Your support helps us tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to big tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the finances of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word,’ which shines a light on American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know the importance of analyzing the facts of messaging. .
At such a critical moment in American history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to continue sending journalists to tell both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to block Americans from our reporting and analysis with a paywall. We believe that quality journalism should be available to everyone, and paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes a difference.
Donald Trump criticized the former president Barack Obama as he wades into what is in progress Syria of the conflict on Saturday, saying the US should not get involved and should never have gotten involved in the matter.
In keeping with his isolationist foreign policy, the newly elected president he wrote on Truth Social that the United States “should have nothing to do with” the situation in Syria – where the rebels are currently trying to capture the capital in attempt to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
“THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Trump wrote.
Yet at the same time, Trump blamed Obama for not intervening in the 2013 conflict when a Russian-backed government used chemical weapons as a form of attack – something Obama initially said was a “red line” that would prompt the US to get included.
“Here, former President Obama refused to honor his commitment to protect the RED LINE IN SONG, and all hell broke loose, and Russia got involved,” Trump wrote.
Russia, an ally of al-Assad, intervened in the Syrian conflict several years ago. However, Trump said that due to the current status of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, Moscow cannot divert its attention this time.
“Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have completely captured numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, apparently preparing to take a major step toward removing Assad,” Trump wrote.
“Russia, because it is so tied to Ukraine, and with the loss of over 600,000 troops, seems unable to stop this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years.
The president-elect said there was “never much use” for Russia in Syria “other than to make Obama look really stupid.”
“Anyway, Syria is a mess, but it is not our friend and the UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” he added.
Trump’s comments came while he was in Paris meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in his first return to the world stage after winning the election.
The conflict in Syria has been going on since 2011. The government, led by al-Assad, was central to the situation he used brutality against peaceful protesters during the Arab Spring.
Since then, the Syrian government has relied on its alliances with Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and others to stay in power.
However, those allies, like Russia, were distracted by other crises, giving the rebels a chance to advance hoping to topple al-Assad.
Over the past week, the conflict has escalated in the country, with rebels beginning to seize much of the northwestern territory in an attempt to oust al-Assad.
So far, the rebels have been led The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), they seized land in the city of Aleppo and several suburbs of Damascus – the first time opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the capital since 2018.
The Syrian army has reportedly withdrawn from several suburbs of Damascus, signaling that al-Assad is losing control of parts of the country.
Under Trump, who will return to the White House in just over a month, the US is unlikely to get involved. The president-elect and his allies have taken an isolationist approach to foreign conflicts, believing that the US should not get involved unless it has a direct interest in it.