The Independent: Trump's policy in Syria could reorganize the state

US President Donald Trump's "reactionary" foreign policy would bring the Islamic State back to Syria, writer Kim Seggupta says.

One of the hallmarks of Trump's foreign policy is his lack of success against adversaries and his failure to stand by allies, the writer adds in an article in The Independent.

He says Trump has now abandoned the Kurdish allies who played an active role in the campaign against IS, leaving them vulnerable to a Turkish military attack.

He points out that US national security figures have warned that the Turkish incursion into Syria would have severe repercussions, including the benefit of ISIS from the attack on the SDF.

Pave the way
Trump's announcement of his intention to withdraw troops from Syria paved the way for the Turkish offensive, while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump's position and said he did not give Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the green light to intervene in Syria.

The foreign minister also said Ankara had legitimate security concerns in northern Syria.

However, foreign ministry diplomats have repeatedly warned the Turks against the Syrian operation in return for offers to push the Kurds to withdraw heavy weapons, dismantle fortifications near the border and share intelligence with Turkey.

Ankara says its operation targets the Islamic State and Kurdish militias, but its first targets were the cities of Ain al-Arab (Kobani), Tall Abyad and Ras al-Ain of Syria, all under Kurdish control.

Goals and scenario
The writer adds that the Turkish forces will face the forces of the Syrian-led Kurdish, well-trained and armed forces from the West, but the Turks have their land and air forces and will reach their targets despite the possible bloodshed.

The former US envoy to the international coalition against ISIS, Brett McGurk, warned that the Turkish intervention would have severe repercussions, including the use of ISIS to attack the SDF.

He cites British security analyst Robert Emerson as saying that it is strange that the Americans, the British and other Western allies formed this highly effective Kurdish force against IS, but that all this can be dismantled with a whim of Trump's actions.

The scenario to be considered is that IS will return, and that Syria will once again become a source of terrorism in the region and beyond, including Europe.