President-elect Donald Trump called for nonintervention in Syria, blaming the escalating situation on former President Barack Obama.
In his first public statement on the recent anti-government offensive in Syria, Trump voiced his preference for neutrality in the conflict, while suggesting that the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could be good for Russia and Syria.
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“Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said that Russia would be unable to stop the rebel advance on Damascus due to being tied up in Ukraine. He then blamed the whole situation on Obama.
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“This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in,” Trump said, referring to Obama’s decision not to strike Syria after the 2013 Ghouta chemical attack. “But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them. There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid.”
“In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” he concluded.
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The situation in Syria has dramatically transformed over just ten days. The war had been stagnant for four years, with many accepting what seemed like an Assad victory. That all changed on Nov. 27, when a jihadist-led blitz out of the rebel enclave of Idlib smashed through Syrian Arab Army lines, leading to a massive rout. As of Saturday, the situation is the worst for Assad since the beginning of the war, with his defeat seeming all but certain.
The Biden administration has watched the unfolding chaos with caution, voicing neutrality.
Trump’s position on Syria has swayed throughout the years. He’s largely taken a position of nonintervention, though he launched a cruise missile attack against SAA infrastructure after the April 2017 Khan Shaykhun chemical attack.
He is set to inherit a vastly different Syria on Jan. 20. The anti-Assad group leading the assault, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is an outgrowth of Al Qaeda, and is believed by the U.S. to still have significant ties.
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Many in Trump’s camp have advocated strongly against intervention in Syria, with some even urging tacit or direct support for Assad as a bulwark against terrorism. His nominee for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, met with Assad in 2017. She has voiced staunch opposition to any attempts at removing him from power.
“Assad is not the enemy of the United States, because Syria does not pose a direct threat to the United States,” Gabbard said in a 2019 appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “My point is that whether it is Syria or any of these other countries, we need to look at how their interests are counter to or aligned with ours.”
