US Senator Graham - a rash US pullout from Syria will create 'Iraq on steroids'

[TU Curmudgeon]

From Channel News Asia

US Senator Graham - a rash US pullout from Syria will create 'Iraq on steroids'
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ANKARA: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Saturday he hoped President Donald Trump would slow the U.S. withdrawal from Syria until Islamic State is destroyed, warning that, if not thought through, the pullout can create an "Iraq on steroids".

Speaking in Ankara, Graham also said he believed U.S. Chief of Staff Joseph Dunford was working on a plan with Turkey to move Kurdish YPG elements away from the Turkish border.

Trump announced last month that Islamic State had been defeated in Syria and he would pull U.S. forces out of the country.

The decision injected new uncertainty into the eight-year-long Syrian war and spurred a flurry of contacts over how a resulting security vacuum will be filled across northern and eastern Syria where the U.S. forces are stationed.

COMMENT:-

Only a true cynic would think that Mr. Trump has decided that one of the easiest ways to "do better" than Mr. Obama did is to create a bigger mess in the Middle East than the one that he was left with.

On the other hand, Mr. Trump HAS managed to put Mr. Obama's shutdown to shame with his new and improved shutdown so, maybe ...

PS - What's wrong with an "Iraq on steroids" didn't Mr. Bush win the war, oust the bad guys, and install a new and improved Iraqi government that supports the US? Wasn't there a big "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" notification? Hasn't Mr. Trump already defeated ISISISISILDAESHWHATEVER? I know that he said he did and he wouldn't lie about something like that - would he?
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[DaveFagan]

One must grasp the total MSM narrative of Syria to collate the information on Syria. Throw any info from MSM, DOD, Intelligence Agencies, etc. in the trash and collect news stories from the MidEast, EU, and unbiased alternatives and then collate the info for factual content. Key truths: USA is invader. Assad is elected. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the USA funded ISIS. Many DAESH arms from the USA. The only areas of Syria where Daesh/ISIS not conquered controlled by USA. Kurds best alternative is to ally with Syria. The Key truths are simple, indisputable facts that provide a sound basis for additional commentary or narrative.
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[TU Curmudgeon]

One must grasp the total MSM narrative of Syria to collate the information on Syria. Throw any info from MSM, DOD, Intelligence Agencies, etc. in the trash and collect news stories from the MidEast, EU, and unbiased alternatives and then collate the info for factual content. Key truths: USA is invader. Assad is elected. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the USA funded ISIS. Many DAESH arms from the USA. The only areas of Syria where Daesh/ISIS not conquered controlled by USA. Kurds best alternative is to ally with Syria. The Key truths are simple, indisputable facts that provide a sound basis for additional commentary or narrative.
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My "quick scan list" consists of 25 media sources, 6 of which are US based (one of those is the CSM) MSMs, 2 of which are UPI and AP, and the remainder (17) are from around the world.

I suspect that Mr. al-Assad isn't all that keen on "allying" with the Kurds UNLESS the Kurds formally, and in perpetuity, abandon ANY claim for a "homeland" - something that they have even less of a claim to than the Israelis do (and one hell of a lot less ability to "create" a "homeland" using the time honoured and respected method of taking it by force and holding it against all comers). He MIGHT be willing to modify that position slightly IF the Kurds formally, and in perpetuity, abandon ANY claim to ANY part of Syria AND agree to an enforceable agreement whereby the Kurds do not undertake any actions against ANY other country that is in ANY way connected with Syria.

The odds on the Kurds accepting either of those two "compromises" are about as high as the Democrats accepting a "compromise" which is (essentially) "If you give me what I want in a manner that once I have it it can never be taken away, then I will give you something that sort of looks like what you want - but will do so in such a manner that I can take it back anytime I feel like it.".

 

[DaveFagan]

My "quick scan list" consists of 25 media sources, 6 of which are US based (one of those is the CSM) MSMs, 2 of which are UPI and AP, and the remainder (17) are from around the world.

I suspect that Mr. al-Assad isn't all that keen on "allying" with the Kurds UNLESS the Kurds formally, and in perpetuity, abandon ANY claim for a "homeland" - something that they have even less of a claim to than the Israelis do (and one hell of a lot less ability to "create" a "homeland" using the time honoured and respected method of taking it by force and holding it against all comers). He MIGHT be willing to modify that position slightly IF the Kurds formally, and in perpetuity, abandon ANY claim to ANY part of Syria AND agree to an enforceable agreement whereby the Kurds do not undertake any actions against ANY other country that is in ANY way connected with Syria.

The odds on the Kurds accepting either of those two "compromises" are about as high as the Democrats accepting a "compromise" which is (essentially) "If you give me what I want in a manner that once I have it it can never be taken away, then I will give you something that sort of looks like what you want - but will do so in such a manner that I can take it back anytime I feel like it.".

The Kurds will face reality. Relative Perpetual safety is with Assad. The USA has no business there. Turkey will accept Assad and, if it cures the Turkish border potential problem with Kurdish terrorists, may welcome it. Interference by Saudi Arabia cannot be ruled out. Iraq has good relations with Assad and Iran and once again, it is USA interference that has created most of the problems.
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[TU Curmudgeon]

The Kurds will face reality. Relative Perpetual safety is with Assad. The USA has no business there. Turkey will accept Assad and, if it cures the Turkish border potential problem with Kurdish terrorists, may welcome it. Interference by Saudi Arabia cannot be ruled out. Iraq has good relations with Assad and Iran and once again, it is USA interference that has created most of the problems.
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Just about everyone in the area is prepared to "resolve the Kurdish issue".

All but one of the proposed resolutions involve "There will be no independent Kurdistan now or in the future UNLESS it doesn't involve taking territory away from any of the existing Middle Eastern States. If, for example, the United States of America wanted to give Oregon to the Kurds so that they could have a 'homeland' we wouldn't abject in the least PROVIDED that ALL of the Kurds moved there.".

The one proposed resolution that differs from that is the one put forward by the Kurds and it always starts out "An independent and sovereign Kurdistan SHALL be established that SHALL comprise ALL of the territory that the Kurds say it should have. After that ...".