Trump Announces Syria Withdrawal; Mattis Resigns
President Donald Trump speaks with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Vice President Michael Pence at the Pentagon in July 2017 after a meeting of the National Security Council. (Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique A. Pineiro, U.S. Department of Defense)
President Donald Trump announced the complete withdrawal of American troops from Syria on December 19, pledging to remove all 2,000 American service-members from the Middle Eastern country. A U.S.-led coalition has been fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) since 2014. U.S. troops have focused primarily on training local security forces in eastern Syria.
Trump tweeted that he ordered the withdrawal because ISIS had been defeated, saying that “after historic victories against ISIS, it’s time to bring our great young people home!” His order came despite significant opposition among his military and civilian advisers, including top generals, diplomats, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis. They argued that the withdrawal surrenders U.S. influence in Syria to Russia and Iran while also abandoning Kurdish allies in the region, leaving them vulnerable to Turkish attacks.
A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies states that ISIS is far from defeated, estimating that 20,000 to 30,000 militants of the terrorist organization might still be in Iraq and Syria.
Senior politicians have largely panned the move. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized the decision, calling it “a huge, Obama-like mistake–” in reference to former-President Barack Obama’s decision to pull forces out of Iraq and Afghanistan–with “devastating consequences” for both the country and the world. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) called it a “major blunder,” echoing statements from Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who said the “dangerous decision” would destabilize the region and undermine key allies.
A Defense Department official suggested to the New York Times that Trump withdrew from Syria to draw attention away from the increasing legal challenges he and his administration face at home. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) condemned the withdrawal, pointing out that it occurred a day after former-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn appeared in court for sentencing after admitting to working for Turkey, a country with clear interests in the Syrian conflict and the U.S. withdrawal. “All Americans should be concerned,” Pelosi said.
The international reaction has been muted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “an American decision” and that his government would analyze the implications of the withdrawal. Experts on the region, however, believe the withdrawal will severely limit Israel’s attempts to rein in Iranian influence in Syria, a critical national security goal for the country.
The Russian government praised the move, saying it would help negotiators reach a conclusion to the Syrian Civil War and create a “real prospect for a political solution” in the region.
Despite an unclear timeline for the withdrawal, the move has already brought serious repercussions. Mattis resigned a day after the announcement, making it clear in his resignation letter that he did so due to critical differences in opinion with Trump. His letter reaffirms his belief in the importance of U.S. alliances with other countries, alliances Trump has frequently disparaged and undermined, as well as the importance of limiting China and Russia, the latter of which, analysts believe, gains the most from a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. He states in the letter that Trump has “the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned” with his own.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he was “distressed” to hear of Mattis’ resignation. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the resignation “scary,” and described Mattis as “an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration.”
Trump announced on December 23 that Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan would replace Mattis as acting secretary of defense starting January 1, two months ahead of the date Mattis set in his resignation letter. Aides say Trump decided to hasten Mattis’s remove and slight him after days of intense negative news coverage over the resignation.
Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter ISIS, also resigned on December 21 over the planned withdrawal from Syria.