PARAGRAPH,WORDS AND MEANINGS

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Topic Of The Day:-“Pull-Out Puzzle: On Withdrawal Of U.S. Troops From Syria”

As Turkey Rebuffs Its Plea To Protect Syrian Kurds, The U.S. Must Evaluate Its Next Move

President Donald Trump’s planned withdrawal of American troops from Syria ran into trouble this week as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuffed National Security Adviser John Bolton’s suggestions for an orderly exit. After Mr. Trump announced the pull-out of about 2,000 troops from northeast Syria, Mr. Bolton had said the troops would leave the war-torn country after the Islamic State is beaten. He also said Kurds, U.S. allies in the fight against the IS, should be protected. This has ostensibly angered Turkey, which considers the Syrian Democratic Forces, the official military wing of Syrian Kurdistan, an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, deemed a terrorist group by Ankara and Washington. Mr. Erdogan, who initially welcomed Mr. Trump’s announcement of troops withdrawal, lashed out at Mr. Bolton for setting conditions for the pull-out. Tensions were so high that Mr. Erdogan refused to meet Mr. Bolton, who was in Turkey. The U.S. is now in a fix. Its President has announced the withdrawal. But it cannot just exit Syria without considering the existing geopolitical equations in the region. Kurds were pivotal in the war against the IS, and it is highly likely that Turkey could attack them as soon as the U.S. troops leave. Ankara sees an autonomous, militarily powerful Kurdistan on the Syrian side of the border as a threat to itsterritorial integrity.

Part of the problem is with the way Mr. Trump announced his decision to withdraw troops. He should have held talks with the stakeholders, including Turkey, Russia and Kurds, before taking a decision. Or he could have used his intent to pull out from Syria as a bargaining chip to extract concessions from other countries involved in the civil war. In the event, the abrupt announcement has become a concession to Turkey, which was hamstrung by U.S. presence in the Kurdish-populated region in pursuing its own military options. In practical terms, the U.S. has three options. One, it could go ahead with the unilateral pull-out irrespective of what Turkey does. This would leave the Kurds at the mercy of Mr. Erdogan and the Turkish troops. Two, Mr. Trump can walk back on his decision and continue to station troops in Syria, influencing, at least partially, the outcome of the civil war. This is unlikely given his aversion to keeping troops indefinitely in Syria (and other West Asian conflict zones). Three, the U.S. can stagger the withdrawal and pursue talks with Turkey, Russia and the Syrian government to reach an agreement to guarantee the protection of the Kurds and the defeat of the IS in Syria. Mr. Bolton’s Ankara trip may have failed to extract anyassurances from Mr. Erdogan, but Washington should continue to keep diplomatic channels open to ensure that the pull-out is done in an orderly fashion.

 

MEANINGS  AND  WORDS

1) lashed

Meaning : having eyelashes of a specified kind(adj).

Synonyms : chastise

Antonyms : compliment

Example : “long-lashed eyes”

2) refused

Meaning : indicate or show that one is not willing to do something(v).

Synonyms : banned

Antonyms : allowed

Example : “I refused to answer”

3) pivotal

Meaning : of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else(adj).

Synonyms : critical

Antonyms : trivial

Example : “Japan’s pivotal role in the world economy”

4) integrity

Meaning : the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles(n).

Synonyms : honesty

Antonyms : deceit

Example : “a gentleman of complete integrity”

5) held

Meaning : grasp, carry, or support with one’s arms or hands(v).

Synonyms : believed

Antonyms : freed

Example : “she was holding a brown leather suitcase”

6) bargaining

Meaning : negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction(v).

Synonyms : dealings

Antonyms : counter

Example : “he bargained with the local council to rent the stadium”

7) extract

Meaning : remove or take out, especially by effort or force(v).

Synonyms : excerpt

Antonyms : refusal

Example : “the fossils are extracted from the chalk”

8) concessions

Meaning : a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands(n).

Synonyms : compromise

Antonyms : denial

Example : “the government was unwilling to make any further concessions”

9) hamstrung

Meaning :

Synonyms :

Antonyms :

Example :

10) abrupt

Meaning : sudden and unexpected.

Synonyms : hasty

Antonyms : expected

Example : “I was surprised by the abrupt change of subject”

11) pursuing

Meaning : follow or chase (someone or something)(v).

Synonyms : ensuing

Antonyms : preceding

Example : “the officer pursued the van”

12) unilateral

Meaning : (of an action or decision) performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation, without the agreement of another or the others(adj).

Synonyms : independent

Antonyms : bilateral

Example : “unilateral nuclear disarmament”

13) mercy

Meaning : compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm(n).

Synonyms : clemency

Antonyms : disdain

Example : “the boy was screaming and begging for mercy”

14) influencing

Meaning : have an influence on.

Synonyms : determine

Antonyms : continue

Example : “government regulations can influence behaviour, but often without changing underlying values and motivations”

15) aversion

Meaning : a strong dislike or disinclination.

Synonyms : antipathy

Antonyms : delight

Example : “they made plain their aversion to the use of force”

16) stagger

Meaning : walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall(v).

Synonyms : lurch

Antonyms : continue

Example : “he staggered to his feet, swaying a little”

17) ensure

Meaning : make certain that (something) will occur or be the case.(v)

Synonyms : assure

Antonyms : endanger

Example : “the client must ensure that accurate records are kept”