Trump and Senator Comment On Syria
President-elect Donald Trump issued a strikingly clear stance on the escalating chaos in Syria, declaring that the United States should stay out of the conflict entirely. With opposition forces sweeping across the country in a rapid and unprecedented offensive, Trump emphasized that the situation was not America’s fight to resolve.
In his statement, Trump noted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was teetering on the brink of collapse as terrorist rebels, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), surged toward Damascus. These developments come at a time when Russia, Assad’s key ally, finds itself overextended due to its war in Ukraine, which has reportedly cost Russia hundreds of thousands of troops and drained resources once directed to Syria.
Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2024
“This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in,” Trump remarked, underscoring what he sees as the long-term consequences of past U.S. foreign policy missteps. However, he was unequivocal in his position: “THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT… LET IT PLAY OUT.”
Israel has taken a similarly detached stance, with officials expressing a preference for watching Assad’s forces and their adversaries exhaust themselves in conflict. Yet, Israel remains vigilant, particularly over concerns that advanced weaponry or chemical arms might fall into the hands of jihadist groups like HTS. Reports suggest Israel recently destroyed a Syrian chemical weapons cache to prevent such a scenario.
Israeli political official: “the actors fighting Assad are his enemies [each other’s enemies]. But they’re all also our enemies. Therefore, from Israel’s perspective, the best thing that can happen is that they both bleed each other.” https://t.co/1FHLRjrjRi pic.twitter.com/Gx1tsjmiXR
— David Daoud (@DavidADaoud) December 7, 2024
The broader geopolitical shifts exacerbating Syria’s collapse cannot be ignored. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has diminished its ability to support Assad, and Iran’s focus has shifted after its proxy group, Hezbollah, suffered devastating losses in the ongoing war with Israel. The aftermath of Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel has further destabilized the region, drawing Iranian resources away from Syria.
While some observers celebrate Assad’s imminent downfall, others, like analyst Joe Truzman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, caution against premature optimism. “The prospect of a Syrian state dominated by Islamist factions… raises significant concerns in Israel and the surrounding region,” Truzman warned, highlighting the risks of jihadist groups seizing advanced weapons from Assad’s arsenals.
Source: https://t.co/YW7iIJvw2U
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 9, 2024