- President Donald Trump's sudden decision to pull US troops out of Syria risks advancing the interests of America's adversaries, according to lawmakers and foreign-policy observers.
- While potentially leaving America's allies high and dry, the move could hand Syria over to the Syrian regime, Russia, and Iran.
- Withdrawing US troops from Syria may also take the pressure off of the Islamic State at a critical point in the fight to eliminate the terrorist organization.
The US has begun withdrawing American troops from Syria, a decision President Donald Trump made in response to the fall of the physical ISIS caliphate.
"We have won against ISIS," Trump said in a video message Wednesday. "We've beaten them, and we've beaten them badly. We've taken back the land. And, now it's time for our troops to come back home."
Critics argue that withdrawing from Syria at this time risks advancing the interests of America's adversaries. "The big winners of this decision are ISIS, Iran, Russia and Assad," South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Washington Post after calling the president's decision an "Obama-like mistake."
White House and Pentagon officials have been unable to offer clarity on the situation, with questions about timelines, expectations, and the mission going forward remaining largely unanswered.
There are serious concerns among lawmakers and foreign policy observers that the president's decision will basically hand Syria and its future over to the Syrian regime/Russia/Iran axis, leaving our allies vulnerable and the stability of the region in jeopardy.
Here are the groups that stand to benefit from the US's move: