Donald Trump faces criticism over withdrawal of US troops from Syria

United States President Donald Trump on October 8 shifted his previously stern tone on retracting US troops from the northeastern border of Syria, said that even if the country is in the process of leaving Syria, they have “in no way abandoned the Kurds” and further called the Kurdish force “wonderful fighters” and “special people”. However, this statement has not been well received by the other US officials like Senator Bob Casey, who thinks President Trump has shamefully betrayed the Kurds.

Withdrawl of all 1000 US troops?

On October 7, US announced that American forces will be leaving the northeastern border while Turkey claimed that they are ready for the operation against IS. There were nearly 1,000 US troops in northern Syria, however, it still remains unclear if this statement will follow the withdrawal of all of them. Turkey has reportedly been planning this operation for a long time in northern Syria. A US official reportedly told an international agency that American forces had also evacuated on two observation posts at Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain in northeast Syria, along the Turkish border. Moreover, troops deployed in other areas were purportedly still in position.

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President criticized

As soon as President Trump announced the dislocation of the US troops, the President had to face heavy criticism from many leaders. While Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a “foolish attempt”, Senator Bob Casey also feels that turning backs on their time of need is, in turn, going to make the United States unsafe. Senator Lindsay Graham said that the US will introduce bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if they are planning to invade Syria. The retired Army general who also headed Central Command's military operations, Joesph Votel also said that the sudden change in the policy this week has broken the trust at the “most crucial juncture and leaves our partners” with limited options. A Syria scholar at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Jonathan Schanzer said that he is “alarmed” by the decision of retracting US troops from the Syrian border. 

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(With agency inputs)