BORDER/MEDIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I am in the White House, working hard. News reports concerning the Shutdown and Syria are mostly FAKE. We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay. On Syria, we were originally…” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, December 22, […]
Category: Syria
12/21/2018
ECONOMY/FEDERAL RESERVE/JAMES MATTIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It’s been a wild ride in Washington, D.C., this week and the turmoil has roiled stocks. The Federal Reserve increased a benchmark interest rate again, upsetting investors who fear that higher borrowing costs will crimp corporate growth. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned after President Trump unexpectedly announced the pullout of […]
12/21/2018
ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “General Anthony Tata, author, ‘Dark Winter.’ I think the President is making the exact right move in Syria. All the geniuses who are protesting the withdrawal of troops from Syria are the same geniuses who cooked the books on ISIS intelligence and gave rise to ISIS.’” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, December 21, […]
12/20/2018
MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump on Thursday ’12-20-18] responded to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s fiery rebuke of the president’s decision to pull troops out of Syria, accusing the South Carolina senator of being against saving the lives of soldiers serving overseas. The war of words between the Trump and the Republican senator happened after […]
12/20/2018
SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump slapped back at one of his biggest supporters-turned-gadfly on Thursday [12-20-18], accusing Sen. Lindsey Graham of opposing fewer military casualties by urging Trump to reconsider pulling U.S. forces out of Syria. Since word got out that Trump had made the sudden decision to begin withdrawing troops from the […]
12/20/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “James Jeffrey, President Donald Trump‘s special representative for Syria engagement, probably should have seen it coming. In August 2016, the well-respected veteran diplomat signed an open letter denouncing then-presidential candidate Trump as a danger to America. ‘In our experience,’ Jeffrey and dozens of fellow ‘Never Trumpers’ wrote, ‘a president must […]
12/20/2018
ISIS/MIDDLE EAST/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home […]
12/20/2018
AFGHANISTAN/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The US military has been ordered to begin planning to withdraw about half the troops in Afghanistan, a US defense official with direct knowledge of the matter told CNN on Thursday [12-20-18]. The official said planning is underway, and it could take months to withdraw the nearly 7,000 troops. The decision was […]
12/20/2018
AFGHANISTAN/JAMES MATTIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “By plainly stating his policy differences in his resignation letter, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has sparked an incipient challenge to President Donald Trump’s foreign and security agenda that sets his departure apart from scores of others that preceded him. Mattis, a retired Marine general who was highly regarded by Republicans […]
12/19/2018
AFGHANISTAN/ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WAR: “President Donald Trump is pulling out of the wrong war at the wrong time. (The right war to bring to an end, as he’s toyed with in the past, is Afghanistan, which after 17 years is probably unwinnable.) But unless cooler, saner heads in the Pentagon, the White House or his political […]
12/19/2018
IRAN/ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration announced Wednesday [12-19-18] that all 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria will start returning home very soon. President Donald Trump, who had long expressed his discomfort with an extended military deployment in Syria, explained his decision in a tweet: ‘We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being […]
12/19/2018
GOP/MIKE PENCE/SENATE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “GOP senators leveled blistering criticism at Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday [12-19-18] for President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria, with multiple Republican senators expressing outrage and frustration. Pence was dispatched to the Hill as the administration began absorbing a torrent of condemnation from hawkish Republicans, who blasted the […]
12/19/2018
ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States has defeated the Islamic State in Syria, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday [12-19-18], adding that it was the only reason he had kept troops in the country. ‘We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,’ Trump wrote on Twitter. […]
12/19/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WAR: “President Trump has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 American troops from Syria, bringing a sudden end to a military campaign that largely vanquished the Islamic State but ceding a strategically vital country to Russia and Iran. In overruling his generals and civilian advisers, Mr. Trump fulfilled his frequently expressed desire to bring […]
12/19/2018
ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, December 19, 2018 9:29 am […]
12/19/2018
GOP/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WAR: “Seated at the head of his Situation Room conference table, President Donald Trump was adamant: American troops must come home from Syria. He had just announced as much to a crowd in Ohio. The assembled military and national security advisers told him the move was rash and unwise. So he gave […]
9/18/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday [9-18-18] that Syria likely shot down a Russian military plane near its coast, adding that the United States and other countries are close to eliminating the presence of Islamic State in Syria and the region. ‘It sounds to me and it seems to me based […]
9/6/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is walking back the notion of an imminent pullout of US forces from Syria, promising to remain until there is an ‘enduring defeat’ of ISIS. ‘This means we are not in a hurry to pull out,’ said Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, the newly appointed US special representative, noting that creating […]
9/5/2018
JAMES MATTIS/MEDIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday [9-5-18] said he did not discuss assassinating Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, disputing an account in a forthcoming book by journalist Bob Woodward. Trump, speaking to reporters during a visit with Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, said a possible assassination was ‘never even discussed’…Trump […]
9/5/2018
FOREIGN DIGNITARIES/MIDDLE EAST/SYRIA/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said terrorism, Syria and Yemen were among the topics of discussion during a White House meeting Wednesday with the emir of Kuwait. Trump said Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah was a ‘very special friend’ of his, while the 89-year-old Kuwaiti ruler said he was ‘very happy’ […]
9/4/2018
IRAN/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Kremlin dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning to Syria not to launch an offensive in the rebel-held enclave of Idlib, saying on Tuesday [9-4-18] the area was a ‘nest of terrorists’. Trump on Monday [9-3-18] warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Iran and Russia not to ‘recklessly attack’ the […]
9/4/2018
MEDIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump wanted to have Syrian President Bashar al-Assad assassinated last year but his defense secretary ignored the request, according to a new book that depicts top Trump aides sometimes sidestepping instructions to limit what they see as his damaging and dangerous behavior. Excerpts from the book, entitled ‘Fear’ and written […]
9/4/2018
IRAN/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “US President Donald Trump has warned the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies against ‘recklessly’ attacking rebel-held Idlib province. In a tweet he warned of “a grave humanitarian mistake” in which hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. Syrian government forces are said to be preparing a huge offensive […]
9/4/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Kremlin dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning to Syria not to launch an offensive in the rebel-held enclave of Idlib, saying on Tuesday [9-4-18] that the area was a ‘nest of terrorism’. Trump on Monday [9-3-18] warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Iran and Russia not to ‘recklessly attack’ […]
9/3/2018
IRAN/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must not recklessly attack Idlib Province. The Russians and Iranians would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this potential human tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. Don’t let that happen!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 3, 2018 05:20 pm […]
9/3/2018
IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump warned Syria and its allies Russia and Iran on Monday [9-3-18] against attacking the last major rebel stronghold of Idlib province in the country’s northwest…Hours after the tweet, Russian planes struck parts of western Idlib, according to an activist media group and Syrian rescue group the White Helmets. […]
9/3/2018
IRAN/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday [9-3-18] warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Iran and Russia not to ‘recklessly attack’ Syria’s rebel-held Idlib province, warning that hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. ‘The Russians and Iranians would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this […]
8/18/2018
MIDDLE EAST/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States has ended the ridiculous 230 Million Dollar yearly development payment to Syria. Saudi Arabia and other rich countries in the Middle East will start making payments instead of the U.S. I want to develop the U.S., our military and countries that help us!” –Donald Trump, Twitter.com, August 18, […]
7/23/2018
MIKE POMPEO/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday [7-23-18] he ‘gave up nothing’ at last week’s private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin but remained elusive about their conversation as fellow Republicans and other critics questioned any potential deals. Following the two leaders’ summit in Helsinki, Trump previously said they discussed a […]
7/22/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “As the administration prepares for another summit meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, there is division within the U.S. ranks over Moscow’s intentions and whether the two sides will be able to cooperate on a range of issues including the conflict in Syria. Mr. Trump has expressed […]
7/19/2018
MIDDLE EAST/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A top commander of U.S. military operations in Syria said he wasn’t informed of any agreements President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached at their summit this week. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East, said Thursday [7-19-18] in a […]
6/28/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump once again raised the idea of pulling the US out of Syria this week — this time privately during a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House, according to two diplomatic sources familiar with the sit-down. The two leaders discussed Syria at length. One source […]
6/1/2018
DEFENSE/IRAQ/ISIS/MIDDLE EAST/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Pentagon has told Congress it estimates that nearly 500 civilians were killed as a result of US military actions in the first year of the Trump administration. ‘(The Department of Defense) assesses that there are credible reports of approximately 499 civilians killed and approximately 169 civilians injured during 2017’ as […]
5/29/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House has tried to avoid discussing a February skirmish between U.S. troops and Russian mercenaries in Syria, but that didn’t stop President Donald Trump from bragging about the Pentagon’s performance at a recent closed-door fundraiser. The details of the battle remain classified, but speaking to donors in midtown Manhattan last […]
5/8/2018
IRAN/ISRAEL/MILITARY/SYRIA: “There are increasing concerns Iran is on the cusp of an attack against Israel, several US military officials told CNN. Intelligence is not clear on when an attack could come and what form it would take, they said, with one official noting that ‘if there is an attack it might not be immediately clear […]
4/24/2018
FRANCE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Donald Trump is not the only President who wants to make his country great again — his first state dinner guest, Emmanuel Macron, wants to do the same. That’s why the young, pragmatic French President is giving the impression that there’s nothing he’d rather do than spend time with his scandal-plagued US […]
4/24/2018
FRANCE/IRAN/SYRIA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Having great meetings and discussions with my friend, President @EmmanuelMacron of France. We are in the midst of meetings on Iran, Syria and Trade. We will be holding a joint press conference shortly, here at the @WhiteHouse. ???? https://t.co/ju1FXhgjaD“ –Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 24, 2018 11:43 am […]
4/23/2018
FRANCE/IRAN/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is deploying the full trappings of formal state entertaining for the first time on Monday [4-23-18] in the hopes an elaborate display of diplomacy can lead to a deeper bond with French President Emmanuel Macron. But beneath the pomp and circumstance the state visit will bring — streets lined […]
4/19/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The drama of U.S. and allied missile strikes on Syria has obscured a sobering fact: The U.S.-led campaign to eliminate the Islamic State from Syria has stalled. The U.S. has 2,000 troops in Syria assisting local Arab and Kurdish fighters against IS, even as President Donald Trump resists deeper U.S. involvement and […]
4/18/2018
CONGRESS/MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Many lawmakers have expressed support for the recent missile strikes against Syria, launched without congressional approval, but a number harbor concerns that the White House believes it now has broad authority to undertake further, riskier attacks that could lead to full-blown war. They say the Trump administration has expressed an expansive […]
4/18/2018
IRAN/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SENATE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Lawmakers emerged from a classified administration briefing on Tuesday [4-17-18] expressing concern about administration policy on Syria and the legal justification for last week’s military strikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. ‘I am very unnerved by what I’m hearing and seeing,’ said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican… The administration […]
4/17/2018
SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “RT @WhiteHouse: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s April 7 attack on innocent civilians violated international law, the Chemical Weapons Co…” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 17, 2018 12:25 PM […]
4/16/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/SANCTIONS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Trump rejected, for now at least, a fresh round of sanctions set to be imposed against Russia on Monday [4-16-18], a course change that underscored the schism between the president and his national security team. The president’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, had announced on Sunday […]
4/16/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SANCTIONS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The White House says a decision on new economic sanctions against Russia will be made soon — not committing to an announcement Monday [4-16-2018] that U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley had said to expect… Haley had said Sunday [4-15-18] that new sanctions were coming against Russia for enabling the government of Syrian […]
4/16/2018
BRITAIN/FRANCE/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The three-country coalition that launched airstrikes in Syria came together despite persistent trans-Atlantic tensions—a period of unity made possible, White House officials said, because of good relations between the U.S. and French presidents and an alliance against Russia that eased strains with the U.K. The coalition was rooted in the shared goal […]
4/16/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is seeking to assemble an Arab force to replace the U.S. military contingent in Syria and help stabilize the northeastern part of the country after the defeat of Islamic State, U.S. officials said. John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s new national security adviser, recently called Abbas Kamel, Egypt’s acting intelligence […]
4/16/2018
RUSSIA/SANCTIONS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The Trump administration said Monday [4-16-18] that it is evaluating prospects for new sanctions against Russian entities and companies involved in Syria’s chemical-weapons program, a day after a top diplomat said Washington was ready to impose new punitive actions…On Sunday [4-15-18], the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said […]
4/16/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump deferred to his Pentagon chief’s caution and tempered his preference for a more robust attack on Syria over allegations it used deadly gas on civilians, the first hints at the direction of his revamped national-security team. The decision late last week, detailed by people familiar with the process, […]
4/15/2018
MEDIA/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term ‘Mission Accomplished.’ I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use […]
4/14/2018
ISIS/OBAMA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “‘Welcome to the NBA.’ That was Barack Obama’s Inauguration-Day message to Donald Trump, when the outgoing president laid out the particularly nasty policy dilemma his successor faced in war-ravaged Syria. The question was whether to arm Kurdish fighters battling ISIS in eastern Syria, a seemingly arcane but hugely sensitive question with major […]
4/14/2018
BRITAIN/FRANCE/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 14, 2018 7:21 am […]
4/13/2018
FBI/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Donald Trump this week stepped up preparations to counter political and military challenges that could reshape his presidency, girding for a strike against Syria and pushing a campaign to discredit the Justice Department. Several aides described Mr. Trump seething over an FBI raid of his personal attorney’s files and […]
4/12/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Britain, France and the U.S. united Thursday [4-12-18] around broad plans for a military strike against Syria as they worked to bridge differences over the scope and purpose of a coordinated response to a suspected chemical weapons attack, U.S. officials said. President Donald Trump met with his national security team on […]
4/12/2018
EU/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump said in a tweet early Thursday that he had never telegraphed the timing of an attack on Syria, and that such a strike — for which he put Russia and Syria on notice just one day earlier — ‘could be very soon or not so soon at all!’ France, on […]
4/12/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TWITTER: “President Donald Trump on Thursday [4-12-18] softened his rhetoric about potential airstrikes on Syria, a day after warning Russia that missiles ‘will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart.’ In an early morning tweet and later in comments at the White House, Trump attempted to cloud the timing of military action — […]
4/12/2018
JAMES MATTIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Thursday [4-12-18] said the U.S. has enough proof to act in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria, and President Donald Trump is looking at all his options…The Syrian government allegedly used chemical weapons on civilians in a suburb […]
4/12/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TWITTER: “In a series of tweets and pronouncements in recent days, President Donald Trump has outlined a military operation still in the planning stages, spelled out a decision timetable and pointed to the kinds of weapons he may use. ‘Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’’ he […]
4/12/2018
MIKE POMPEO/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Two of the Trump administration’s most senior national security officials go before lawmakers Thursday [4-12-18] in the midst of high-level U.S. planning for a possible military strike against Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack. Secretary of State-nominee Mike Pompeo faces the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation […]
4/12/2018
ISIS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our ‘Thank you America?’” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 12, 2018 […]
4/11/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN AFFAIRS/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TWITTER: “President Trump’s fusillade of tweets about Syria, Russia and China this week set a new standard for contradictory and inconsistent positions in Mr. Trump’s approach to war, trade and relations with adversaries. The president promised never to telegraph military action against an enemy, yet all but showcased a coming missile strike […]
4/11/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday [4-11-18] said that U.S. missiles ‘will be coming’ to Syria, and warned he was willing to challenge Russia directly in launching a military strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over an alleged chemical-weapons attack. On Twitter Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump wrote: ‘Russia vows to shoot down any […]
4/11/2018
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Russia collusion probe. The Stormy Daniels allegations. The escalating tension with Moscow. The tempests that have separately buffeted the White House for months merged into a maelstrom this week and threatened to engulf President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday [4-11-18] railed against members of the Justice Department by name and […]
4/11/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’ You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 11, 2018 5:57 am […]
4/10/2018
FBI/MICHAEL COHEN/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump canceled a trip to South America that was to have begun on Friday [4-13-18], the White House announced on Tuesday [4-10-18], citing the crisis in Syria as Mr. Trump fumed publicly about F.B.I. raids targeting his personal lawyer. In a brief statement, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press […]
4/10/2018
MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump and his advisers on Tuesday [4-10-18] weighed a more robust retaliatory strike against Syria than last year’s missile attack, reasoning that only an escalation of force would look credible and possibly serve as a deterrent against further use of chemical weapons on Syrian civilians. A pair of Navy warships in […]
4/9/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump on Monday [4-9-18] denounced the suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people in Syria over the weekend as a ‘barbaric act,’ and said he will make a decision in the next 24 to 48 hours about whether to retaliate militarily as he did to a similar assault […]
4/9/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Monday [4-9-18] he is likely to make a decision by the end of the day about the U.S. response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed dozens of civilians. In a cabinet meeting Monday, Mr. Trump denounced the weekend attack as ‘atrocious’ and said […]
4/9/2018
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Donald Trump always strives to command center stage, but the pugilistic American President is now embroiled in so many escalating global and domestic tests of will, it’s becoming impossible to keep count. Unrestrained and lashing out at enemies at home and abroad, Trump is increasingly exporting the turbulence that has exhausted […]
4/9/2018
SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “RT @StateDept: .@POTUS Trump condemns the heinous attack on innocent Syrians with banned chemical weapons. #Syria” https://t.co/qiEahlL3Ah -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, April 9, 2018, 11:55 am […]
4/9/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VLADIMIR PUTIN: “Can you have a good relationship with the leader of Russia at the same time you have a bad relationship with the country of Russia? The quest to do exactly that has been at the heart of President Donald Trump’s global strategy. He has tried hard to separate his leader-to-leader relationship […]
4/8/2018
RUSSIA/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VLADIMIR PUTIN/WAR: “President Trump on Sunday [4-8-18] promised a ‘big price’ to be paid for what he said was a chemical weapons attack that choked dozens of Syrians to death the day before, and a top White House official said the administration would not rule out a missile strike to retaliate against the […]
4/5/2018
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump grew irritated with his top military brass and national security team on Tuesday [4-3-18] when they advised him an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Syria would be unwise and could not provide a timeline for when American forces could exit, people familiar with the matter said. In […]
4/4/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House said on Wednesday [4-4-18] that the United States is committed to continuing to fight the Islamic State in Syria, signaling a retreat by President Trump from his insistence that the 2,000 American forces there quickly return home from the conflict…Mr. Trump met with military commanders to discuss the future […]
4/4/2018
MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has agreed to keep U.S. troops in Syria, U.S. officials said on Wednesday [4-4-18], but only until the defeat of the Islamic State extremist group, a task he expects to be completed in a matter of months. Mr. Trump’s decision, at a White House meeting, was a recognition of […]
4/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The leaders of three major players in Syria — Russia, Iran and Turkey — ended a summit Wednesday [4-4-18] with a commitment to achieving a ‘lasting ceasefire’ in Syria, even as the future role of US forces in the country remains in doubt. The meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara brought […]
4/4/2018
ISIS/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The mission in Syria is ‘coming to a rapid end,’ the White House said Wednesday [4-4-18], amid calls by President Donald Trump to withdraw troops in Syria from the continuing war against Islamic State. The White House offered no timetable for the U.S. presence in Syria but said the Trump administration along […]
3/30/2018
MILITANTS/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump is telling advisers he wants an early exit of U.S. troops from Syria, two senior administration officials said on Friday [3-30-18], a stance that may put him at odds with many top U.S. officials.Trump is spending Easter weekend at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate. During a speech in Richfield, […]
3/11/2018
MILITARY/NATO/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “The U.S. military has sharply reduced combat operations at Turkey’s Incirlik air base and is considering permanent cutbacks there, according to U.S. officials, a shift they said was driven by tensions between Washington and Ankara. The base was the centerpiece of the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State for several years, but conflicting […]
3/7/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TURKEY: “The Turkish government took the extraordinary step on Wednesday [3-7-18] of asking the United States to stop Kurdish commanders from diverting their forces from areas of eastern Syria to the fight in Afrin in the west. The request followed an announcement from the Kurdish forces, which are allied with the United States in […]
2/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAQ/REX TILLERSON/STATE/SYRIA: “The Trump administration has decided that it needs no new legal authority from Congress to indefinitely keep American military forces deployed in Syria and Iraq, even in territory that has been cleared of Islamic State fighters, according to Pentagon and State Department officials. In a pair of letters, the officials illuminated the […]
2/13/2108
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “Four Russian nationals, and perhaps dozens more, were killed in fighting between pro-government forces in eastern Syria and members of the United States-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, according to Russian and Syrian officials. A Syrian military officer said that about 100 Russian soldiers had been killed in the fighting on Feb. 7 and […]
2/11/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATO/SYRIA/TURKEY: “Western diplomats hope to use a high-level gathering of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization this week to keep members U.S. and Turkey from going to battle against each other in Syria. They have already come close to direct conflict. Turkey, angered by U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish militants whom Ankara considers terrorists, has […]
2/8/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The American-backed coalition in Syria has repelled an attack by forces supporting the Assad government, carrying out deadly strikes Wednesday [2-7-18] night, in a rare confrontation between competing factions that have both fought the Islamic State… The S.D.F., a mix of Kurdish, Arab and other fighters, is allied with the international […]
2/8/2018
MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “Syria condemned a rare U.S. airstrike on forces fighting for President Bashar al-Assad and Russia ratcheted up criticism of Washington’s military operations, as tensions rose in a resource-rich part of the country that has been relatively calm in recent months. The U.S. military launched the strike and aimed artillery fire at the pro-regime forces […]
2/1/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration warned Syria about an increase in the use of poison gas against civilians, despite last year’s cruise-missile strike aimed at deterring the Assad regime from carrying out such attacks. U.S. officials on Thursday [2-1-18] said the Syrian military was shifting tactics to try to conceal its role in […]
1/31/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration extended protections for roughly 7,000 Syrian nationals in the US due to the ongoing civil war in the country, the agency announced Wednesday [1-31-18] evening. But Syrians who arrived in the US after August 2016 will not be eligible under the new policy. The protections for Syria were […]
1/30/2018
9/11/DEFENSE/IRAQ/ISIS/SYRIA/TALIBAN/TERRORISM/TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS: “By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Findings. (a) Consistent with long-standing law of war principles and applicable law, the United States may detain certain persons captured in connection with an […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TURKEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House sent out a message aimed at mollifying Turkey’s president on Tuesday [1-23-18], suggesting that the United States was easing off its support for the Syrian Kurds. That message was quickly contradicted by the Pentagon, which said it would continue to stand by the Kurds, even as Turkey invaded […]
1/23/2018
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he is holding Russia accountable for a new chemical weapon attack believed to be conducted by Syrian government forces near Damascus on Monday [1-22-18]. Moscow’s failure to halt chemical strikes calls into question Russia’s ability to participate in efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, Mr. Tillerson […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE/SYRIA: “The U.S. will turn its focus in Syria to moving to reduce Iranian influence there, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a policy speech that marked a shift in U.S. strategy in Syria away from Islamic State. Mr. Tillerson on Wednesday [1-17-18] said the U.S. will reinvigorate diplomatic efforts and maintain […]
1/15/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey lashed out on Monday [1-16-18] against a proposed American-trained force that would potentially position thousands of Kurdish militia fighters along Turkey’s southern border. The allied military headquarters in Baghdad that is leading the fight against the Islamic State in Syria said Sunday that it had […]
1/15/2018
MILITARY/SYRIA: “Troops allied with Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad are determined to ‘end the presence of the US’ in the country, Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, said Monday [1-15-18], citing an official at the regime’s Foreign Ministry. The official told SANA that the Assad-aligned Syrian Arab Army would thwart the ‘conspiracy, end the presence of the […]
12/27/2017
IRAQ/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: ” ‘On 1/20 – the day Trump was inaugurated – an estimated 35,000 ISIS fighters held approx 17,500 square miles of territory in both Iraq and Syria. As of 12/21, the U.S. military est the remaining 1,000 or so fighters occupy roughly 1,900 square miles..’ @jamiejmcintyre @dcexaminer https://t.co/OgYEuDgzD2″ -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. […]
12/27/2017
IRAQ/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: ” ‘On 1/20 – the day Trump was inaugurated – an estimated 35,000 ISIS fighters held approx 17,500 square miles of territory in both Iraq and Syria. As of 12/21, the U.S. military estimates the remaining 1,000 or so fighters occupy roughly 1,900 square miles…’ via @jamiejmcintyre https://t.co/0lXKMUoPE9″ -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. […]
12/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “The Pentagon has accused Russia of intentionally violating an agreement intended to prevent accidents in the skies over Syria, following a recent unsafe encounter between US F-22s and Russian Su-25 jets… The US military said last week that two US F-22 stealth fighters intercepted two Russian Su-25 attack jets after the Russian aircraft […]
12/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a surprise visit to a military air base in Syria, marking a mission-accomplished moment for the leader months ahead of a presidential election. Mr. Putin landed Monday [12-11-17] at Hmeimim air base, a military outpost in Syria’s Latakia province that has been the main launching point for Russian […]
11/16/2017
SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Need all on the UN Security Council to vote to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism for Syria to ensure that Assad Regime does not commit mass murder with chemical weapons ever again.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 16, 2017 01:13pm […]
11/7/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Then there was one. Syria announced during United Nations climate talks on Tuesday [11-7-17] that it would sign the Paris agreement on climate change. The move, which comes on the heels of Nicaragua signing the accord last month, will leave the United States as the only country that has rejected the […]
10/24/2017
CLIMATE CHANGE/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “And then there were two: the US and Syria. As Nicaragua signs on to the Paris Agreement, the United States and Syria are now the only two nations in the world who have refused to be members of the climate pact. The Central American country held out on signing the deal […]
10/22/2017
MILITARY/SYRIA: “United States-backed militia fighters seized Syria’s largest oil field from the Islamic State on Sunday [10-22-17], according to the militia, narrowly beating pro-government forces to an area critical to the war-torn country’s economy. Although it is unclear what the capacity of the oil field is today, after years of airstrikes by the coalition on […]