Trumpian Calculations

            The word “calculating” has two very different meanings. The primary one has to do with computations, like in mathematics. The second one is much different; it means shrewd and crafty, or worse, coldly scheming or conniving. I haven’t seen the second meaning applied to President Trump’s decision on pulling troops out of Syria, but I think it fits him perfectly.

            The president’s announcement appeared to be impetuous, a snap decision justified by his desire to “bring our boys home.” It was nothing of the kind. It was calculated to appease Turkey’s president, Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey is a member of NATO and long an ally of ours. But lately Erdogan has been playing footsies with Vladimir Putin and makes clear that Turkey’s ties with Russia will strengthen if we don’t give him what he wants. That would put our strategic air base in Incirlik in jeopardy, and Trump doesn’t want to lose Incirlik’s missiles. Not on his watch.

            So, what is the price of Erdogan’ extortion? Freedom to attack and destroy the Kurds in their Syrian stronghold bordering Turkey. Why couldn’t he have just done it anyway? Well, there were 50 to 100 Americans in the way, and Erdogan could not risk retaliation from the U.S. for accidentally blasting those Americans with his tanks. Until Trump pulled them out, that is. As we see in the news, the Kurds are now being massacred.

            The Kurds have been our allies. The ISIS caliphate could not have been destroyed without them. But for Trump the extinction of the Kurds is a small price to pay to keep Turkey on our side. After all, he says, the Kurds didn’t help us in World War II. Or in Normandy. What ignorant nonsense.

            Trump’s craven decision has been met with condemnation by members of his own party. He richly deserves it. Add “craven” to the definition of calculating. It means cowardly.