Trump's plan to pull troops back in Syria threatens chaos in the region, sparks GOP revolt
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's decision to pull remaining U.S. troops back from northeastern Syria threatens to revive the Islamic State terrorist group and destabilize the volatile region, senior U.S. officials said Monday, while senior Republicans in Congress angrily rebuked the president as he fights an impeachment inquiry.
Trump abruptly announced the move late Sunday without consulting top Pentagon or State Department advisers, sparking a cascade of warnings that withdrawing even the token U.S. force - up to 100 special operations troops - will allow Turkey to launch a long-planned military operation aimed at eliminating the Kurdish fighters long backed by Washington, the officials warned.
Without U.S. support, the Kurdish fighters who form the bulk of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State are expected to shift to fighting Turkish troops and to release some of the 12,000 Islamic State fighters they now hold in camps, the U.S. officials warned. The militant group has lost its territory but could pose a potent threat if reinforcements return.
