US Syria pullout may be more than Turkey asked for

The haste with which President Donald Trump appears to be dumping the Americans’ Syrian Kurdish allies is not necessarily what Turkey’s president had hoped for and will likely pose new problems for Ankara.
A man gestures at U.S military vehicles driving in the town of Darbasiya next to the Turkish border, Syria April 28, 2017. REUTERS/Rodi Said TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC15AC3FC730
A man gestures at US military vehicles driving in the town of Darbasiya, Syria, next to the Turkish border, April 28, 2017. - REUTERS/Rodi Said
AmberinZaman.jpg
Amberin Zaman
@amberinzaman

As President Donald Trump’s bombshell decision to withdraw all US forces from Syria begins to sink in, for Ankara, the adage “be careful what you wish for, you might get it” may well be flitting through official minds.

Amid all the self-congratulatory chest-thumping, the haste with which Trump appears to be dumping the United States’ Syrian Kurdish allies is not necessarily what Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had banked on.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more