Trump might leave 500 troops in Syria, send in tanks, to guard oil fields
President Trump is considering leaving about 500 U.S. troops in Syria and sending in dozens of battle tanks and other military equipment to help guard oil fields currently held by Kurdish forces, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The evolving plan underscores the ongoing security threats in Syria and, potentially, White House sensitivity to a congressional rebuke," The Washington Post adds. "It also highlights that the U.S. mission appears to be shifting from one focused on fighting the Islamic State to at least partly keeping the country's own government from possessing all its oil fields."
Trump tweeted Thursday that "we will NEVER let a reconstituted ISIS have those fields!" But Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said after a small White House briefing that "we will leave troops there to make sure that Iran does not, Russia doesn't get, Assad doesn't get those oil wells."
Trump started shifting from his Oct. 6 decision to withdraw all 1,000 U.S. troops to protecting the oil fields after an Oct. 8 meeting with retired Gen. Jack Keane, a Fox News analyst, and an Oct. 14 follow-up meeting with Keane and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), NBC News reports. They showed Trump a map and argued that Iran would get the oil if the U.S. left, rather than focusing on "Russia, which officials say is far more capable and likely to make moves to harness the oil." Trump soon started talking publicly about a need to "secure the oil."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump also apparently views his oil field protection plan as a boon to the Kurds amid bipartisan complaints he abandoned the key U.S. ally. "We'll work something out with the Kurds so that they have some money, so that they have some cash flow," Trump said on Monday. "Maybe we'll get one of our big oil companies to go in and do it properly." On Thursday he tweeted: "Perhaps it is time for the Kurds to start heading to the Oil Region!" Such an exodus, The Guardian notes, would entail "a population transfer from the Kurdish areas along the border with Turkey southwards to the almost entirely Sunni Arab area of Deir al-Zour."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
5 high-caliber cartoons about Kristi Noem shooting her puppy
Cartoons Artists take on the rainbow bridge, a farm upstate, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why is the world running low on blood?
Podcast Scientists believe universal donor blood is within reach – plus, the row over an immersive D-Day simulation, and an Ozempic faux pas
By The Week Staff Published
-
Rishi Sunak's asylum spat with Ireland explained
In Depth Irish government plans to override court ruling that the UK is unsafe for asylum seekers
By The Week UK Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published