Trump 'Shocked' Turkey's Erdogan, John Bolton With Snap Decision to Exit Syria: Report

[riversedge]

Source: daily beast





9. GONE ROGUE6 hours ago

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria was made quickly, without consulting his national-security team or allies, the Associated Press reported. The president reportedly agreed to the hasty pullout during a phone call last week with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, shocking National Security Adviser John Bolton, who vehemently objected to the decision—and Erdogan himself. The Wednesday announcement stunned the world and prompted Thursday’s resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis. According to the report, Mattis, Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later scrambled to find a middle path, but were informed by Chief of Staff John Kelly and his acting successor Mick Mulvaney that the president’s call for the pullout would not be “delayed or denied.” Russian state-controlled television reacted differently, calling the announcement “a total dream come true.” .................

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-agreed-to-syria-withdrawal-in-call-with-turkish-president-report

---

I really am shocked that Trump is allowed to make these type decisions all on his own. It is startling to the core to tell you the truth!!

[oberliner]

1. Anything that John Bolton opposes can't be all bad

[DRoseDARs]

6. I'm ambivalent on that. He's evil, not stupid. I think he recognizes what a disaster this is. nt

[druidity33]

7. My first thought also. nt.

[CreekDog]

10. that saves a lot of time thinking

let me know if you do your job or other critical duties that way.

[paleotn]

11. unfortunately, not in this case.

This is so nutty even caterpillar boy thinks it's nuts.

[Cha]

15. Nothing what trump does for putin is any good.

In fact it's EVIL.

[SergeStorms]

2. Wagging the dog.

Trump has to fire up his base and keep Rush Limbaugh satisfied, so he pulled out all the stops on his shit-show of a presidency. His "gut" must have been working overtime the past few days.

[louis-t]

3. His "gut feelings" are scary as Hell.

Impulsive behavior is not always good. Especially from him.

[machoneman]

4. Funny, but his base is too fucking dumb....

to even know where Syria is let alone know the facts behind why we are there.

[Eliot Rosewater]

18. Fuck putin and anyone who helps him

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. Perspectives from Iran...

Iranian analysts welcome US withdrawal from Syria
Al-Monitor Staff December 20, 2018

Link: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/12/iran-syria-us-withdrawal-reactions-isis-trump-israel.html

(snips)

Iranian analysts and commentators, however, were actively dissecting the news of the US withdrawal. Sadollah Zaeri, a conservative commentator and analyst, wrote in Fars News, “As far as volume, in comparison to others America has the fewest number of military troops in Syria and they are settled in eight headquarters in eastern Syria and mostly north of Raqqa.” He continued, “America does not have a strong footing in Syria, meaning they do not have an indigenous ally.”
---
Other analysts and commentators were a little more celebratory regarding news of the US withdrawal. Mahdi Mohammadi, a conservative commenter and former media adviser to previous nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, tweeted, “Trump decision for a sudden withdrawal from Syria means America was not able to change the regional strategy of Iran nor able to break it.”

Other commentators recounted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s speech in April, in which he responded to US calls demanding Iran pull back its influence in the region. During that speech, Khamenei said, “It is America who must leave Western Asia. It is America whose feet must be cut off from this region. We are from here. The Persian Gulf is our home. This is our home. You are the foreigners. You traveled here from a long distance.”

I can just see Bolton's face blood-red!......

[KY_EnviroGuy]

8. Waiting for a reaction from the Iraqi Kurds....

.......... ..........

[Honeycombe8]

9. I know he's Commander in Chief, but I'm surprised at the total control allowed, too.

But I'm not the one who voted for, and propped up, a lunatic with all that power.

[watoos]

12. If Trump nominates Vincent Brooks to replace Mattis,

I know who is giving him advise. You heard it here first.

[Shaddox]

13. JFC- "World's Greatest Dealmaker" gets tooled in a phone call. This fucking guy. Unbelievable.

[Trenzalore]

14. Talking to advisors and reading is boring

Much easier to do what the last guy you talked on the phone with tells you to do.

[nitpicker]

16. Link to The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/21/james-mattis-resignation-trump-erdogan-phone-call

[Aristus]

20. I wonder how many staplers Bolton threw when he heard the news?

"But...but...but...war! And killing! And......stuff......"