture after the Cuban Missile Crisis (we dismantled operational nuke sites in exchange for the USSR doing the same in Cuba....side note, every once in awhile, I come across that Italy was also part of the deal, need to research this more).

With that said, yeah, it might be wise to pull the nukes out, so they can never "claim" them. Flip side, Russia would also prefer a nuclear free Turkey...it makes negotiating easier....and the flip side of that, what if Turkey goes full frontal? And introduce Russian nukes in the future. It's not an easy decision....and Turkey knows this and is using the leverage.

[OneBlueDotBama]

52. The 50 B61 Nukes can be operational quickly.

The B61's are stored in vaults in hardened aircraft shelters. The vaults lift and the B61's can be loaded directly onto the aircraft. F-15, 16, 18 & 35's can all deliver the B61's.

[mshasta]

9. my heart hurts just by reading

so painful to see all work done by our troops, sacrificing everything to maintain area protected and is down the toilet

russian troops found everything set up , roads, camps, buildings, all in silver platter


how much I hate this administration.

[albacore]

16. I guess it all happened so fast that our troops didn't have time to blow shit in place. Fuck! nt

[gratuitous]

12. Call it what it is: Cutting and running

Its author: Donald J. Trump.

[former9thward]

13. No, US troops were not "overrun" by anyone.

What a lousy job of reporting by someone who is not there.

[Alea]

43. "an official said"...

[triron]

47. Uh huh. Riiiggghhhht.

[bdamomma]

17. Bad enough

there will be genocide committed and Turkey is no stranger to genocides that managed to kill a million and a half Armenians in 1915, and now we have Russian troops there among our troops who were keeping the PEACE.

tRump needs to be tried as war criminal he gave Erdogan the GREEN LIGHT. What a wonderful gift to Putin. Snuffing us out...we need to get those repigs out...…..bastards.

The American people and Europe are not going to take this shit...……..more innocent lives being snuffed out and we have this asshole spreading his cancer all over the Middle East for Putin. Saudi Arabia loves this too. Putin is sitting pretty.

[bronxiteforever]

18. +1 Great points. Totally agree.

[IronLionZion]

19. The US has won the war on ISIS

much like how the US won the Vietnam war.

[bronxiteforever]

21. +1 I thought of these photos today too.

[Ahpook]

20. May I play devils advocate for a moment?

The contention always seemed to be to get our troops out of the mideast and stop our involvement in this. This shit has been going on forever!

I'm not siding with Trump, I'm just wondering why everyone has a change of heart. I see the Trumpers now saying getting our troops out is good. WTF is going on?

My thoughts are the situation is what it is at this point and to turn tale and run was unconscionable. Could be considered criminal since the asshole in the WH has business ties involved?

Enlighten me!

[bronxiteforever]

22. There is so much bs in the trump argument

I don’t where to begin.

It is complete and utter bull that we are getting out if the Mideast. Just ask them to explain that if that is the case, why did IT45 announce on Friday afternoon that he is sending 2,800 more American troops to Saudi Arabia? I thought Saudi Arabia is in the Mideast and it is pretty fucking apparent that we are more involved with them than ever. Also just basic foreign policy 101 says you don’t screw over your allies like we did the Kurds.

Yeah the Kurds didn’t fight with us on DDay but,as the saying goes, 15 Saudis showed up to kill thousands of Americans on 9/11.

[yardwork]

26. Kurds were part of the Allied troops during WWII.

[bronxiteforever]

30. +1 You are right (I actually learned this here)

[yardwork]

42. Me too!

[Ahpook]

32. The DDay bit was stupid on his behalf

As well as everything that thing comes out of his mouth. It seems like meat for his rubes.

And yes, when we cozy up to the Saudis after their history is insane.

Thank you for an explanation This is an extremely complex situation and someone like Trump should not be anywhere near it

On edit: I remember my parents and others explaining if JFK was not in office during the Cuban crisis that it could have been catastrophic.

My dad was in the Navy at the time and was at the standoff.

Trump is not qualified

[bronxiteforever]

38. The rubes don't even know what he did last Friday

And that is why we have the worst President in living memory in power.

Sorry it wasn’t much of an explanation but just frustration at the chaotic condition of our foreign policy is downright heartbreaking.

Anyway nice to talk to you and your putting up with me!

[Ahpook]

40. Thank you

Its all so confusing sometimes. I need a break!

I'm calling it! Midnight bike ride to freshen up

[yardwork]

24. We just unleashed hell. ISIS will resurge and we're far worse off than before.

Look at it this way. How do we face the families of the people who died in these wars? How do we tell them that it was all for nothing?

[Polybius]

28. Trump is right only about once a year

Last edited Wed Oct 16, 2019, 12:00 AM - Edit history (3)

When he is, I credit the view (not him, just the position we agree on). Some here can't do that, and actually change their positions to always be the opposite of Trump. This was done with the TPP and NAFTA, getting tough on China, and is now being done on war as well.

[Turin_C3PO]

37. What has Trump been right on?

I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.

[Polybius]

44. Killing the TPP was the first thing

There was one other thing around 2017 too, but I can’t remember. Pulling troops out of Afghanistan, or at least saying he was going to was another. He’s like 2 for every 100, he’s wrong so much.

[bdamomma]

50. well what will happen

if ISIS emerges and spreads to Europe and then comes to the US.

[yardwork]

23. Benghazi was bad but this is fine?

I've never felt this sickened.

[bronxiteforever]

31. Great point.

[Elwood P Dowd]

36. DonGhazi. (nm)

[Roland99]

35. Hey now. He knows more than the generals. Cut him slack

[bronxiteforever]

39. He is a Stable genius.

[Roland99]

41. Mr Ed he ain't

A horse’s ass now....