The situation in Syria will continue to disintegrate, the former head of counter-Islamic State operations for the State Department said on Monday.
“It is concerning,” said Brett McGurk, who ran the counter-ISIS campaign under Presidents Trump and Barack Obama. “I think it is going to get worse.”
Leverage against ISIS is falling apart following the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from northern Syria, McGurk said during the panel at the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “I know [Secretary of Defense Mark] Esper and everybody’s scrambling to try to figure something out. Great respect to diplomats and military officials trying to figure out this maelstrom.”
McGurk’s comments follow a series of changing announcements regarding the United States’ presence in Syria. The White House announced, in succession, that all troops would leave Syria, that they would relocate to the southern part of the country, and, on Monday, that some would remain to protect Syrian oil fields.
The initial decision prompted, among other things, Turkey to invade a section of northern Syria. Trump and other administration officials condemned the Turkish invasion and insisted that even though U.S. troops have left the area, they have not deserted their Kurdish partners.
“To be clear, we are not abandoning our Kurdish partner forces, and U.S. troops remain with them in other parts of Syria,” Esper said.
McGurk, who resigned his position last year after Trump announced he would pull troops out of Syria, claimed the U.S. previously enjoyed tremendous support in the area.
“That’s why we were able to keep a very light footprint,” McGurk said. “And now we’re leaving, and tomatoes are being thrown at our vehicles with the American flag on it. So I think it’s shameful. I think it’s getting worse.”
Additionally, McGurk said the chaotic situation could enable other U.S. adversaries in the region.
“The Iranians, while under tremendous pressure, and that’s good, I also think they feel an edge on the U.S. right now as the world sees Americans basically ushered out of Syria.”
Trump defended his decision on Monday, telling reporters he was fulfilling a campaign promise.
“Where is the agreement that says we have to stay in the Middle East for the rest of humanity? For the rest of civilization, to protect the Kurds? We’ve taken very good care of them,” Trump said. “We’re bringing our troops back home. I got elected by bringing our troops back home.”
