Presidents Trump and Obama have, believe it or not, much in common (sorry Hillary). Both have long tried to withdraw U.S. forces from unending conflicts that bleed the United States of treasure and lives. No end of unpopular, corrupt and dictatorial leaders of the most loathsome kind have thrived on the downpour of dollars. Witness Afghanistan and Pakistan.  As a result of this dissent, however, the Oval Office has suffered embittered resentment from the Deep State, both the Pentagon and the secret intelligence services.

Given that Washington has no foreign legion, those lives lost in distant desert locations to no rational purpose actually matter to the American people, even while the Deep State seems ever ready for unending human sacrifice to no apparent result. Countries with less money are forced to equate ends with means, as Francis Bacon cogently advised King James I. Russia, ignorant of this, has for some time been attempting to evade the inevitable consequences of relative impoverishment. The United States, however, has continued to print money like no tomorrow, and its military has long assumed they could spend lavishly on conflicts with no end in sight. How many foreign military bases does it have? At least 160 at a recent count. And they do not even lie in congressional constituencies. So, given Trump’s reasoning, why hang on to them?

Now Trump has unilaterally announced a pull-out from northern Syria as Turkey prepares to move in and grab whatever it can , thus carving up its neighbour to satisfy his own selfish needs. All very reminiscent of the late 18th Century. This brings President Erdogan directly into collision with President Putin even though Russia has lately been courting Turkey with all the desperation of an infatuated young lover. It now looks like the Prom will be cancelled as Putin is sworn to uphold the territorial integrity – virgo intacta – of Assad’s Syria.

So is Iran. By walking out and slamming the door behind him so abruptly Trump has set his rivals at one another’s throats in a conflict that threatens to last for decades. At home both his malicious opponents among the Democrats and the Rinos of the Republican Party are seething with righteous indignation. Locally only Israel and Saudi Arabia can be expected to benefit. It might be what the Deep State also finds for some reason morally offensive – what about the Kurds? – but it is brilliant Realpolitik.

The Russian alarm has only just gone off. See the article today by Ivan Abakumov in Vzglyad ru.

С-400 помогли Эрдогану выгнать американцев с севера Сирии

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7 октября 2019, 16:10 Фото: Burhan Ozbilici/AP/ТАСС Текст: Иван Абакумов