"We Don't Take Orders From Bolton": US Withdrawal From Syria Begins

[Swordsmyth]

Contrary to assurances from Trump's National Security Advisor, neocon John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who suggested earlier this week that US troops would remain in Syria for at least a little while longer, the Associated Press (https://www.apnews.com/89288a2b8f274eb7897733078960df56) reported on Friday that the US has begun the process of removing the 2,000 soldiers based in northeastern Syria.
Citing information provided by activists with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the withdrawal officially began Thursday night local time. A convoy of about 10 armored vehicles and some trucks left the town of Rmeilan into drove into Iraq. Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, later confirmed that the US has started "the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria."


Initially, Trump had said the pullout would be complete within a matter of weeks, but plans became murky after the Pentagon requested four months to complete the withdrawal. Last night, the Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-military-prepares-for-syria-pullout-amid-uncertainty-11547156824) reported that the withdrawal would begin immediately.

Scores of ground troops are headed toward Syria to help move troops out, and a group of naval vessels headed by the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge is headed to the region to back up troops at the vulnerable moment they are leaving the country, the officials said. The Kearsarge carries hundreds of Marines, helicopters and other aircraft.
"Nothing has changed," one defense official said. "We don’t take orders from Bolton."
To account for shifts in plans, the military will stage the personnel and equipment needed for a possible withdrawal, rather than move the U.S. forces out. Troops tasked to help with the eventual withdrawal already are in the area, in places like Kuwait and al-Asad air base in western Iraq.
After expressing his immense displeasure with the US's walk-back of its withdrawal plans, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who recently resorted to threatening the US (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-10/erdogan-trump-leave-syria-now-we-strike) over their plans to linger in Syria - will no doubt be glad to hear about this.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-11/we-dont-take-orders-bolton-us-withdrawal-syria-begins

[Origanalist]

I've heard of equipment being pulled, looking forward to the same with the troops.

[Swordsmyth]

In the fiercest words directed at Turkey in a long time, and certainly since Trump and Erdogan managed to patch up the rocky diplomatic relationship between the two nations over the fate of (since released) Pastor Brunson, President Trump on Sunday evening put President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on notice, threatening to "devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds" — which has sent the Turkish lira sliding.
https://zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/inline-images/Turkish%20Lira%20Trump%20tweet.jpg
Trump further confirmed in no uncertain terms that his announced "long overdue" troop pullout from Syria has begun, but that it's been initiated while "hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard" and "from many directions".

Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create 20 mile safe zone....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2019 (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1084584259510304768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The warning to Turkey came as Ankara has mustered military forces, including tank regiments, along the Syrian border and deep in Afrin after last year's 'Operation Olive Branc (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2018/07/19/turkey-struggles-to-keep-the-peace-in-afrin)h' plunged pro-Turkish forces accross the border inside Syrian Kurdish enclaves.
Last week Turkey's leaders, including the defense minister, described preparations underway for another major Turkish assault on US-backed Kurdish positions east of the Euphrates, following the exit of American advisers based on Trump's previously announced pullout. But it appears Trump is now putting Ankara on notice, and is prepared to thwart any Turkish invasion plans by establishing a "20 mile safe zone".
Presumably this "safe zone" will be towards protecting American forces while precise exit logistics take shape, and will occur simultaneously to the US pounding remnant ISIS positions; howeverthe details remain uncertain.
Trump followed his tweet threatening to "devastate Turkey economically" if the Kurds are hit, with another repeat promise to "stop the endless wars!" — in what appears a further sign he's currently in a fight with the deep state and hawks within his own administration over Syria policy.

....Likewise, do not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey. Russia, Iran and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long term U.S. policy of destroying ISIS in Syria - natural enemies. We also benefit but it is now time to bring our troops back home. Stop the ENDLESS WARS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2019 (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1084586625672376322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Among those recently accused of "going rogue" after weeks of mixed and contradictory messages (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-08/soft-coup-against-donald-trump-underway-major-turkish-daily) coming from administration and Pentagon officials over the Syria draw down is National Security Advisor John Bolton.
In possibly an attempt to clean up the mess made by his latest trip to Israel and Turkey, the latter country in which he was snubbed by President Erdogan, Bolton said during an interview with the Hugh Hewitt radio show (http://www.hughhewitt.com/ambassador-john-bolton-on-president-trumps-policies-on-israel-iran-turkey-and-iraq/) on Friday that Trump elicited a guarantee from Erdogan to not attack those particular Kurdish militias that have assisted the US in the anti-ISIS campaign. This was reportedly during the Dec. 14th call that appears the catalyst for Trump's full US troop draw down in Syria.


More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-13/trump-tweet-sends-lira-sliding-us-ready-devastate-turkey-economically-if-kurds

[enhanced_deficit]

Neocon money baggers' tools like Bolton cannot be allowed to contradict a self-funded POTUS. When some real general had contradicted Obama, he was fired quickly, Bolton is just an armchair general.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?530222-Syria-Withdrawal-underway-We-don-t-take-orders-from-Bolton&p=6734280&viewfull=1#post6734280

[Swordsmyth]

Turkey has brushed off a Sunday threat by President Trump to "devastate" them economically if they attack the Kurdish militia (YPG) in northern Syria, which US forces have fought alongside against the Islamic State (IS).
Turkey regards the YPG as terrorists.

Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create 20 mile safe zone....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2019 (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1084584259510304768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) "You cannot get anywhere by threatening Turkey economically," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-14/turkey-dismisses-trumps-threat-devastate-economy-over-kurds

[Zippyjuan]

Will the problems with Turkey keep the US from withdrawing from Syria? Could the US be drawn into war with Turkey?


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/10/us-expel-every-last-iranian-boot-syria-mike-pompeo


US will expel every last Iranian boot from Syria, says Mike Pompeo

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has vowed the US and its allies will “expel every last Iranian boot” from Syria as he sought to reassure Middle Eastern nations it was not withdrawing from the region despite Donald Trump’s call for troops to return home.

In a keynote speech delivered in Cairo, pitched as the centrepiece of his nine-country regional tour, Pompeo called for a common stand against Tehran. “It’s time for old rivalries to end, for the sake of the greater good of the region,” he said.

The US would “use diplomacy and work with our partners to expel every last Iranian boot” from Syria and bolster efforts “to bring peace and stability to the long-suffering Syrian people”, he said.

He committed to ongoing airstrikes against Isis but did not directly address Trump’s decision to withdraw 2,000 US ground forces from eastern Syria.

Pompeo and the US national security adviser, John Bolton, have attempted to walk back Trump’s December announcement and observers considered the announcement of continuing US airstrikes to be a further move to reassure allies, particularly Kurdish proxies, that they would not be abandoned.




In remarks aimed at Obama’s support for the Iran nuclear deal, but which could also be applied to the withdrawal from Syria, Pompeo said: “When America retreats, chaos follows. When we neglect our friends, resentment builds. When we partner with enemies, they advance.”
More at link.

[Swordsmyth]

Will the problems with Turkey keep the US from withdrawing from Syria? Could the US be drawn into war with Turkey?
No and No.

DJTvsg made it clear that any retaliation against Turkey will be economic, that may not be ideal but it is much better than staying in Syria.

[Swordsmyth]

Islamic State militants are "living their final moments" in the last enclave they hold near the Iraqi border, where U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are attacking them, an SDF official said on Sunday.A defeat of the jihadists in the enclave would wipe out Islamic State's territorial foothold on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said the SDF were making "great progress ... but the fight continues".


Mustafa Bali, SDF media office head, said the SDF had stepped up attacks in the last two days and taken control of the area between the Islamic State enclave and the Iraqi border, cutting an escape route.
"They are living the final moments and realize that this battle is the battle to eliminate them," he added.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/u-backed-syrian-force-islamic-state-final-moments-151922098.html

[Zippyjuan]

No and No.

DJTvsg made it clear that any retaliation against Turkey will be economic, that may not be ideal but it is much better than staying in Syria.

Have you so quickly forgotten what you posted earlier about that retaliation?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46860902


Turkey dismisses Trump threat to economy over Syrian Kurds

Turkey has dismissed President Donald Trump's threat to "devastate" its economy if it attacks Kurdish forces in Syria after a pullout of US troops.

"You cannot get anywhere by threatening Turkey economically," Foreign Minister Nevlut Cavusoglu said.

US forces and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have fought in northern Syria against Islamic State. Turkey regards the YPG as terrorists.



Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and would like to have at them so he is excited about the prospect of the US leaving but the US also says they won't leave unless they have assurances which protect the Kurds. If the US does not leave, would Erdogan go after the Kurds anyways and possibly involve US troops in the area?

[Swordsmyth]

Have you so quickly forgotten what you posted earlier about that retaliation?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46860902

Turkey is bluffing and it doesn't really matter if Trump's reaction is a success anyway, what matters is that it will be economic NOT military.



Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and would like to have at them so he is excited about the prospect of the US leaving but the US also says they won't leave unless they have assurances which protect the Kurds. If the US does not leave, would Erdogan go after the Kurds anyways and possibly involve US troops in the area?
Bolton said that, the Pentagon said "WE DON'T TAKE ORDERS FROM BOLTON".

WE ARE LEAVING.

[Swordsmyth]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Ankara would set up a "security zone" in northern Syria suggested by US President Donald Trump.Erdogan's comments came a day after he had a telephone conversation with Trump to ease tensions after the US leader threatened to "devastate" the Turkish economy if Ankara attacks Kurdish forces in Syria.
Turkey has welcomed Washington's planned withdrawal of some 2,000 US troops from Syria but the future of US-backed Kurdish militia forces labelled terrorists by Ankara has poisoned ties between the NATO allies.
Erdogan said he had a "quite positive" telephone conversation with Trump late on Monday where he reaffirmed that "a 20-mile (30 kilometre) security zone along the Syrian border... will be set up by us."
Damascus meanwhile denounced Erdogan's "language of occupation" in talking about a security zone.
"The statements made today by the Turkish president reaffirm that this regime... does not deal (with anyone) except in the language of occupation and aggression," state news agency SANA quoted a source at the Syrian foreign ministry as saying.

The Turkish president said he would visit Russia on January 23 for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin over the US troop pullout plan.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/turkey-set-syria-security-zone-trump-call-130612649.html

[enhanced_deficit]

Good call by Pentagaon, they should only follow orders of commander-in-chief.

Related

Donald Trump carried out Syria missile strike ‘after being convinced by daughter Ivanka’ (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?509520-Donald-Trump-carried-out-Syria-missile-strike-‘after-being-convinced-by-daughter-Ivanka’&)

https://video.newsserve.net/700/v/20170409/1704091538-Ivanka-May-Have-Convinced-Trump-To-Bomb-Syria.jpg

[juleswin]

What is the point of having an adviser that you do not listen to?

[Superfluous Man]

It's interesting that the official who allegedly said that wished to remain anonymous.

[Swordsmyth]

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said on Wednesday it was ready to help create a safe zone suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump in its region across north and east Syria.The U.S.-backed SDF, led by the Kurdish YPG militia, said such a zone must have "international guarantees...that would prevent foreign intervention", in an apparent reference to neighboring Turkey. The SDF statement said it hoped to ensure stability at the border region by reaching agreements with Turkey, which has vowed to crush the YPG.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/u-backed-sdf-help-create-north-syria-safe-135138665.html