The announcement comes amid continuing criticism of the Trump policy toward Turkey.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday the last U.S. troops in Syria will be evacuated.
“I spoke with the president last night after discussions with the rest of the national security team and he directed that we begin a deliberate withdrawal of forces from northern Syria,” Esper told host Margaret Brennan on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
About 1,000 U.S. troops remain in harm’s way. Esper said: “It’ll be a deliberate withdrawal and we want to conduct it as safely and quickly as possible.”
Esper’s statement came as denunciations continued from both sides of the aisle in Washington over President Donald Trump’s decision to clear out of the way for a Turkish invasion of northern Syria, as well as indications that the opening stages of the invasion have allowed ISIS fighters to escape.
Turkey invaded northern Syria last week in pursuit of Kurdish forces, whom it regards as the enemy because of Kurdish hopes of forming its own country in territory that includes parts of Turkey. The Kurds had been fighting alongside U.S. troops in the battle against ISIS, but became vulnerable to Turkish attack when announced that U.S. forces would be moved out of the area, effectively giving Turkey the go-ahead to invade.
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Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the last U.S. troops in Syria will be evacuated https://t.co/TyEhxJoRMU
— POLITICO (@politico) October 13, 2019
The United States of Blackwater. https://t.co/wM1y0OztoI
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 12, 2019
I believe there is strong bipartisan support for such sanction’s and it is imperative that we do not allow Turkey’s aggression to lead to the destruction of a valuable ally – the Kurds – and the reemergence of ISIS.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 13, 2019
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American troops under attack
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In Syria. By Turks.— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2019
Correct. There was much to criticize about force posture and assets avail viz Benghazi, but it wasn't the lurid conspiracy hooha.
Trump's green light in Syria would be as if Obama said, "Hey! You should raid the consulate and kill them all! I won't do a thing! Go for it!" https://t.co/8fsKvrdtP4
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2019Trump’s record of standing up for human rights:
•China puts Uighurs in concentration camps- silence
•Hong Kong residents fight for freedom- not a word
•Turkey massacres our allies the Kurds- “Let them”— Evan Siegfried (@evansiegfried) October 13, 2019
Defense Secretary Mark Esper: “The Turks now intend to go further south [in Syria] than originally expected and to go both west and east.” @FoxNewsSunday
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 13, 2019
SPOILER: Trump won't do a damned thing. https://t.co/Xt6WBU7rXa
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2019
Worst SECDEF in decades must resign. https://t.co/jp6xWxuUEe
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2019CBS's @margbrennan: “To be clear, the reasons the Syrian Kurds are striking a deal here is to protect themselves from being killed by Turkey.”@EsperDoD: “That’s right.” https://t.co/ZPyHFefk9R
— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) October 13, 2019
MIGA
Make ISIS Great Again https://t.co/zwIo89CLeK
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) October 13, 2019
This administration is running so smoothly. https://t.co/eHnJKFFI4m
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) October 13, 2019
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