And so it begins. Turkish President Recep Erdogan started an offensive in northern Syria. And he announced it via Twitter:
The Washington Post reports the Kurds are preparing to fight:
“The Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria on Wednesday called for civilians in the area to defend against a Turkish military incursion that American and Turkish officials have said could begin at any moment.
“The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria announced three days of “public alarm” and urged people to “go to the border region adjacent to Turkey to carry out their moral duty and show resistance.”
Axios reports Donald Trump’s longtime ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham is furious with the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the region. From Axios:
“Graham said Trump is making the biggest mistake of his presidency, against the advice of his national security team, and putting his presidency in peril.
“I think he’s putting the nation at risk, and I think he’s putting his presidency at risk,” Graham said. “And I hope he will adjust his policies like he did before. That would actually be a sign of real leadership.”
“If I hear the president say one more time, ‘I made a campaign promise to get out of Syria,’ I’m going to throw up,” Graham continued.
The Washington Post’s David Ignatius reports:
“…I’m also told that Turkish attack appears coordinated with the Russians. Russian-backed forces are mobilizing to invade the Kurdish area from the south — towards Tabqa and other spots. Meanwhile, ISIS is mobilizing sleeper cells in Raqqa and attacks have taken place tonight.“
