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Post by Daniel on Dec 24, 2018 10:47:16 GMT -5
Netanyahu Failed to Persuade Trump to Reverse Syria Decision
by Deborah Danan 20 Dec 2018
TEL AVIV – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have tried in vain to persuade President Donald Trump to walk back his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, a move that was met with significant “disappointment” in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported.
Israeli political figures have said that the move represents a possible blow to regional security, leaving the Jewish state to single-handedly combat the threat posed by the Iranian presence in the embattled country.
In Netanyahu’s public remarks, he said that he had spoken with both Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who “made it clear that they had other ways to express their influence in the arena.”
“This is, of course, America’s decision,” he added. “We will study the timetable, the mode of operation, and of course the implications for us. In any case, we will take care to protect Israel’s security and to protect ourselves from that arena.”
However, a Channel 10 report broadcast on Wednesday said that Netanyahu had made several failed attempts to convince Trump to change his mind and that senior Israeli officials view the withdrawal as “a slap in the face” for Israel. The U.S. presence in Syria was “the only bargaining chip” in Israel’s attempts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to assist in preventing Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, the report said.
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Post by Daniel on Dec 24, 2018 11:24:32 GMT -5
Netanyahu attempts to calm fears over US exit from Syria
World Israel News
December 23, 2018
Israel’s efforts against Iran in Syria will continue notwithstanding the anticipated American pullout from that country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday morning.
“The decision to take out the 2,000 American soldiers from Syria will not change our consistent policy,” he stated . “We will continue to act to prevent Iran’s effort to militarily entrench itself in Syria, and if needed we will even increase our activities there.”
Furthermore, “I would like to reassure those who are concerned. Our cooperation with the U.S. will continue in full and finds expression in many areas: operations, intelligence and many other security spheres.”
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly made the snap decision to withdraw last Wednesday during a call with Turkish leader Recep Erdogan against the advice of his top aides and without consulting his national security team or allies. Trump said that the only reason the troops were there was to fight ISIS and that the victory over the terrorist group enabled him to bring the troops home within three months.
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Post by Daniel on Dec 29, 2018 10:03:38 GMT -5
FRC warns Trump's Syria withdraw plans will put Christians in 'mortal danger'
By Samuel Smith, CP Reporter
One of the nation’s leading Christian conservative advocacy groups that has been supportive of the Trump administration is warning that President Trump’s plans for a “full” and “rapid” withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria will put Christian communities in “mortal danger.”
In an op-ed co-written by Lt. Gen. William "Jerry" Boykin, the organization's executive vice president, and Travis Weber, a former Navy pilot and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who serves as FRC’s vice president for policy, argue that withdrawing troops won’t result in Trump’s stated campaign promise to defeat the Islamic State.
The terror group, which gained control of large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq in 2014, has been largely pushed out of its strongholds but many have warned that the deadly extremist group is still not defeated.
“While ISIS has suffered, it is not finished,” the men wrote, adding that reports show that the terrorists still control territory with forces capable of mounting another insurgency in the future.
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Post by Daniel on Dec 29, 2018 11:44:47 GMT -5
Trump: We give Israel billions, it can defend itself in Syria
By Eric Cortellessa
27 December 2018
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was not worried that pulling troops out of Syria could endanger Israel, citing vast American military aid to the Jewish state and saying it can defend itself.
Trump made the comments while on a surprise trip to Iraq — the president’s first official visit to a conflict zone — where he defended his controversial decision last week to remove US military forces from Syria, where they have been leading the coalition to fight the Islamic State terror group.
Speaking with reporters, Trump was asked about criticism that the move could put Israel in jeopardy by allowing Iran to expand its foothold in Syria.
“Well, I don’t see it. I spoke with Bibi,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I told Bibi. And, you know, we give Israel $4.5 billion a year. And they’re doing very well defending themselves, if you take a look.”
“So that’s the way it is,” Trump said, according to a White House transcript.
“We’re going to take good care of Israel. Israel is going to be good. But we give Israel $4.5 billion a year. And we give them, frankly, a lot more money than that, if you look at the books — a lot more money than that. And they’ve been doing a very good job for themselves,” he added.
It was not immediately clear where Trump’s figure of $4.5 billion or more came from.
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