Don't Believe the Hype

The United States military announced today that the troop withdrawal from Syria has begun, but it doesn't say where or when:

The surprise announcement came in a statement from Col. Sean Ryan, the spokesman for the United States-led coalition against the Islamic State. Colonel Ryan said the coalition had “begun the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria,” adding that he would provide no further information about “specific timelines, locations or troop movements.”

But the announcement, coming days after [national security adviser John] Bolton’s remarks, added to a climate of chaos surrounding Washington’s policy on Syria at a time when Turkey has threatened to invade the country.

Ben Hubbard, "U.S. Begins Syria Withdrawal, Amid Uncertainty Over Strategy"

 Russia is skeptical that anything of the sort is actually happening:

Reflecting the confusion, Interfax reported that the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said in Moscow on Friday that the American military’s announcement added to the Kremlin’s growing doubts that the United States would soon withdraw from Syria.

It seems like Washington “is looking for a reason to stay,” she said. “I cannot share your confidence that they are leaving there because we never saw an official strategy.

Trump's initial announcement that U.S. troops would withdraw from Syria in 30 days precipitated a march of the zombies. SecDef Mad Dog Mattis and ISIS czar Brett McGurk resigned. Then the withdrawal was moved from 30 days to four months. Then, this week, Bolton announced that there were conditions that had to met before the U.S. would leave Syria. These conditions were dismissed by Turkey, with Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu promising once again a military campaign to oust U.S. proxy Kurdish forces from their Rojava stronghold.

We're right back to where we started when Trump made his initial pullout pledge. Hence the need to trot out a military spokesman to say, "No, we're really going. Trust us." The whole thing is a charade.

Like the Tories commitment to Brexit, zombie logic rules the U.S. occupation of northern Syria: It's unsustainable, shot through with contradictions, and is maintained by complete prevarication.

The only solace one can find is looking forward to the eventual collapse of the zombie. Brexit and northern Syria seem to be running on parallel timelines.

Next week May's zombie government should -- I say should because I've predicted her demise more than once -- lose a crucial vote and begin to wind down.

In Idlib Al Qaeda (HTS/Nusra) has recently consolidated its hold on the province at the expense of the Turkish proxy Free Syrian Army (re-branded the National Liberation Front). HTS/Nusra never adhered to the Sochi ceasefire agreement.

The question now is whether the U.S. will threaten to bomb the Syrian Arab Army if it begins an offensive against Al Qaeda in Idlib. It did last time, prior to the Sochi ceasefire. Now there will no question that the U.S. is acting as "Al Qaeda's air force."

Meanwhile, the Kurds are in talks with Syria regarding the status of Rojava. The Turks no doubt have communicated their red lines to Damascus: disarmament, no political autonomy, etc.

One thing is clear. No one can count on the United States. It's a blubbering zombie.