By now, we have heard from all the fake news journalists be they liberal politicians or the left’s other Trump-hating “experts.” On how bad an idea it was to pull our troops from Syria. How about the opinion of an actual expert on the region?
Zev Chafets is a prolific writer, a senior aid to former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. And the founder and managing editor of Jerusalem Report Magazine. (Mr. Chafets’ latest article is: “Trump outsmarts Putin with Syrian retreat and worth your attention.)
But let’s begin with “How Baghdadi’s Death Reveals Trump’s Clever Syria Strategy,” in which author Joseph Klein quoting Chaftes notes,
Russia will, by necessity will have to take on more responsibility for fighting ISIS and other jihadists as well as rebuilding Syria. (Estimated costs between $400-500 billion, Russia can’t afford).
Sooner or later al-Queda, the Islamic State, or the next iteration of jihad will break loose in Syria. When that happens the Russians will be the new Satan on the block. Their diplomats in Damascus will come under attack, as will Russian troops, then more troops will be sent to defend them. Putin’s much prizes Mediterranean naval installations will require reinforcements. And so on. Soon enough jihad will inflame Russia’s large Muslim population. Moscow itself will become a target.
We should also note that the Syrian oil fields are still in American hands with the aid of the Kurds. Deprived of oil this revenue, the entire rebuild of Syria falls to Putin. So, it does not appear President Trump has done Putin any favors.
I recognize even experts can be wrong from time to time, and only time will tell how this will evolve. Still, given the left-wing media’s failings to get much of anything right related to the President, I wouldn’t want to be the first one to step up and declare Mr. Chafets wrong. That honor I’ll leave to someone who already knows it all.
Oil Fields
Speaking of oil fields, one of President Trump’s touted accomplishments has to be our new oil and energy independence. For decades both parties have declared how we had to reduce dependence on foreign (See Middle Eastern) oil. It took Trump to accomplish it, and in the face of the radical, the world is going to end crowd. Not to go into that debate just now, the fact remains our need for foreign oil is no more so our national interests no longer require deep involvement in that part of the world. Even liberals should rejoice about that, but no, it’s just another exercise in how to trash the President, as if they ever had any idea as on how to fix it.
This brings me to the question, should we, our Navy, be required to police and secure the free flow of Middle Eastern oil to so many other countries dependent on it? I can make the argument that those countries have a couple of choices. One, they can take over that task at their expense (Good for the US) or find another supplier, like our growing exporting oil business, also good for the US. It will also force the oil-producing countries over there to deal with their own conflict-settling, one way or another, their issues while our overstretched military can rest and regroup.No more mission creep no more endless wars, also good for the US.
Conclusion
Let the leftist media flap their gums, make predictions, call names, but in the end, only time and events will tell. For myself, I’ll bet on the President he has proven to get things done even in the face of constant obstruction and attacks by the left. With the death of Al-Baghdadi, the caliph, God bless America, and thank God we have President Trump looking out for all of us.