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”