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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump ends covert CIA program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, a move sought by Moscow
By Greg Jaffe and Adam Entous at the Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-ends-covert-cia-program-to-arm-anti-assad-rebels-in-syria-a-move-sought-by-moscow/2017/07/19/b6821a62-6beb-11e7-96ab-5f38140b38cc_story.html?pushid=596fab4ff1dad71d00000034&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.4b04bae7d7c1
"SNIP.................
President Trump has decided to end the CIAs covert program to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels battling the government of Bashar al-Assad, a move long sought by Russia, according to U.S. officials.
The program was a central plank of a policy begun by the Obama administration in 2013 to put pressure on Assad to step aside, but even its backers have questioned its efficacy since Russia deployed forces in Syria two years later.
Officials said the phasing out of the secret program reflects Trumps interest in finding ways to work with Russia, which saw the anti-Assad program as an assault on its interests. The shuttering of the program is also an acknowledgment of Washingtons limited leverage and desire to remove Assad from power.
Just three months ago, after the United States accused Assad of using chemical weapons, Trump launched retaliatory airstrikes against a Syrian air base. At the time, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, said that in no way do we see peace in that area with Assad at the head of the Syrian government.
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SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)Putin reprimanded Trump about the air strike on the Syrian base. Then Putin told him ..'look, leave Syria alone. Stop helping the rebels, disarm them now. Trump says ok sir. Now that they will be disarmed Assad will kill them all. I wonder what McCain will say about this.
rufus dog
(8,419 posts)HopeAgain
(4,407 posts)That's one thing they talked about during that hour chat. Wonder what else Putin ordered?
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)I'd bet this is one of the things Putin told Trump to do when they met alone, and Trump had to put himself completely at the service of Put and his translator, with NO FREAKING TRANSLATOR FOR HIMSELF. Stupid. Or total submissive republican surrender to the evil empire of russia.
It sure looks like complete republican capitulation to the russian will.
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lpbk2713
(42,736 posts)The asshole.