Oct 27, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Iraqi president says "entire neighborhood" worried about Trump's Syria exit

Ursula Perano

In an interview with Jonathan Swan for "Axios on HBO," Iraqi President Barham Salih said the U.S. withdrawal from northern Syria has the "entire neighborhood" worried.

The big picture: Trump's withdrawal from Syria has caused unrest in the region, displacing hundreds of thousands of Kurds as Turkish forces move in. Iraq shares a border with both nations, and it has also been left vulnerable to the growing conflict.

The withdrawal garnered pushback against Trump, including from within his own party.
The U.S. has maintained a presence in the Middle East since the 1950s and has deep-seated alliances throughout the region — many of which are now being questioned in light of Trump's decision-making.

What they're saying:

"The entire neighborhood is– is concerned about the implications– of this policy– the Turkish invasion, U.S. policy, and its implications for the wider U.S. policy in the Middle East. This is causing everybody to recalibrate, to rethink. And the implications for the Middle East are huge."

— Salih to "Axios on HBO"

Salih added: "The staying power of the United States is being questioned in a very, very serious way. And allies of the United States are worried about the dependability of the United States."

Go deeper: U.S. troops move to eastern Syria to execute oil field protection plan

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Iraqi president says "entire neighborhood" worried about Trump's Syria exit

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