US troops start pullout in Syria as Turkey prepares operation

[Mustang Man]

Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick

Anyone think Bashar al Assad might have an opinion about this?

I've thought about this. Publicly I'd imagine he is voicing displeasure. Privately he is probably relieved.

The Kurds at this point have two options.

1. Get decimated by Turks
2. Seek protection from the Syrian government over some kind agreement.

Thus, Assad get what he wants, a unified Syria. Both Turkey and Assad have the same goals, prevent the formation of a Kurdish state. A Kurdish state will only lead to further conflict and destabilization in the region, of course the divide for American policy makers is whether we want a stable Middle East or not.

[Trapper John]

Originally Posted by Basenshukai

“America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests”

Henry Kissinger

And that says it all! WD, Bubba,Box, PRB, and ODNT have hit this nail on the head too, IMO.

[Monsoon65]

Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick

Still no link in the media that Turkey is a NATO member and allied with the USA and continue to mis-state for political propaganda purposes that the Kurds (apparently they are all one for now) are allied with the US and are due the same differentiation.

I love how the left is screaming, "Trump abandoned our Kurdish allies to the Turks."

I guess that they haven't taken a quick peek at the NATO roster of members lately.

[PRB]

I am no Turk fan since they went Islamist with the now serving President....otoh, in their shoes, given the fluidity of Syria, I would want a buffer zone too.

If they create a 30 k buffer along their border I've no issues at all.

[TWITCHY]

I’ve researched the intractable Syria situation for several years and feel I have a better than average layman’s understanding of it. I try my best to look at all sides of it from available, open source info. That being said, my opinion is heavily weighted by the viewpoints expressed, here, on PS.com. You guys have skin in the game, worked with the players on the ground, and have a global understanding of the geopolitical and strategic actions and outcomes.

I’m seeing a lot of these stories (https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/201...around/160613/) being posted on the web and Twitter. Based on what many of you have said in this thread (and other related threads) I find these articles hard to believe and suspect they are democrat/neo-con or, even, foreign propaganda. Am I correct in thinking this or are the SF/SEALs etc truly bothered by Trump’s decision to pullback in the region?

[Joker]

When I was in I felt that my job was to:
1. Shoot someone in the face.
2. Train to shoot someone in the face.
3. Train someone else to shoot someone in the face for me (US interest). Or
4. Advise someone to shoot someone in the face for me (US interest).

I was deployed to do 1-4 for an average of 270 days a year. I yearned to deploy and felt that I was doing my job while so. Most, if not all, SF guys feel the same.

However, there is a time and place that we as a country need to realize that the mission is over and our partners need to stand on their own.

Most of the Kurds are not our friends. They fall into the the enemy of my enemy category and wouldn’t stand beside us if not due to their enemies breathing down their necks.

[Box]

The SecArmy has even said - troops are free to voice an opinion - however, we are NOT there for the Kurds - we went there to neutralize ISIS.

Good call or bad call by the POTUS, everyone be their own judge - one fact, however, remains incontrovertible.........
WE.ARE.NOT.IN.THE.REGION.TO.HELP.KURDS.

...for everything else there's MasterCard.

[WarriorDiplomat]

The entire worlds history and that region specifically is exactly why the old saying stands true "good fences make for good neighbors"

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by WarriorDiplomat

The entire worlds history and that region specifically is exactly why the old saying stands true "good fences make for good neighbors"

I'll take the Atlantic Ocean for $1200, Alex.

[Guymullins]

Originally Posted by bushmaster11

In the course of history, The US has been a staunch ally.As an older SF, I remember Viet Nam and our montagnard partners. We, the entire 5th Group benefited from the total support from each tribe. We knew it was wrong and tried to make it right in our own way. The Kurds are no different. They are a minority who just want to be left alone. We armed them, trained them and led them then our government betrayed them. Like 45 years ago, we bailed on them. No, the SF community did not bail, but the United States did led by a corrupt leader with power to spare. How can a Secretary of State, a West Point graduate break their code - "I will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do"

We South Africans also felt the sharp serpents tooth of American betrayal when the US encouraged us to start war in Angola to curb Cuban and Russian influence there, only to be dropped shortly thereafter when the US withdrew its material and personnell support leaving us to fight the good fight against the Communists.
It didnt end terribly for us. The Berlin Wall fell, the Russians and Cubans went home and Namibia and South Africa transitioned to deeply flawed African democracies instead of disaterous African-Communist dictatorships

[Airbornelawyer]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

We South Africans also felt the sharp serpents tooth of American betrayal when the US encouraged us to start war in Angola to curb Cuban and Russian influence there, only to be dropped shortly thereafter when the US withdrew its material and personnell support leaving us to fight the good fight against the Communists.
It didnt end terribly for us. The Berlin Wall fell, the Russians and Cubans went home and Namibia and South Africa transitioned to deeply flawed African democracies instead of disaterous African-Communist dictatorships

Ah, memories! Somewhere I have a picture of me with Jonas Savimbi in the late 1980s.

[Guymullins]

Originally Posted by Airbornelawyer

Ah, memories! Somewhere I have a picture of me with Jonas Savimbi in the late 1980s.

I still have an American K-Bar from one of the first shipments of US arms to UNITA.

[WarriorDiplomat]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

We South Africans also felt the sharp serpents tooth of American betrayal when the US encouraged us to start war in Angola to curb Cuban and Russian influence there, only to be dropped shortly thereafter when the US withdrew its material and personnell support leaving us to fight the good fight against the Communists.
It didnt end terribly for us. The Berlin Wall fell, the Russians and Cubans went home and Namibia and South Africa transitioned to deeply flawed African democracies instead of disaterous African-Communist dictatorships

Have you read the books by John Stockwell? In search of enemies and the praetorian guard? He was IIRC the CIA architect of the Angola conflict.....interesting read he wrote these books before the secret agencies had legal abilities to stop former agents from talking about their careers....he was raised in the African continent and once retired is dead against the secret wars

As soldiers we are at the mercy of our politicians and with the modern open source technological era it is much easier to see the deceit and conspiracies....unfortunately it takes life experience to see the bigger picture you can't see as a young trooper.

[bblhead672]

Bring everyone home. I'd rather Kurds die and be maimed than Americans.

A stable middle east as a goal? Has there been a "stable" middle east in the last few thousand years?

The statists, MIC and career war mongers are unhappy for sure. The families and friends of those in harms way are surely relieved.

[Box]

Just to shake the bush where the hornets nest is hanging - but Israel also needs to shut the fuck up.

So Mr Netanyahu wants to shoot off at the mouth about how Israel, "strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies,”

Well listen up jackass - there is an entire planet full of folks that can't wait to turn that statement around on you and your defense of the West Bank and Gaza.
Before you start pleading with global leaders about siding with the "culture without a country" - you better make sure you have a huge stockpile of sandbags and small arms ammo to help defend your little empire in the desert. I am certain that the Palestinians share your concern for the current treatment of an ancient people who feel like their homeland has been stripped from them.

...something about people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones and something something somenthing