JD: I’m wondering whether the caliphate of Islamic State has really been destroyed. Now I understand geographically that is probably the case but they still have a number of troops even in Syria as it relates to Islamic State. They really haven’t totally been defeated have they?
KT: And that’s where the US presence as a deterrent comes in. It’s to make sure that the gangs on the ground which are very real. ISIS has been defeated they no longer have a caliphate. They no longer have a geographical presence as you just said in Syria or Iraq that’s a real accomplishment of President Trump and this administration and of the US military and our coalition partners. But that could be lost those gains could very easily be lost if the United States goes through with this announced decision and pulls those 2,000 troops out. It seems like such a small number but those 2,000 American Special Forces Operators serve as a force multiplier to the Kurds on the ground, to the French and the other coalition partners on the ground by providing intelligence support, air support and training in-particular to the Kurds. So this will indeed make a very big difference. ISIS could come back. I think this is a tremendous mistake.
JD: Well I guess Tayyip Erdogan over there in Turkey he’s thrilled, happy, very excited and I guess he must have expressed that to Trump when Trump called him. It seems like Donald Trump only got advise from Erdogan as to what to do in Syria.
KT: Yeah Erdogan and Rand Paul and I think that’s a real big mistake. Erdogan who has repeatedly shown himself to be an enemy of the United States to openly mock the United States. And now Erdogan is saying he’s getting ready to launch a new military attack into Northern Syria and if we’re to believe what we’re hearing now President Trump is going to applaud him.
JD: Ken Timmerman voicing his opinion of the Trump pullout of US troops in Syria.
