Trump Orders State Dept. to Suspend Funds for Syria Recovery
Source: NYT
President Trump, having this week signaled a possible withdrawal of American troops from Syria, has also ordered the State Department to suspend more than $200 million in funds for recovery efforts there while the administration reassesses its role in the conflict, administration officials said Friday.
-snip-
The suspension of funds for recovery efforts in Syria comes as the administration reassesses its role in the conflict there, a State Department official said on Friday. The freeze on funding was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
There will be meetings on this next week, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because a policy review was continuing. Obviously, we, State, hope that this decision is reversed.
A National Security Council official explained the White Houses position: In line with the presidents guidance, the Department of State continually re-evaluates appropriate assistance levels and how best they might be utilized, which they do on an ongoing basis.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/30/world/middleeast/syria-us-coalition-deaths.html
From the Wall Street Journal story on this:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-freezes-funds-for-syrian-recovery-signaling-pullback-1522449642
From the Fox News story on this:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/30/trump-freezing-syria-funds-in-signal-us-pullback-report-says.html
But by mid-February, Trump was telling his top aides in meetings that as soon as victory can be declared against ISIS, he wanted American troops out of Syria, said the officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
Emphasis added.
JI7
(89,264 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)paleotn
(17,956 posts)Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)THIS is what Putin really wants from Donny Two Scoops. Neither Two Scoops nor Vlad could care less how many diplomatic personnel are or are not recalled and/or expelled.
Brother Buzz
(36,463 posts)He'll make it right, or die trying
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1002179652
elleng
(131,103 posts)MSNBC, Ambassador
Botany
(70,581 posts)This level of Trump/Russia connections is staggering.
torius
(1,652 posts)I think the "congrats" story was just a cover. He knew he'd be found out if he called Vlad, so he pretended it was just some dotardlike thing he did, but really it was to get his orders from the puppet master.
BigmanPigman
(51,627 posts)in place of Rachael's show. How can this idiot be allowed to make these decisions? Is anyone going to stop him before he destroys all of our allies and our country's reputation?
Starfury
(812 posts)...when US and allied forces prevented Putin's buddy from sending his Wagner PMCs to grab a Syrian oil field for Assad. It embarrassed Putin on numerous levels. (Humiliating loss, 100+ Russian PMCs killed that Russia tried not to acknowledge, spot light shone on illegal use of Russian PMCs in Syria, etc.)