Graham and Fox News expert showed Trump a map to change his mind about Syria withdrawal

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/graham-fox-news-star-showed-trump-map-change-his-mind-n1069901?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

Oct. 22, 2019, 11:28 AM EDT / Updated Oct. 22, 2019, 11:36 AM EDT

By Courtney Kube and Carol E. Lee

WASHINGTON — In the days after President Donald Trump paved the way for Turkey to invade Syria, several of his closest allies went to the White House — twice — to try to change his mind, according to four people familiar with the meetings.

Retired Gen. Jack Keane, a Fox News analyst, first walked the president through a map showing Syria, Turkey and Iraq on Oct. 8, pointing out the locations of oil fields in northern Syria that have been under the control of the U.S. and its Kurdish allies, two people familiar with the discussion said. That oil, they said Keane explained, would fall into Iran's hands if Trump withdrew all U.S. troops from the country.

Keane went through the same exercise with Trump again on Oct. 14, this time with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at his side, according to four people familiar with the meeting. Keane displayed a map showing that nearly three quarters of Syria's oil fields are in the parts of the country where U.S. troops are deployed, the people familiar with the meeting said. They said that Graham and Keane told the president that Iran is preparing to move toward the oil fields and could seize the air space above them once the U.S. leaves.

The president seemed "resigned" to leaving a small number of American troops in northern Syria to keep control of the oil, according to a person who was present.

Before showing Trump the map, Keane and Graham joined the president to listen in on his phone calls with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and with Gen. Mazloum Kobani Abdi, the leader of the Kurdish forces aligned with the U.S., people familiar with the call said. Graham helped arrange the call with Mazloum.

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Link to tweet

Richard Engel ✔ @RichardEngel

While President Trump is shown a map of the Middle East, Putin and Erdogan are in Sochi redrawing it.

NBC News ✔ @NBCNews

In the days after President Trump paved the way for Turkey to invade northern Syria, several of his closest allies went to the White House — twice — to try to change his mind, according to four people familiar with the meetings. https://nbcnews.to/32FkoMa

11:38 AM - Oct 22, 2019

[empedocles]

1. A map, with context, to 'change trump's . . . mind' ???

[imanamerican63]

2. "Maps? I don't need any stinking maps!"

says Captain BS!(aka, Captain Bull Sh!+ or Bone Spurs)

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Spanky probably can't read a map.

[Sneederbunk]

4. Was the map upside down?

[dalton99a]

5. It's useless. His obedience to Putin is absolute and instant.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. The seasons change quickly here in Northern Syria. It's now starting to get cold at night.

The seasons change quickly here in Northern Syria. It’s now starting to get cold at night. Soon it will be very cold. Aid workers say 70,000 kids, at least, already displaced. Those parents must be thinking, 'this is the thanks the Kurdish people got for helping America.'

Link to tweet

[stopdiggin]

7. but does explain his curious statements about "saving the oil"

which virtually nobody had asked about. So destabilizing an entire area of the Middle East. Reversing hard fought and heroic military gains (ISIS). Abandoning staunch allies to a campaign of ethnic cleansing ...

But, look here guys .. we saved the oil!
"Heck of a job there, Brownie!"

[stopdiggin]

8. Oh, and check out dear old Lindsey

A complete about face. He's now "very optimistic" that Trump's policy in Syria will work out ...

Because, well ... elections?

[keithbvadu2]

9. How are "a small number of American troops" going to control the oil?

How are "a small number of American troops" going to control the oil?