The President will speak at 11 today on Syria and the Middle East. I am guessing he will claim victory, tout the cease fire and say everyone is happy.
Syria, Turkey, Iran and Russia might be, but someone should check with the Kurds. I don’t think they quite are. They have though, completed the withdrawal of the safe zone during the cease fire period.
Now here’s the new world order in the Middle East:
Russia and Turkey reached an agreement to take control of the territory once held by Kurdish forces. (Northeastern Syria).
Under this new pact, Russian and Syrian forces oversee the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters.
This agreement further strengthens Russia’s ties with Turkey (A NATO Member), and shows the shift in the areas balance of power.
After their departure, Turkey and Russia will join forces to patrol (and control) the area. (300 miles).
One more key point here.
The agreement bolsters Russia’s support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He can now regain control over more of his country’s territory. It was why Russia went into the area to start.
So we have a new power player in the area and it’s Russia.
We’re out of the Middle East right? Not quite.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper met this week with the king of Saudi Arabia as the U.S. does a troop buildup there. (This is part of the agreement the President touted as one Saudi Arabia is paying us for).
What’s the end result?
Well on day one Russia is the power player in the area. Turkey gets what it wants. Assad gets to survive and is beholden to Russia. The Kurds lose.
So, it looks like clear winners and losers right?
Except this is the middle east and the divisions are so great that the minute you think you have it under control bombs start exploding. So let’s see.
The main question for the U.S. now is do the other players in the area still trust us? Saudi Arabia is so scared they are paying us to stay. What about the others? Egypt? Iraq? Qatar?
Add this, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said he has reduced the number of American troops in the country in an effort to boost military efficiency. This on top of the failed talks with the Taliban.
The area remains violable and needs a steady, thoughtful approach as we proceed. What is not needed is another shoot first plan later move, by the President.
Some other news and thoughts
With close to 95% of the MSM coverage on the President and administration remaining negative it is difficult for the nation to calm and catch a breadth.
Yesterday there was major noise about the President using the word “lynching” referring to the probes of him. Major news all over the airwaves.
Yet did they tell you that Biden, Kerry and so many others used the same word (which they the MSM supported) in referring to the Clinton impeachment? They are shameless in their reporting just assuming the average viewer is too dense to see through it.
Meanwhile:
We get selective releases from the closed door “inquiry” on whether to impeach the President. Think about that. If this were reversed and the President a Democrat and congress Republican, would the media be doing what it is? I don’t think so, they would condemning every aspect of the “secrecy”.
The fact that congress slowed the timeline to bring this up tells you the story is not falling in place as they thought it would. You would never know this watching the MSM.