Lindsey Graham: US must ‘slow the withdrawal’ from Syria to combat IS
Veteran US Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday urged President Donald Trump to reassess how fast American troops are withdrawn from Syria, saying it could have disastrous effects in the region.
Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops and declare victory over the “Islamic State” militant group triggered criticism from military officials, defense experts and even allies. The decision also prompted then-Defense Secretary James Mattis and anti-IS coalition envoy Brett McGurk to resign.
A bold move:
- The White House last month announced Trump’s decision to withdraw some 2,000 troops from Syria. Shortly afterward, Trump tweeted: “We have defeated ISIS in Syria.”
- Allies in Syria criticized Trump’s decision, with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — which have been fighting IS with US support for years now — calling it a “shocking step.”
- Germany and other European countries criticized Trump for claiming victory over IS in Syria, with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas saying the “threat is not yet over.”
- Since then, Turkey has backed down on an assault to clear out Kurdish militias along the border region with Syria. Trump threatened to “devastate Turkey economically” if it attacked Kurds in Syria.
Read more: Trump: US to ‘devastate Turkey economically’ if it attacks Syrian Kurds
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
War with no end
Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The dictator
Syria’s army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president’s rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The northern watchman
Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. The Turkish military has intervened alongside rebels in northern Aleppo, Afrin and Idlib province.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The eastern guardian
The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia’s intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The western allies
A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The rebels
The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The resistance
Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the “Islamic State” has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The new jihadists
“Islamic State” (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own “caliphate,” IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is facing defeat in both countries after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The old jihadists
IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.
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Who’s fighting in the Syria conflict?
The Persian shadow
Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country.
Withdrawal ‘will start new war’
US Senator Graham said:
- “I would hope that President Trump would slow the withdrawal until we truly destroy ISIS.”
- “A withdrawal that does not outline the points I have made will not end the war against ISIS, it will start a new war.”
- “This war will be a necessity by Turkey, to go into Syria and clear out armed elements that Turkey believes poses a threat to its sovereignty.”
- “Here’s the good news: General Dunford, I think, has a plan that he’s working on with the Turkish military that can accomplish these objectives and they are to move the YPG elements away from Turkey.”
Read more: Kurds see their dreams go up in smoke in Syria
Unclear plans
Details of the withdrawal remain unclear. Earlier this month, Trump spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyep Erdogan to discuss a way forward. According to the Turkish presidency, they spoke about establishing a safe zone in northern Syria.
However, a day after their discussion, two US soldiers and two US civilians were killed in a suicide bomb attack claimed by IS, making it one of the worst — if not the deadliest — attack on US personnel in Syria since 2015.
The White House has not announced when the withdrawal will take place and how quickly it will be completed.
Read more: Donald Trump’s motives for Syria withdrawal remain as murky as its implementation
ls/ (AFP, Reuters, AP)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/lindsey-graham-us-must-slow-the-withdrawal-from-syria-to-combat-is/a-47148084