Time and again, things aren’t as they seem, Trump’s ordered withdrawal of US forces from northern Syria the latest example — saying one thing, then going another way, going along with his geopolitical team’s permanent war agenda.
Commenting on the situation in Syria’s north, Trump said “a small number of US troops will remain in the area where they have the oil. And we’re going to be protecting it (sic), and we’ll be deciding what we’re going to do with it in the future (sic).”
He ignored illegal US occupation of sovereign Syrian territory, stealing its resources, committing Nuremberg-level high crimes against the state and its people.
On Thursday, a Pentagon statement said additional (heavily armed) US forces will be sent to northern Syria to “reinforce” control of its oil fields — on the phony pretext of preventing them from “falling back into the hands of ISIS or other destabilizing actors,” controlled by the US not explained.
According to the WSJ, “about 500 US troops,” along with “dozens of battle tanks and other equipment” apparently will be deployed in northern Syria — “a reversal from” Trump’s withdrawal order.
What’s going on? Withdrawal of US forces from Syria appears more illusion than reality. Unknown numbers of Pentagon troops continue to occupy southern Syrian territory near Iraq and Jordan.
Trump’s withdrawal order from the country’s north excluded unclear numbers remaining, including at an illegal Pentagon airbase, one of its platforms for terror-bombing Syrian infrastructure and populated civilian areas.
US forces invaded Syria illegally to stay. Bipartisan dark forces in Washington want endless war on the country continued.
Restoration of peace and stability to US war theaters defeats its imperial aims, served by forever wars, instability and chaos.
The myth persists about combatting the scourge of ISIS created, supported and controlled by the Pentagon and CIA, used as proxy troops in US war theaters.
The October 17 US/Turkish deal in Ankara makes no mention of halting Pentagon/IDF terror-bombing of Syrian targets — to continue at their discretion.
US warplanes, attack helicopters and armed drones continue controlling portions of Syrian airspace, including areas bordering Turkey, Iraq and Jordan — facilitating Israeli strikes on Syrian targets.
Separately on Wednesday, Erdogan told Trump his military offensive in northern Syria ended while his forces continue attacking Kurdish fighters, Syrian troops in the area struck as well.
On Thursday, Syrian media reported attacks by Turkey and its terrorist proxies on government forces, killing some soldiers, wounding others near Tal Tamr, a clear ceasefire breach.
Kurdish YPG fighters reported the same thing, saying a large-scale Turkish offensive on Thursday attacked three northern Syrian villages where their troops are located, adding Ankara is responsible for the “deterioration of the ceasefire process.”
It’s shaky at best because of Erdogan’s revanchist aims and continued illegal US occupation of northern and southern Syrian territory, including its airspace.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Thursday, government troops “confronted…an attack by forces affiliated to the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries of terrorists on Kowzaliyah and Tal Laban in Tal Tamer region in Hasaka north-western countryside,” adding:
“Turkish occupation troops continued their aggression on Syrian territories and occupied al-Manajir village in Tal Tamer region after shelling the area with artillery and heavy weapons.”
The situation in occupied Syria remains fluid. Sporadic clashes between Turkish forces and its jihadist proxies against Kurdish fighters and government troops continue.
Restoration of peace and stability to the country remains unattainable because consensus in Washington rejects the idea — endless wars in multiple theaters supported by the NYT and other establishment media.
Majority Republicans and undemocratic Dems are committed to regime change in Syria, wanting Assad replaced by US-controlled puppet rule.
They want Iran isolated regionally, economic terrorism on the country continuing, aiming to topple its legitimate government.
Time and again, geopolitical know-nothing Trump is manipulated to go along with what dark forces surrounding him want pursued.
It’s not a pretty picture nor encouraging for what may lie ahead.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
