Trump's Syria Debacle Unnerves Allies, Comforts Enemies and Squanders U.S. Power

There are any number of defensible arguments in support of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria. It is safe to assume that Trump didn’t consider any of them. Instead, Trump seems to have acted as ever on impulse, out of a misguided sense that his instinct is a better guide than strategic planning and historical literacy. His decision reveals not an infallible instinct but a failure to understand three core elements of American power: assurance, deterrence and leverage. To begin with the theoretical arguments in support of withdrawing from northeastern Syria, first and foremost, the []

U.S. spies fear allies will stop sharing intel under Russia

US allies praise Trump's strikes on a Syria airbase

False Security: Trump and the Ten Commandments (Plus One) of the

The Spoils of War: Trump Lavished With Media and Bipartisan Praise

Trump: US never agreed to protect Syrian Kurd allies 'for the rest

Political Cartoons: Trump stands by decision to abandon Kurdish

Trump Condemns Syria Attack But Won't Telegraph US Response - CBS

World Politics Review

The Spoils of War: Trump Lavished With Media and Bipartisan Praise

Was Trump's Syria Strike Illegal? Explaining Presidential War

Trump's Syria threats won't scare Bashar al-Assad. He's in this

Trump downplays U.S. alliance with Syrian Kurds, saying 'they didn't

Friends become enemies': Trump's Syria strike stirs up alt-right

Trump blames Putin, Obama for 'Animal Assad,' tweets 'big price

Trump: US never agreed to protect Syrian Kurd allies 'for the rest