Turkish forces poised to invade northern Syria within 24 hours

A statement from the White House indicated the president’s approval of Turkey’s long-held plans to conduct military operations in neighboring Syria, where several prison camps hold dangerous fighters for the Islamic State. “Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into Northern Syria,” the statement said following a phone call between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial ‘Caliphate,’ will no longer be in the immediate area.”

“Targets are Tal Abyad and Ras al Ayn,” Ignatius also reported. “Ironically Tal Abyad was the main supply route for ISIS in 2014-15 through an open border from Turkey. Turkey refused repeated requests from US to shut border. That’s a big reason why US decided to partner with SDF, which took the town in the summer of 2015.”

Trump’s decision came as a blow to many of his supporters, including Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has been an ardent supporter of the president. Graham described the choice to withdraw U.S. troops as “a stain on America’s honor” and an “impulsive decision by the president” that was “shortsighted and irresponsible.”

Reports of airstrikes from Turkish officials came on Monday, suggesting that Turkey had attacked a Kurdish reinforcement route near the Syrian-Iraqi border, though some U.S. reports disputed the claim.

The Pentagon made it clear that the U.S. did not condone Turkey’s planned military operations in the region. “The Department of Defense made clear to Turkey — as did the President — that we do not endorse a Turkish operation in Northern Syria. The U.S. Armed Forces will not support, or be involved in any such operation,” said chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman.

Trump also threatened to retaliate against Turkey economically if they chose to pursue military operations that jeopardized the Kurdish containment of ISIS fighters in the region. “As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!),” he said in a Monday tweet.

Ignatius reported on Tuesday, however, that Turkey’s pending invasion of Syria would be a grave threat to any stability in the region and was part of a Russian collaboration. “I’m also told that Turkish attack appears coordinated with the Russians,” he tweeted. “Russian-backed forces are mobilizing to invade the Kurdish area from the south — towards Tabqa and other spots. Meanwhile, ISIS is mobilizing sleeper cells in Raqqa and attacks have taken place tonight.”

“And finally there is the scary issue of the thousands of ISIS detainees and families, who may be breaking out of camps and prisons after Turkish attack–with NO American back-up plan,” Ignatius said. “This is a major disaster coming at us because of Trump’s decisions. Hours left to stop it.”

Trump had earlier defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria in the face of widespread criticism. “We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters,” he tweeted on Tuesday morning. “Likewise our relationship with Turkey, a NATO and Trading partner, has been very good. Turkey already has a large Kurdish population and fully understands that while we only had 50 soldiers remaining in that section of Syria, and they have been removed, any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency. We are helping the Kurds financially/weapons!”