Washington – Trump Aide Trying To Allay Israeli Concerns On Syria Pullout

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    U.S. National Security Advisor, Ambassador John Bolton, attends a press conference in Jerusalem, on August 22, 2018. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90Washington – The White House has sent national security adviser John Bolton on a mission to allay Israel’s concerns about President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

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    The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown.

    Bolton planned to meet with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other officials on Sunday before traveling to Turkey. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, wracked by a yearslong civil war and the Islamic State militancy.

    Trump’s move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders.

    A Trump administration official told reporters traveling with Bolton that Bolton intended to discuss the pace of the drawdown, as well as American troop levels in the region. Bolton was expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight IS will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that some American forces may remain at a key military outpost in al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region.

    Bolton also was to convey the message that the United States will be “very supportive” of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Bolton’s plans before the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the talks.

    Bolton warned Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the U.S. drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is “no change” to the U.S. position that their use is a “red line.” Trump has twice carried out airstrikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad.

    “We’ve tried twice through the use of military force to demonstrate to the Assad regime the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable,” Bolton said while en route to Israel. “And if they don’t heed the lessons of those two strikes, the next one will be more telling.”

    Trump’s announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many U.S. lawmakers and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-IS coalition in protest.

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Mideast this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration’s partners in the region.

    While in Israel, Bolton planned to encourage officials to take a tougher stance against Chinese electronics manufacturers ZTE and Huawei. The U.S. has expressed concerns about potential cyber-penetration by those companies.

    Joining Bolton in Turkey will be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. In meetings with Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other officials, they are expected to warn against an offensive targeting the Kurdish fighters in Syria.


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    7 Comments
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    hashomer
    hashomer
    5 years ago

    What concerns? Just because the Traitorous Trumpf pulled out of Syria on a crazed whim without informing the Defense Dept, Joint Chiefs, our allies in NATO or or staunch allies the Kurds, and handed another gift to Tsar Pootin, why be concerned. For all those belching about Obama’s Iran deal, look at how this Trumpniki twist in policy gives islamic Iran a gift and directly endangers Israel. The idiot in WH has no idea of geopolitics and America’s role in the world. He just looks to make a damn buck w crooked real estate deals and non payment of taxes. Sec of Defense, top DOD spokesman and generals have resigned already over this blunder. What a YUTZ he is. Soon to be IMPEACHED.

    5 years ago

    Trump didda a great move and who cares about Israel now? Let him have the US intrsts at heart not the Israelis. We’re American citizens with no dual loyalty to Israel. While we pray for a safe region everywhere, we cannot have Israel intrsts above ours. Go Trump!

    hashomer
    hashomer
    5 years ago

    Since trumpf tramp trolls like you cannot refute any of my posts, your obsession w ‘medical’ issues reflects your own poor mental health status. Or is it your XXXL Camo pants are getting too tight on you?

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    5 years ago

    It seems the President’s staff is doing all they can to backpedal on this.