Nancy McEldowney on “Complete Chaos” in Northern Syria

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Let’s get your take on what does seem to be just an extraordinary move by the President to allow American allies to essentially be at the mercy of their enemies in Turkey.

NANCY MCELDOWNEY, FMR. AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA: I think it’s more than extraordinary. I have to say, I think the decision that Trump took in this case is both shocking and shameful. This is not how one treats allies, people who have fought and died with us in a common mission. And it really, it’s nothing — you cannot say anything other than the fact that this is a betrayal of our Kurdish allies who have helped us in this very important fight against ISIS, but it has larger implications as well. It shows that America under Trump’s leadership is an untrustworthy ally. The implications throughout the coalition against ISIS as well as around the world are going to be very significant. But it’s also going to set back our fight against ISIS, and it has, I think, a real significant possibility of further destabilizing the region and potentially opening up Israel to pressure from both Iran and Russia.

AMANPOUR: And actually, basically, handing Syria back to or to Iran, Russia, and Assad. When you see what the Turkish government is saying and how much — I mean, they told us last night, you know, they’re clearing a, I believe 400-long sector of the border and 20 kilometers — 400 long and 20 kilometers deep, what does that mean in practical terms for people there? There must be millions of people in that area anyway, tens of thousands of ISIS dependents, at least 11,000 ISIS fighters in captivity. What does it mean practically?

MCELDOWNEY: The implications are horrific. And retired four- star general, marine general, John Allen, who used to command our forces in Afghanistan, has called the situation complete chaos. With that wide swath of territory that the Turks are now trying to clear out, civilians will be displaced. I expect there will be a great of loss of life, both of civilians as well as of the Kurdish forces. But there’s a larger and even more significant threat that this poses. There are 10,000 ISIS detainees in facilities throughout that region. The U.S. has already moved two of the most threatening. But that leaves many more. How are those people going to continue to be detained? How are they going to be managed and not be enabled to present a threat again? This whole situation is extreme, it is alarming, it is undermining our national security as well as regional stability.