国家安全委员会:特朗普被土耳其“推翻”了，“没有脊梁骨”

 

       国家安全委员会消息人士告诉新闻周刊，唐纳德·特朗普被土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安“推翻”。

       在周日下午特朗普总统与埃尔多安总统之间的预定电话中，特朗普表示，他将从叙利亚北部撤军。电话呼叫原定土耳其宣布，它计划入侵叙利亚后，和埃尔多安小时后加强他的军队在叙利亚和土耳其边界，并出具发动军事入侵他最强的威胁，根据国家安全委员会官员为之新闻周刊不愿透露姓名的情况下讲话。

       五角大楼官员说，美国的撤军交由伊斯兰国集团，大马士革和莫斯科掌控，这一宣布使特朗普自己的国防部“完全震惊”。土耳其像美国一样，希望在叙利亚改变政权。俄罗斯和伊朗支持阿萨德政权。

       国家安全委员会消息人士告诉《新闻周刊》：“特朗普总统绝对是谈判过的，只是赞同撤军以使我们看起来像是在得到一些东西，但我们没有得到任何东西。” “由于总统没有脊柱，这是底线，美国的国家安全已经进入了数十年的危险状态。”

       《新闻周刊》准许国家安全委员会正式匿名，因为他们无权公开讨论此事。消息人士说，在接下来的24至96个小时内看到土耳其的入侵并不奇怪。

       尽管美国在与伊斯兰国激进组织ISIS的战斗中向该组织提供了军事和财政援助，但土耳其长期以来一直将叙利亚的库尔德民兵视为恐怖主义叛乱分子。与北约盟国土耳其极富优势的军事力量进行的战斗可能将库尔德人推入华盛顿要罢免的叙利亚独裁者巴沙尔·阿萨德的怀抱，并扩大与俄罗斯和伊朗的同盟，这两个美国竞争对手叙利亚军队。

       白宫在周日晚间发表声明说，土耳其将很快入侵叙利亚北部，但国防部和特朗普在推特上均表示，他们向土耳其明确表示，他们不认可土耳其在叙利亚北部的行动。

       “正如我以前所说的那样，重申一下，如果土耳其以我无与伦比的智慧做任何我认为超出限制范围的事情，我将彻底摧毁并抹杀土耳其的经济（我以前做过！ ），”特朗普周一在Twitter上说。“他们必须与欧洲及其他国家一起，监视被俘的ISIS战斗人员和家属……现在该地区的其他人，其中一些人非常富有，现在应该保护自己的领土。”

       据对电话有第一手了解的NSC官员说，特朗普没有认可土耳其对库尔德部队的任何军事行动，而且在电话中，如果土耳其决定采取进攻行动，也不会威胁经济制裁。

       白宫新闻秘书史蒂芬妮·格里舍姆（Stephanie Grisham）在一份声明中说：“美国武装部队将不支持或不参与该行动，而击败了ISIS领土“哈里发地带”的美国部队将不再在其附近地区。 ”。

       《纽约时报》 周一报道说，约有100至150名美军将从叙利亚北部撤出，但并非完全撤出该国。《新闻周刊》证实了《泰晤士报》的报道，但国家安全委员会官员说，人数接近230名服务人员，其中包括美国特种部队和侦察部队。

       《泰晤士报》还报道说，目击者见证了美军从叙利亚东北部特拉布亚德和埃因艾萨斯的两个观察哨所撤出。《新闻周刊》周一证实了这一点。美国国防部高级官员说，截至发表之时，美军已完成撤军约90％。

       两国领导人通话中的主要问题之一，是由库尔德人主导的叙利亚国防军在叙利亚东北部关押的大约2,000名伊斯兰国好战俘虏，美国军方提供了财政援助。

       特朗普告诉埃尔多安（Erdogan）他不希望与ISIS囚犯有任何关系，尽管美国目前尚未在叙利亚拘留伊斯兰国囚犯。叙利亚国防军控制囚犯的监护权。

       埃尔多安说，根据白宫的声明，土耳其将对ISIS激进囚犯进行拘留，而国家安全委员会的官方新闻周刊对此事也进行了采访。

       国家安全委员会官员推测：“ ISIS囚犯，其中一些最终将在混乱中获释，并留在该地区或前往其他地方重新参加战斗。”

       白宫周日发表的声明还表达了特朗普长期以来对其他北约盟国如何应对被俘虏的伊斯兰国集团战士的挫败感。该声明特别指出“法国，德国和其他欧洲国家”，因为他们拒绝夺回加入伊斯兰国激进组织的公民。

       国家安全委员会消息人士说，特朗普新任参谋长联席会议主席的美国陆军上将马克·米利（Mark A. Milley）定于今早与军方参谋长讨论此事。

       国家安全委员会官员表示，他们无法透露特朗普的海军上将和将军们可能计划什么，但表示，由于国防部遵循有或没有先进知识的命令，他们不会期望任何超出正常规范的事情。

       据国家安全委员会官员称，如果美国拒绝走出土耳其的战争之路，美国的选择不仅将成为民族国家军方之间潜在冲突的威胁，还将对土耳其经济施加压力。

       但是，这位官员说，作为特朗普“美国优先政策”的一部分，以及他的历史观点，战争不利于商业发展，美国选择不让自己的立场来保护库尔德人的部队免受土耳其的空袭。

       周日，埃尔多安（Erdogan）发出最大的威胁，将土耳其军队越过边界并进入底格里斯河与幼发拉底河之间的“缓冲区”，在叙利亚-土耳其边境加强了部队。

       建立缓冲区（有时称为和平走廊）是为了防止土耳其再次入侵叙利亚北部。在特朗普批准土耳其的军事计划之前，美国一直在努力建立适当的非军事区。

       国家安全委员会官员告诉《新闻周刊》，如果特朗普没有撤军，美国本来可以继续完善叙利亚与土耳其边境的缓冲区。

       国家安全委员会官员说：“老实说，美国最好在土耳其，叙利亚和伊拉克各地支持一个库尔德国家。” “这将是该地区的另一个以色列。”

       当前的外交政策崩溃是促使特朗普的前国防部长詹姆斯·马蒂斯（James Mattis）辞职的原因，此前特朗普于2018年12月决定从叙利亚突然撤出美军。马蒂斯是最后一位被吹捧为政府“大人”的将军。 ，是叙利亚撤军的坦率反对者。

       五月份，国防部高级官员对 《新闻周刊》表示，美国将军对将美军从叙利亚撤军的决定感到不满意，因为五角大楼官员担心撤军可能引发类似于塔利班在阿富汗的势力和领土不断扩大的ISIS复活。

       政府官员在一月份告诉《新闻周刊》，特朗普突然撤军的命令可能削弱美国与地区盟友的战略联盟。俄罗斯和伊朗获得自由，以在地中海重新建立全面的军事存在和坚实的基础；并使美国支持的库尔德战士容易受到土耳其空战的破坏。

       全面撤军还可能使美国军事力量失去宝贵的地区地位，从而威胁美国在该地区的利益，包括以色列等盟国的利益，在某种程度上还包括约旦。

       国家安全委员会官员周一将土耳其比作“操场霸王”。

       国家安全委员会消息人士说：“当大个子（美国）在操场上走开时，他们（土耳其）被殴打小个子（叙利亚国防军），这并不是说美国是世界警察。” 新闻周刊。

       这位官员补充说：“我们正在告诉世界，我们将使用您，然后将您扔掉。” “这并不是说他们在亚洲，非洲和南美都没有电视。”

EXCLUSIVE: OFFICIAL WHO HEARD CALL SAYS TRUMP GOT 'ROLLED' BY TURKEY AND 'HAS NO SPINE'

       Donald Trump got "rolled" by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a National Security Council source with direct knowledge of the discussions told Newsweek.

       In a scheduled phone call on Sunday afternoon between President Trump and President Erdogan, Trump said he would withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria. The phone call was scheduled after Turkey announced it was planning to invade Syria, and hours after Erdogan reinforced his army units at the Syrian-Turkish border and issued his strongest threat to launch a military incursion, according to the National Security Council official to whom Newsweek spoke on condition of anonymity.

       The U.S. withdrawal plays into the hands of the Islamic State group, Damascus and Moscow, and the announcement left Trump's own Defense Department "completely stunned," said Pentagon officials. Turkey, like the United States, wants regime change in Syria. Russia and Iran support the Assad regime.

       "President Trump was definitely out-negotiated and only endorsed the troop withdraw to make it look like we are getting something—but we are not getting something," the National Security Council source told Newsweek. "The U.S. national security has entered a state of increased danger for decades to come because the president has no spine and that's the bottom line."

       Newsweek granted the National Security Council official anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The source said it would not be surprising to see a Turkish incursion in the next 24 to 96 hours.

       Turkey has long considered the Kurdish militia in Syria to be a terrorist insurgency, despite the United States providing military and financial aid to the group in its fight against ISIS, the Islamic State militant group. A battle with the vastly superior military of Turkey, a NATO ally, could drive the Kurds into the arms of Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian dictator that Washington wants ousted, and by extension into an alliance with Russia and Iran, two U.S. rivals with forces in Syria.

       The White House said late Sunday evening in a statement that Turkey will soon invade northern Syria but both the Defense Department and Trump on Twitter said they made clear to Turkey that they do not endorse a Turkish operation in northern Syria.

       "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!)," said Trump on Twitter Monday. "They must, with Europe and others, watch over the captured ISIS fighters and families...it is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory."

       According to the NSC official, who had first-hand knowledge of the phone call, Trump did not endorse any Turkish military operation against Kurdish Forces, but also did not threaten economic sanctions during the phone call if Turkey decided to undertake offensive operations.

       In a statement, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said, "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."

       The New York Times reported Monday that about 100 to 150 American forces would withdraw from northern Syria but not completely from the country. Newsweek confirmed the Times reporting but the National Security Council official said the number was closer to 230 service members, among them U.S. Special Forces and reconnaissance units.

       The Times also reported witnesses observed United States forces withdraw from two observation posts in Tel Abyad and Ein Eissa in northeastern Syria. Newsweek confirmed these on Monday—a senior Defense Department official said American forces are about 90 percent complete with the withdraw as of publication.

       One of the main issues in the phone call between the two world leaders concerned the roughly 2,000 Islamic State militant prisoners being held by the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Defense Forces in northeastern Syria, who the U.S. military assists financially.

       Trump told Erdogan he did not want anything to do with ISIS prisoners despite the United States not currently detaining Islamic State prisoners in Syria. The Syrian Defense Forces control custody of the prisoners.

       Erdogan said Turkey would take custody of the ISIS militant prisoners, according to the White House statement and the National Security Council official Newsweek spoke to for this story.

       "The ISIS prisoners, some of them, will eventually be freed amongst the chaos, and remain in the area or go elsewhere to rejoin the fight," speculated the National Security Council official.

       The White House statement on Sunday also expressed Trump's long-held frustration with how other NATO-allied countries had dealt with captured Islamic State group fighters. The statement singled out "France, Germany and other European nations," for refusing to take back their citizens who had joined the Islamic State militant group.

       U.S. Army General Mark A. Milley, Trump's newly minted chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, is scheduled to meet with the service chiefs this morning to discuss the matter, said National Security Council source.

       The National Security Council official said they could not speak about what Trump's admirals and generals may plan, but said they would not expect anything out of the usual norms as the Defense Department follows orders with or without advanced knowledge.

       If the United States had refused to move out of Turkey's war path, U.S options would not just be the threat of potential conflict between nation-state militaries, it would have been applied pressure on the Turkish economy, according to the National Security Council official.

       However, the United States chose not to stand its ground to protect Kurdish Forces against Turkish airstrikes as a part of Trump's "America First policy" and his historical views that war is bad for business, according to the official.

       On Sunday, Erdogan reinforced his army units at the Syrian-Turkish border hours after he issued his strongest threat to launch Turkish forces over the border and into the "buffer zone," between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

       The buffer zone—sometimes referred to as the peace corridor—was established to prevent another Turkish invasion of northern Syria. The United States had been working to establish a proper demilitarized zone prior to Trump's endorsement of Turkey's military plans.

       If Trump's withdraw of U.S. forces had not occurred, the National Security Council official told Newsweek, the United States could have continued to refine the buffer zone on the Syrian-Turkish border.

       "To be honest with you, it would be better for the United States to support a Kurdish nation across Turkey, Syria and Iraq," said the National Security Council official. "It would be another Israel in the region."

       The current foreign policy debacle is what prompted Trump's former defense secretary, James Mattis, to resign his post after Trump decided to abruptly withdraw American forces from Syria in December 2018. Mattis was the last of the generals touted as the "adults" in the administration—and was an outspoken opponent of a Syrian withdrawal.

       A senior Defense Department official told Newsweek in January no U.S. general was happy with the decision to pull back U.S. troops from Syria as Pentagon officials feared the withdrawal could spark an ISIS resurgence similar to the Taliban's growing influence and territory in Afghanistan.

       Administration officials in January told Newsweek Trump's sudden withdraw order could undercut strategic U.S. alliances with regional allies; free Russia and Iran to re-establish a full military presence and solid footing in the Mediterranean; and leave U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters vulnerable to being decimated by a Turkish air campaign.

       A complete withdrawal could also potentially give up a valuable regional position to American military forces that threaten United States interests in the region, including the interests of allies such as Israel and, to some extent, Jordan.

       The National Security Council official compared Turkey to "playground bullies" on Monday.

       "When the bigger guy [United States] moves aside in the playground, they [Turkey] get to beat on the smaller guy [Syrian Defense Forces] and this is not about the U.S. being the world police," the National Security Council source told Newsweek.

       "We are telling the world, we will use you and then throw you away," the official added. "It's not like they don't have a television in Asia, in Africa, and South America."