PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron has bemoaned the decision by his US counterpart to withdraw troops from Syria. Such a move is unbecoming of any “ally,” since they should be “reliable” and “fight shoulder to shoulder,” he said.
“I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria,” Macron said on Sunday, speaking at a news conference during his visit to Chad.
Earlier this week, Donald Trump announced his move to withdraw US troops from the country, citing the “defeat” of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). While the US president had promised to do this previously, the actual decision apparently caught many by surprise.
“To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It’s the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military,” Macron stated. “An ally should be reliable.”
While berating Trump, the French president also praised the outgoing US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and his resignation letter, in which he wrote about the importance of allies.
“I want here to pay tribute to General Mattis and the comments that accompanied his decision, for a year we have seen how he was a reliable partner,” Macron said.
Paris will continue its operations in Syria, the president stated, reaffirming French support for the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia. French troops, believed to be quite low in number, remain in Syria without any mandate – just like the American ones – and are effectively occupying territories of a sovereign state. (Russia Today)