Trump’s ‘success’ in Syria cedes region to Russia

Russian military police members stand outside an armoured vehicle along a road in the countryside near the northeastern Syrian town of Amuda in Hasakeh province. (AFP)
Updated 25 October 2019
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Trump’s ‘success’ in Syria cedes region to Russia

  • “The US has essentially ceded its influence and power in Syria to the Russians, the Turks and the Iranians,” says expert

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump declared success in Syria and created a bumper-sticker moment to illustrate his campaign promise to put a stop to American involvement in “endless wars.”

But with his abrupt withdrawal from what he called “bloodstained sand,” the Republican president ceded American influence over a huge swath of the region to rivals and may have spun the Middle East into a new season of uncertainty.

In remarks at the White House, Trump made the case that American administrations before him wasted too much money and blood on sectarian and tribal fighting in which the US had no place meddling.

“We have spent $8 trillion on wars in the Middle East, never really wanting to win those wars,” Trump said on Wednesday. “But after all that money was spent, and all those lives lost, the young men and women, gravely wounded so many, the Middle East is less safe, less stable and less secure than before these conflicts began.”

But analysts and lawmakers said Trump declared victory for a crisis along the border of Turkey and Syria that was arguably of his own making, while underplaying the reality that he has strengthened the hand of Russia.

Critics also say the move will roll back advances made by US-led forces in the fight against Daesh. The president also still has work to do to repair the political damage he’s done within his own base among those who say he abandoned the Kurds, longtime US allies who fought side-by-side with American forces to beat back the IS group in northeast Syria.

SPEEDREAD

By implicitly applauding Russia for partnering with Turkey to patrol the Syrian border, Trump seemed to endorse Moscow’s ambition to gain greater influence in Syria.

The president’s declaration of success came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached a deal on divvying up control of an area along the Turkey-Syria border.

Turkey is to get sole control over areas of the Syrian border captured in its invasion. Turkish, Russian and Syrian government forces would oversee the rest of the border region.

And America’s former allies, the Kurdish fighters, are looking to Russia and Syria to preserve some pieces of Syrian Kurdish autonomy in the region.

“The only question remaining is whether President Trump is acting directly at the behest of Russian and Turkish leaders, or whether he is willfully blind to his own failures,” said Sen. Bob Menendez, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The president punched back at his skeptics.

“The job of our military is not to police the world,” Trump said. “Other nations must step up and do their fair share. That hasn’t taken place. Today’s breakthrough is a critical step in that direction.”

This is the newest version of an old Trump gripe about a penny-pinching Europe that leaves the bill for their American friends. But in this particular case, it seems he is making a virtue of having ceded political and military influence in the Middle East to Russia.

By implicitly applauding Russia for partnering with Turkey to patrol a portion of the Syrian border, Trump seemed to endorse Moscow’s ambition to gain greater influence in Syria.

In doing so, the president is turning upside-down Washington’s previous effort to limit Russia’s sway in the only Middle Eastern country in which it has a permanent military presence. The Pentagon during the Obama years refused to cooperate with Russia after it intervened militarily in Syria in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“The US has essentially ceded its influence and power in Syria to the Russians, the Turks and the Iranians,” said Seth Jones, a counterterrorism expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I think the biggest single issue long-term is the major great power in the region is not the United States — it is the Russians.”

Trump’s own Pentagon chief, Mark Esper, recently bemoaned what he suggested was Turkey’s turn away from the West in favor of closer relations with Russia.

“The arc of their behavior over the past several years has been terrible,” Esper said of the Turks in an Oct. 13 Fox News interview. “I mean, they are spinning out of the Western orbit, if you will. We see them purchasing Russian arms, cuddling up to President Putin. We see them doing all these things that, frankly, concern us.”

Trump also seems to have let slide Turkey’s defiance last summer of Washington’s insistence that it drop plans to purchase a sophisticated Russian air defense system that is incompatible with NATO, of which Turkey is a long-standing member. That arms purchase was supposed to trigger US economic sanctions against Turkey, but no such penalties were enacted.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the US military’s partnership with Syrian Democratic Forces was fundamental to preventing the IS group from reemerging in the region.

“I do not trust or believe that Turkey, Russia or Assad have the capability or the desire to protect America from radical Islamic threats like Daesh,” said Graham, a Trump supporter who has been critical of the Syria withdrawal.

The crisis began earlier in October when Trump ordered the bulk of the approximately 1,000 US troops in Syria to withdraw after Erdogan told Trump in a phone call that Turkish forces were set to invade northeastern Syria. Turkey’s goal was to push back the Kurdish fighters. Turkey views the Kurds as terrorists and an ever-present threat along its southern border with Syria.

Trump announced sanctions against Turkey last week following its military assault on the Kurds. But on Wednesday, he confirmed that they would not be imposed after Ankara agreed to a permanent cease-fire with the Kurds.

But even Trump seemed to question the durability of the peace.

“You would also define the word ‘permanent’ in that part of the world as somewhat questionable. We all understand that. But I do believe it will be permanent,” Trump said.

As Trump declared victory, some complained that Trump let Turkey off the hook without consequence.

“It’s unthinkable that Turkey would not suffer consequences for malevolent behavior which was contrary to the interests of the United States and our friends,” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said in a tweet.

But Trump sloughed off criticism from those who say he abdicated American responsibility in one of the world’s most complicated neighborhoods.

“The same people that I watched and read — giving me and the United States advice — were the people that I have been watching and reading for many years,” Trump said. “They are the ones that got us into the Middle East mess but never had the vision or the courage to get us out. They just talk.”

And for Trump, getting out — however messy it may look — is all that matters.


Syria interim president pledges ‘national dialogue conference’

Updated 4 sec ago
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Syria interim president pledges ‘national dialogue conference’

DAMASCUS: Syria’s interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, promised Thursday to hold a “national dialogue conference” during his first speech to the nation since the fall of ousted leader Bashar Assad.
“We will announce in the coming days a committee charged with preparing the national dialogue conference, a direct platform for discussions, to listen to different points of view on our future political program,” Sharaa said during the prerecorded televised address. He also promised a “constitutional declaration” to serve as a “legal reference” during the country’s transition period after the old constitution was suspended.

Sudanese teenager raps of loss and hope amid war

Updated 8 min 28 sec ago
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Sudanese teenager raps of loss and hope amid war

PORT SUDAN: In a makeshift shelter carved out of a schoolyard in eastern Sudan, 14-year-old Hanim Mohammed uses her rap music to comfort families displaced by the country’s ongoing war.

For a few fleeting moments, the scars of 21 months of war seem to fade when families huddle together to hear Mohammed’s nostalgic rap lyrics about life before the war.

“When I play rap songs, everyone sings with me,” said Mohammed.

“This makes me so happy,” she said, lighting up with a radiant and captivating smile.

At a UN-sponsored space in the shelter, the young rapper, Nana, commanded the stage with electrifying energy.

Laughter and claps echoed through the air as women and children swayed and twirled to the beat — defying a war that has gripped the country since April 2023.

The conflict in Sudan has claimed the lives of tens of thousands, uprooted over 12 million people, and pushed Sudanese to the brink of famine.

The war, which has pitted army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan against his erstwhile ally Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, triggered the “biggest humanitarian crisis ever recorded,” according to the International Rescue Committee.

Nana’s fans say her songs resonate deeply.

“The joy she brings is indescribable,” said Najwa Abdel Rahim, who attends Mohammed’s performances.

“I feel comfort and excitement when I listen to her music,” said Deir Fathi, another jubilant fan.

When the war erupted, Mohammed fled her hometown of Omdurman, the twin city of the capital Khartoum, with her family.

Now residing in a secondary school in Port Sudan, she uses rap to articulate her grief and preserve cherished memories of home, she said.

Her recollections of a once-vibrant city now fuel her creative expression, particularly in her poignant track “The Omdurman Tragedy.”

“You sit silently, and a fire breaks out. What do you do? Your brain itself is confused,” goes the song.

Mohammed’s love for rap took root for years, but the outbreak of war brought it home, pushing her to start writing her lyrics, she said. 

She has so far written nine songs.

“Most of the songs I composed were for the place I love the most and where I grew up — Omdurman,” she said.

“When the war erupted, this gave an even greater drive,” she added.

The teen rapper and her family share cramped quarters with dozens of displaced families at the shelter. Basic necessities are a daily struggle.

“The most difficult thing I faced was the water,” she said.

“Sometimes I found it salty, and other times it was bitter,” she added.

Conflict-ravaged Sudan, despite its many water sources, including the mighty Nile River, has long been parched and grappling with a water crisis.

Even before the war, a quarter of the population had to walk over 50 minutes to fetch water, according to the United Nations.

Now, from the arid western deserts of Darfur, through the lush Nile Valley, and to the shores of the Red Sea, a water crisis has hit 48 million war-weary Sudanese.

Yet Mohammed refuses to let such hardships keep her down.

Her music has become a lifeline for herself and the people who gather to watch her perform.

And Mohammed is not stopping there. In a small room at the shelter, she sat bent over her books — hoping to fulfill her dreams of becoming both a surgeon and a celebrated rapper.

But above all, she has one overriding wish: “The biggest wish I hope for is for the war to stop.”


EU to hold talks with Israel, Palestinians

Updated 16 min 17 sec ago
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EU to hold talks with Israel, Palestinians

BRUSSELS: The EU will hold separate talks with Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the coming weeks, the European Commission said on Thursday, as a ceasefire in Gaza continued to hold.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar is expected to meet with his counterparts from the EU’s 27 nations and the bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, in Brussels on Feb. 24, the commission said.

“We will discuss the full range of issues with Israel, including the war in Gaza, regional issues, global issues, and bilateral EU-Israel relations,” said commission spokesman Anouar El-Anouni.

The gathering will take place on the sidelines of the EU’s foreign affairs council.

Similarly, Kallas will co-chair with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa “the first ever EU Palestinian high-level dialogue” on the margins of the following foreign affairs council — a meeting of EU top diplomats — on March 17.

“This will be an opportunity to discuss the EU support for the Palestinians and the full range of regional and bilateral issues,” El-Anouni said.

Mustafa represents the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank.

The announcement came as Israel and the Palestinians took part in the third prisoner-hostage exchange under the Gaza ceasefire.

EU countries, which include staunch allies of Israel as well as firm supporters of the Palestinians, have struggled for a unified position in the Gaza war.

“The EU is fully committed to a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace and security,” the commission said.


Rebuilding Gaza could take 10-15 years, Trump envoy tells Axios

Updated 46 min 59 sec ago
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Rebuilding Gaza could take 10-15 years, Trump envoy tells Axios

  • “It is stunning just how much damage occurred there,” Witkoff told the news website after visiting Gaza
  • The debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos

WASHINGTON: There is “almost nothing left” of Gaza and rebuilding the war-ravaged enclave could take 10 to 15 years, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios in an interview at the end of his trip to the region on Thursday.
“People are moving north to get back to their homes and see what happened and turn around and leave ... there is no water and no electricity. It is stunning just how much damage occurred there,” Witkoff told the news website after visiting Gaza.
Witkoff, a real estate investor and Trump campaign donor with business ties to Qatar and other states, was in the region to oversee implementation of a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
His assessment comes days after Trump floated the idea that some of Arab nations should get involved with and build “housing at a different location where they (Gazans) can maybe live in peace for a change.”
Any suggestion that Palestinians leave Gaza, territory they want to form part of an independent state, has been anathema to the Palestinian leadership for generations and repeatedly rejected by neighboring Arab states since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
Witkoff told Axios he had not discussed with Trump the idea of moving Palestinians from Gaza.
A UN damage assessment released this month showed that clearing over 50 million tons of rubble left in the aftermath of Israel’s bombardment could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.
The debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos, with some refugee camps struck during the war known to have been built with the material. The rubble also likely holds human remains. The Palestinian Ministry of Health estimates that 10,000 bodies are missing under the debris.
“There has been this perception we can get to a solid plan for Gaza in five years. But it’s impossible. This is a 10 to 15 year rebuilding plan,” Witkoff told Axios.
“There is nothing left standing. Many unexploded ordnances. It is not safe to walk there. It is very dangerous. I wouldn’t have known this without going there and inspecting,” he said.


UN says UNRWA aid agency will continue work in all Palestinian territories

Updated 30 January 2025
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UN says UNRWA aid agency will continue work in all Palestinian territories

  • Israel decided to ban UNRWA following accusations some of its staff belong to Hamas
  • UNRWA has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations said Thursday its humanitarian relief agency UNRWA would continue working in all Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, despite Israeli legislation coming into force that cuts ties with the organization.
Israel decided to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following accusations some of its staff belong to Hamas.
“UNRWA clinics across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are open. Meanwhile, the humanitarian operations in Gaza continues, including with UNRWA work there,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres.
UNRWA has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza.
A series of investigations found some “neutrality related issues” at UNRWA — but stressed Israel had not provided evidence that a significant number of its staff belonged to “terrorist” organizations.
“UNRWA will continue to deliver on its mandate... until they’re no longer able to do so,” Dujarric said.
However he clarified that no staff were present at the agency’s headquarters in East Jerusalem, which mainly deals with administration. Palestinian employees are however working from other locations, while foreign employees had to leave Israel.
“We had taken precautions,” Dujarric said. “All the equipment inside, files, computers, everything had been removed, our vehicles as well.”