随着土耳其对一度得到美国支持的叙利亚民兵组织发动进攻，美国军队在该地区面临的危险加剧。这是因为美国在叙利亚针对伊斯兰国激进组织的所有行动已经停止，新闻周刊已经学会了。

土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安周三在推特上写道，土耳其军方与叙利亚国民军合作，对美国支持的叙利亚民兵和伊斯兰国激进分子发起了有计划的军事入侵。尽管唐纳德·特朗普总统威胁说，制裁将“彻底摧毁和抹杀土耳其的经济”，但还是出现了这种情况

土耳其长期以来一直认为库尔德人是主要对手，将他们的叙利亚民兵组织比作恐怖主义叛乱，尽管美国在打击伊斯兰国的斗争中向这些组织提供了军事和财政援助。

但是一名国防部高级官员告诉记者新闻周刊周三下午，美国针对伊斯兰国武装分子的所有行动都在叙利亚停止。该命令符合美国将打击伊斯兰国的行动责任移交给土耳其的规定。

特朗普周三在一份声明中表示:“土耳其现在有责任确保所有被关押的伊斯兰国战士仍在监狱中，伊斯兰国不会以任何方式、形态或形式重组。”。特朗普表示，美国不支持此次袭击，称土耳其的行动是“坏主意”，但声明没有提及美国支持的库尔德武装。

 

2019年10月9日，一名妇女走在土耳其边境哈塞克省叙利亚东北部城镇拉斯艾因的浓烟滚滚中。-土耳其对叙利亚北部的库尔德部队发动了袭击，据报道，边境沿线发生了空袭和爆炸。总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安在推特上宣布攻击开始，称之为“和平之春行动”

新闻周刊周一报道称，在土耳其军队入侵之前，美国军队已经撤出了叙利亚北部的前哨，但尚未完全撤出该国。美国特种部队和侦察部队是被授权撤离该地区的美国军人之一。

国防部高级官员告诉记者新闻周刊目前，当地指挥官并不害怕来自叙利亚盟友的直接攻击，但潜在的内部攻击更令人担忧，尤其是在感觉被美国背叛的库尔德战士中。

这位官员说，美国支持的库尔德战士现在可能不愿意回应需要增援的美国部队，即所谓的快速反应部队，也不愿意为美国作战部队收集情报。这位官员说，美国军队目前的交战规则仍然以自卫为中心，五角大楼尚未发布从叙利亚完全撤军的命令。

他们说，美国军方目前正在从库尔德人控制的叙利亚民主力量控制的监狱中保护特定的伊斯兰国激进分子。

 

2019年10月9日，在三里乌尔法省阿克卡莱附近的土耳其边境一侧，土耳其爆炸后，叙利亚城镇塔尔阿比耶德升起浓烟。10月9日，土耳其对叙利亚北部的库尔德武装发动袭击，据报道，边境地区发生空袭和炮击。土耳其总统在推特上宣布攻击开始，称之为“和平之春行动”。这引发了西方国家的批评，这些国家与库尔德领导的叙利亚民主力量结盟，反对伊斯兰国圣战组织。

这位国防部高级官员的声明(不包括停止伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国行动的消息)得到了叙利亚地区第二个美国军方消息来源的证实。两个消息来源都被授予匿名，因为他们无权公开谈论当前的行动。新闻周刊已联系国防部征求意见。

新闻周刊周一报道称，特朗普周日在与埃尔多安的电话中不愿对叙利亚民主力量关押的大约2000名伊斯兰国激进分子囚犯负责，美国军方向这些囚犯提供财政援助。白宫周日发表声明称，土耳其将拘留伊斯兰国激进分子囚犯。

特朗普突然从叙利亚北部撤军遭到了国会共和党和民主党议员的强烈谴责。

“为我们被特朗普政府无耻抛弃的库尔德盟友祈祷，”南卡罗来纳州共和党参议员林赛·格雷厄姆周三写道。"此举确保了伊斯兰国的再次出现。"

周二，特朗普在推特上反驳了美国已经放弃美国支持的叙利亚民兵的说法:“我们可能正在离开叙利亚，但我们绝不会放弃库尔德人，他们是特殊的人，也是优秀的战士，”他引用了美国向库尔德战士提供的财政援助和武器

五角大楼也拒绝透露特朗普在下令美军从叙利亚-土耳其边境撤军之前没有咨询国防部长马克·埃斯珀博士或参谋长联席会议新任主席马克·米勒将军。

新闻周刊 据报告的周一特朗普的撤军声明让国防部官员“完全震惊”一位直接了解特朗普和埃尔多安讨论的国家安全委员会消息人士称特朗普“谈判外”且“没有骨气”，声称总统只同意美国从叙利亚北部撤军，以使美国看起来在某种程度上受益。

五角大楼拒绝了这些说法。

五角大楼首席发言人乔纳森·霍夫曼(Jonathan Hoffman)周二在一份声明中表示:“尽管不断有相反的错误报道，但在过去几天里，总统就面临土耳其军事行动的情况和保护叙利亚北部美军的努力征求了埃斯珀部长和米莉主席的意见。”。维和部的立场一直是，在叙利亚北部建立安全区是维持稳定的最佳途径。不幸的是，土耳其选择了单方面行动...我们目前没有改变我们在叙利亚的驻军。"

 

2019年9月21日，作为安全机制区协议的一部分，一名美国士兵监督叙利亚民主力量成员拆除YPG防御工事，并在哨所上方升起塔尔阿比耶德军事委员会旗帜。美国联盟仍然专注于实现伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国的持久失败。美国目前正在采取具体措施，确保叙利亚东北部边境地区保持稳定和安全。安德鲁·戈德尔中士/美国陆军参谋

布拉德利·鲍曼是几位美国参议员的前顾问，也是西点军校的前助理教授新闻周刊周二，美国驻当地部队应该是第一个而不是最后一个知道撤军的人。

鲍曼说:“那是总司令，不是总司令。”。[:在我看来，这是国家安全进程破裂的证据。作为一名美国军官，在这些危险的地方，与携带武器的人一起工作，当他们开始怀疑你是朋友还是敌人时，你需要赢得他们的信任，这对于美国人来说不是一个好地方。总统也没有让事情变得更容易。"

鲍曼现在是华盛顿特区智库捍卫民主基金会军事和政治权力中心的高级主任。

鲍曼说:“我和你一样关注新闻，但也有报道表明五角大楼的大部分成员，也许是美国中央司令部，也许是我们在地面上的一些人，对总统的推特感到惊讶。”。“这已经不是第一次发生了。我们看到，沃特尔将军在证词中说，他不知道总统的声明对我们在当地的军队有潜在的生死影响。”

今年2月，时任美国中央司令部司令的陆军将军约瑟夫·沃特尔(Joseph Votel)在参议院军事委员会作证称，在特朗普12月宣布美国军队将从叙利亚撤军之前，“没有征求他的意见”。

“我不知道具体的公告。当然，我们知道他过去曾表达过离开伊拉克、离开叙利亚的愿望和意图，”沃特尔说。这位将军在巴古兹·法卡尼战役后于3月份退休，这是一次决定性的交战，导致叙利亚伊斯兰国控制的剩余领土崩溃。

国家安全委员会官员新闻周刊周一接受采访时，他担心这些收益可能会很快丧失。

“伊斯兰国的囚犯，其中一些，最终将在混乱中被释放，并留在该地区或去其他地方重新加入战斗，”他们说。

特朗普12月份的声明促使时任国防部长詹姆斯·马丁斯辞职。马蒂斯是政府中最后一个被吹捧为“成年人”的将军——也是叙利亚撤军的直言不讳的反对者。

U.S. FORCES FACE INCREASED DANGER IN SYRIA AS RESULT OF TRUMP'S WITHDRAWAL, TURKISH OFFENSIVE

 

As Turkey launches offensive operations into northeastern Syria against once American-backed Syrian militias, the danger facing U.S. forces in the region have heightened. This is because all U.S. operations against the Islamic State militant group in Syria have halted,Newsweek has learned.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey wrote on Twitter Wednesday his country's military in collaboration with the Syrian National Army had launched planned military incursions against U.S.-backed Syrian militias and Islamic State militants. This came despite threats from President Donald Trump of sanctions that would, "totally destroy and obliterate the economy of Turkey."

Turkey has long considered the Kurds to be archrivals, likening their Syrian militias to terrorist insurgencies, despite the U.S. providing military and financial aid to the groups in its fight against ISIS.

But a senior Defense Department official told Newsweek on Wednesday afternoon that all U.S. operations against Islamic State militants have halted in Syria. The order is in accordance with the U.S. handing over responsibility of operations against ISIS to Turkey.

"Turkey is now responsible for ensuring all ISIS fighters being held captive remain in prison and that ISIS does not reconstitute in any way, shape, or form," Trump said in a statement Wednesday. While Trump said the U.S. did not endorse the attack, characterizing the Turkish operation as a "bad idea," the statement made no mention of the American-backed Kurdish forces.

 

A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria with air strikes and explosions reported along the border. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring."

 

Newsweek reported on Monday that U.S. forces had pulled out of outposts in northern Syria ahead of the Turkish military's incursion, but had not completely pulled out of the country. Among the U.S. service members that have been tasked with moving out of the region are U.S. Special Forces and reconnaissance units.

The senior Defense Department official told Newsweek that, currently, commanders on the ground do not fear direct attacks from their Syrian allies but potential insider attacks are of greater concern, especially among Kurdish fighters who feel betrayed by the United States.

The official said American-backed Kurdish fighters may now be unwilling to respond to U.S. forces needing reinforcements, known as a quick reaction force, or collect intelligence for U.S. combat units. The official said the current rules of engagement for U.S. forces continue to be centered around self-defense and that no order has been issued by the Pentagon for a complete withdraw from Syria.

The U.S. military is currently securing specific Islamic State militants from prisons operated by the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces, they said.

 

Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad after Turkish bombings, in a picture taken from the Turkish side of the border near Akcakale in the Sanliurfa province on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria on October 9 with air strikes and artillery fire reported along the border. The Turkish President announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". It triggered criticism from Western countries who have allied with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces against the Islamic State jihadist group.

 

The senior Defense Department official's statements, excluding news about ceasing ISIS operations, were confirmed with a second U.S. military source in the Syrian region. Both sources were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about current operations. Newsweek has contacted the Defense Department for comment.

Newsweek reported Monday that Trump in a Sunday phone call with Erdogan did not want to take responsibility for the roughly 2,000 Islamic State militant prisoners being held by the Syrian Democractic Forces in Syria, who the U.S. military assists financially. The White House said in a statement Sunday that Turkey would take custody of the ISIS militant prisoners.

Trump's abrupt withdraw of U.S. forces from northern Syria was sharply rebuked by both Republicans and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

"Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration," wrote Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Wednesday. "The move ensures the reemergence of ISIS."

On Tuesday, Trump pushed back on the narrative that the U.S. had abandoned American-backed Syrian militias on Twitter: "We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters," citing both financial aid and weapons supplied to Kurdish fighters by the U.S.

The Pentagon also pushed back on reporting which suggested Trump did not consult with Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper or Army General Mark A. Milley, the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, prior to ordering a withdraw of U.S. forces from Syrian-Turkish border.

Newsweek reported Monday that Trump's withdrawal announcement left Defense Department officials, "completely stunned." A National Security Council source with direct knowledge of the discussions between Trump and Erdogan characterized Trump as being "out-negotiated" and having "no spine," claiming the president only agreed to endorse an American withdraw from northern Syria to make it appear the U.S. was benefiting in some way.

The Pentagon rejected those claims.

"Despite continued misreporting to the contrary, Secretary Esper and Chairman Milley were consulted over the last several days by the President regarding the situation and efforts to protect U.S. forces in northern Syria in the face of military action by Turkey," said chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman in a statement on Tuesday. The Department's position has been and remains that establishing a safe zone in northern Syria is the best path forward to maintaining stability. Unfortunately, Turkey has chosen to act unilaterally...We have made no changes to our force presence in Syria at this time."

 

A U.S. Soldier oversees members of the Syrian Democratic Forces as they demolish a YPG fortification and raise a Tal Abyad Military Council flag over the outpost as part of the security mechanism zone agreement, Sept. 21, 2019. The U.S. coalition remains focused on achieving the enduring defeat of ISIS. The U.S. is currently executing concrete steps to ensure the border area in northeast Syria remains stable and secure.

 

Bradley Bowman, a former advisor to several U.S. senators and a former assistant professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point told Newsweek on Tuesday that U.S. forces on the ground should be the first, not the last, to know about a troop withdraw.

"That is the commander-in-chief not acting as the commander-in-chief," said Bowman. [It's] evidence of a broken national security process in my view. And to be in these dangerous places as a U.S. military officer, working with people who are carrying weapons, whose trust you need to earn when they start to question whether you're friend or foe, that is not a nice place for Americans to be. And the president is not making it any easier."

Bowman is now the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C. think tank.

"I'm following the news just like you are, but there is also reporting that suggests that large elements of the Pentagon, maybe U.S. Central Command, maybe some of our people on the ground, were surprised by the president's tweet," said Bowman. "That is not the first time that has happened. We saw that with General Votel in testimony saying that he was unaware of a presidential announcement that had direct potentially life and death impacts on our troops on the ground."

In February, then-U.S. Central Command commander, Army General Joseph Votel testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that he "was not consulted" prior to Trump's December announcement that American forces would withdraw its troops from Syria.

"I was not aware of the specific announcement. Certainly, we are aware that he had expressed a desire and intent in the past to depart Iraq, depart Syria," said Votel. The general retired in March after the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani—a decisive engagement resulting in the collapse of the remaining territory controlled by the Islamic State in Syria.

The National Security Council official Newsweek spoke to on Monday is concerned that these gains could quickly be lost.

 

"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," they said.

Trump's December announcement prompted then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, to resign his post. Mattis was the last of the generals touted as the "adults" in the administration—and was an outspoken opponent of a Syrian withdrawal.