KURDS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just weeks ago, aides to President Donald Trump unveiled a task force charged with preventing ethnic cleansing, genocide and other mass atrocities — and holding accountable the perpetrators of such crimes around the world. The effort was driven in part by Congress, but aides cast it as part of Trump’s ‘comprehensive approach’ to human rights. ‘We’re very excited about this,’ one senior administration official said in a mid-September briefing that drew little attention. Now, Trump himself faces the prospect of a mass atrocity directly following his decisions. By suddenly pulling U.S. troops from northeast Syria, analysts say Trump has left the Kurdish population there — including many who fought as U.S. allies against the Islamic State terrorist group — vulnerable to invading Turkish forces. Trump didn’t help his case when, in a nod to Turkey’s view that many Kurds are terrorists, he said the Turks needed the area ‘cleaned out.’”
–Nahal Toosi, “Trump pledged to prevent atrocities. Now he may face one on his watch.,” Politico, October 22, 2019 6:26 pm