Washington Post: Mike Pompeo… America is taking a dangerous gamble in Syria

The US Secretary of State in President Donald Trump’s first administration, Mike Pompeo wrote on the Washington Post in which he talked about Trump’s new policy in Syria and its risks to regional security and the achievements of the United States against ISIS so far.

The former US secretary of state says the ongoing developments in Syria are extremely dangerous and threaten US victories against the IS, as well as President Donald Trump’s broader achievements in regional security.

He warned that if Washington withdraws its remaining troops from Syria, its gambling with the security of US military assets in the Middle East, the stability of the region, and the safety of the American people.

Pompeo warned of the seriousness of the military and political defeat suffered by the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) at the hands of Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa, calling it a reversal by Sharaa from its pledges of moderation and respect for the rights of minorities in response to the lifting of US sanctions on it.

Not only that, but a large number of ISIS elements escaped from al Shaddadi prison after government forces took control of an area previously under the control of the SDF, putting US forces and American lives at risk.

Pompeo added that there is no doubt these developments could lead to a major crisis, not only for minorities like the Druze and Kurds, but for the entire region.

He warns that if the situation is not contained, “we could soon witness waves of mass displacement, ethnic cleansing, and the potential resurgence of ISIS as a powerful player within Syria and a global terrorist threat”.

The former US diplomat emphasizes that the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fought bravely alongside the United States to help eliminate the IS, one of the most significant achievements of the first Trump administration.

However, there are worrying signs that Washington isn’t only preparing to withdraw its forces but may also renege on its commitment to the SDF, leaving their fate in the hands of a new, untested Syrian government that could easily prove to be a bad actor.

He warned that if the United States doesn’t act quickly, the achievements of Trump’s first term could be reversed, adding that the impression that Washington has abandoned a proven partner in the fight against terrorism will have serious repercussions for the credibility of the United States and its ability to deter throughout the region.

Pompeo reiterated that what enabled IS to rise in the first place was the United States’ retreat and failure to fulfill its commitments, particularly President Barack Obama’s disastrous withdrawal from Iraq, the policy of appeasing America’s enemies, and Obama’s unwillingness to enforce redlines, which emboldened IS to go further, culminating in the beheading of American hostages and the launch of a new wave of global terrorism, including attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Orlando.

He explained that while the Trump administration understandably hopes to find a partner in the new Syrian government, Sharaa’s background as a former leader of an al Qaeda affiliate necessitates extreme caution.

He also warned that the Syrian Ministry of Defense itself includes a significant number of Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers, and that the ongoing attacks on religious and ethnic minorities over the past year indicate that the government lacks either the capacity or the will to protect them.

Pompeo pointed out that the repeal of the Caesar Act deprived the United States of a crucial tool for exerting pressure on the new Syrian government.

According to the former Secretary of State, Washington is now paying the price for this misplaced trust, urging the US administration to act quickly and decisively to support its partners and reassert its influence over Sharaa.

He stressed the need for Washington to begin establishing a buffer zone or line of separation between the Syria Democratic Forces and government forces, perhaps with the support of a limited US and coalition troop presence.

The US administration and Congress should also work to quickly reimpose sanctions to pressure the Syrian government to fulfill its commitments to Syrian minorities, withdraw from the military campaign against the SDF, and prevent any resurgence of ISIS or other terrorist groups.

He suggested that the primary targets of the sanctions should include the Syrian oil sector, other industrial and commercial entities under the control of the interim government, the financial sector, and militia leaders and individuals.

Pompeo called on Washington to cooperate with regional partners to bring the parties together to mediate a military and security framework that protects the interests of rival groups inside Syria and prevents internal collapse, warning that this won’t be easy in light of the coordination of the Ahmed al Sharaa government with Türkiye.

Pompeo stressed the need to avoid a potential catastrophe, by mobilizing US diplomacy with all available tools to ensure an outcome that returns Syria to the path of stability and peace.

He pointed out that President Trump has proven his willingness to use hard force to protect US interests, as in Operation Midnight Hammer and the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, so the United States should send a serious message to Sharaa to realize that its fully prepared to follow the same path if refuses to back down this dangerous path, and that Washington won’t accept that history repeats itself in Syria.