Let’s assume the letter had nothing to do with it.
There is a cease-fire. No American lives lost. Are you for that or against it?
Did his strategy work out or didn’t it?
Erdoğan suddenly understood the box he was in when Trump authorized Treasury secretary Mnuchin to prepare sanctions against Turkey. By themselves, sanctions haven’t succeeded much in that part of the world. But in concert with the departure of the U.S., they became a scary signal that Turkey was all by her lonesome. Having steadfastly refused to negotiate, Erdoğan now nervously rang up Trump and asked for an emergency conference. Trump sent Vice President Pence and national security adviser O’Brien to mediate negotiations with the Kurds.
These are the long sought negotiations, brought about by U.S. troops leaving .
False dichotomy. American lives are not the only thing of importance here. If no American lives were lost, but hundreds of non-Americans were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, we should still be happy?
No. What is there to be happy about? By Trumps incompetence, Turkey invaded northern Syria, killed Kurdish soldiers, and civilians. Isis prisoners freed. Russians invaded northern Syria, and take formerly held US positions.
Why are we supposed to be happy a temporary ceasefire was put in place, to try and fix Trumps mistakes?
No Americans were lost. Fact. Turkey is not firing. Fact. Turkey does not call this a cease fire. Fact. Turkey has demanded the Kurds withdraw from northern Syria or attacks will resume. Fact. Hundreds have died and hundreds of thousands were displaced during Operation Spring Peace. Fact.
It’s great no American lives were lost. That doesn’t mean I’m happy with the current situation.
