Trump says he’ll order ‘safe zones’ for Syria, regrets not ‘taking’ oil out of Iraq – RT
US President Donald Trump said hell establish safe zones within Syria for people fleeing terrorism, risking becoming even more involved in the crisis. He also believes the US should have taken the oil from Iraq as it pulled its troops out in 2011.
Ill absolutely do safe zones in Syria for the people, he said in a lengthy interviewwith ABC, his first since taking office. The president did not specify details, but explained his intention with a nod towards Europe, which he said made a mistake by letting in asylum seekers from the Middle East.
Read more
I think that Europe has made a tremendous mistake by allowing these millions of people to go into Germany and various other countries. And all you have to do is take a look. It's it's a disaster what's happening over there. I don't want that to happen here, he said. He noted that his predecessor Barack Obama also allowed thousands of refugees into the United States, which made possible incidents like the tragedy in San Bernardino in 2015, in which 14 people were killed and 22 others were injured in a terrorist attack carried out by a radicalized couple of Pakistani origin. Trump vowed not to repeat those mistakes.
Trump accused the Obama administration of having been unable to properly check immigrants entering the US from Syria and other crisis-stricken states to make sure they had no links to terrorism.
President Obama and [former Secretaries of State] Hillary Clinton and [John] Kerry have allowed tens of thousands of people into our country. The FBI is now investigating more people than ever before having to do with terror [] and it's from the group of people that came in.
I'm gonna be the president of a safe country. We have enough problems, Trump said.
Moscow was quick to react to Trumps plans, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggesting the US should calculate all the possible consequences.
Its important to make sure that this does not further aggravate the situation with refugees, Peskov told a conference call with reporters.
Read more
Yet, according to a document reportedly seen by Reuters, Trump is expected to order the Pentagon and the State Department to compile a plan for setting up the safe zones which he proposed.
The Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, is directed within 90 days of the date of this order to produce a plan to provide safe areas in Syria and in the surrounding region in which Syrian nationals displaced from their homeland can await firm settlement, such as repatriation or potential third-country resettlement, the draft order said, as cited by Reuters.
The move will mean the current US military involvement in Syrias civil war will be expanded, which may escalate the situation taking into account that American troops and the US-led coalition were not invited to take part in the conflict by the Syrian government in the first place.
The US-governed creation of safe zones would potentially mean an increase in the presence of US or allied air power to cover the zones from air, as well as boots on the ground to protect civilians in these areas. However, according to Reuters, the draft order provides no details on what the safe zones would require in terms of defense or where they might be located.
The draft order provided a notion of setting up the safe zones in neighboring countries, but Syrias neighbors, including Jordan and Turkey, already have migrant camps of their own hosting millions of Syrian refugees.
Trumps plan to establish safe zones in Syria is part of his general directive on immigration, which will include a temporary 30-day ban on most refugees and a suspension of US visas for citizens of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, the Middle Eastern and African countries that appear to pose a terrorism threat. Trumps administration is to use the temporary halt to work out a system which will ensure US visas are not issued to people that pose a national security threat, according to the draft.
Trump also said he will keep his campaign promise and build a wall on the border with Mexico, from where illegal immigrants, including from across the ocean, come into the US.
Addressing Americas involvement in another Middle Eastern crisis the war in Iraq, the newly-inaugurated US leader regretted not having taken the oil when the US troops left the country in 2011.
Read more
In his historic speech at the CIA in Washington, DC, last week, Trump initially stated, We should've kept the oil. But, OK, maybe well have another chance, sparking debates as to what he could have meant by the statement. In an interview with ABC, the president explained his words, stating that Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) would not have become a global threat had it not taken over Iraqs oil industry when the country was left weakened by the war.
We should've kept the oil when we got out. And, you know, it's very interesting, had we taken the oil, you wouldn't have ISIS because they fuel themselves with the oil. That's where they got the money. They got the money [] when we left, we left Iraq, which wasn't a government.
We created a vacuum and ISIS formed. But had we taken the oil something else very good would've happened. They would not have been able to fuel their rather unbelievable drive to destroy large portions of the world, Trump stated. He added, however, that Iraqs oil could profit the United States as well, with the countrys budget drained by its involvement in the wars of the Middle East.
If we took the oil you wouldn't have ISIS. And we would have had wealth. We have spent right now $6 trillion in the Middle East. And our country is falling apart.
When asked by the news anchor whether he plans to fix that mistake and claim Iraqs oil, the president said he would rather not give away his military plans, referring to the situation around Mosul, the de-facto IS capital in Iraq. The city has been under siege by Iraqi government forces, allied militias, Iraqi Kurdistan, and international forces for over three months now, with no forecasts so far on when the city will be liberated from terrorists. This, in Trumps opinion, is due to the fact the campaign had been over-advertised.
READ MORE:US gave ISIS escape route from Mosul to Syria; now civilians are paying the price
We're gonna see what happens. You know, [] when it comes to the military I don't want to discuss things.
I want to let the action take place before the talk takes place. I watched in Mosul when a number of months ago generals and politicians would get up and say, We're going into Mosul in four months. Then they'd say, We're going in in three months, two months, one month. We're going in next week.
I kept saying to myself, Gee, why do they have to keep talking about going in? Alright, so now they go in and it is tough because they're giving the enemy all this time to prepare. I don't want to do a lot of talking on the military. I want to talk after it's finished, not before it starts, Trump said.
See the original post:
Trump says he'll order 'safe zones' for Syria, regrets not 'taking' oil out of Iraq - RT
- FM Fidan holds talks with OIC counterparts in Iraq - Daily Sabah - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- IMF to firmly support Iraq, sees more work needed on Lebanon programme - The Arab Weekly - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Iraq rejects PKK ringleaders, as third-country exit gains ground - Trkiye Today - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- IMF Moves Forward on Iraq and Lebanon Programmes as Regional Crises Bite - News and Statistics - IndexBox - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Death threats and isolation - the cost of fighting sexual violence in Iraq - BBC - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- IMF to accelerate talks with Iraq and Lebanon The National - UA.NEWS - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- BP partnership takes over as operator of Iraq oilfields - Upstream Online - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Six French ISIS Suspects to Stand Trial in Iraq - Kurdistan24 - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq at the crossroads of arms and investment - Washington Times - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Israeli Sentenced to Death in Iraq to Return Home After 11 Years in Prison - Haaretz - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - AP News - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- U.S. to pull all remaining troops from Iraq by Sept. 30 | WORLD - wng.org - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Israeli citizen, Ben Hassin, imprisoned in Iraq for murder, was freed and is returning to Israel after 11 years - report - i24NEWS - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Group warns Iraq could face dust on 300 days a year within a decade - 964media - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq courts Europe in bid to diversify options after Coalition withdrawal - Amwaj.media - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- French jihadists held in Iraq set to be tried from Sunday - Le Monde.fr - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq Reopens Airspace to Civilian Flights After Years of Military Restrictions - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq courts Europe with oil, energy and investment push - thearabweekly.com - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- EBRD and EU boost trade finance in Iraq - EBRD - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- The United States will withdraw its remaining troops from Iraq by September 30, but pro-Iranian groups are refusing to disarm - () - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- From the archives: SHeDAISY honors amputee vets of Iraq, 2004 - stripes.com - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Shafaq News..ISIS attack brings security sweep in western Iraq - - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq Says Coalition Missions End Will Mark New Phase of Sovereignty - The Diplomatic Insight - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Energy Crisis in Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan Region and Turkey - - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- TotalEnergies, Iraq have agreed to start talks on energy projects, Iraq, France say - Yahoo Finance UK - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Army veteran paratrooper who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan before helping rescue Fox News reporter dead at 50 - Fox News - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- Iraq looks to end reliance on Hormuz and Iranian gas with pipelines and new power generation projects - EnterpriseAM - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- French lawyers say they were denied access to cases of ISIS suspects in Iraq Asharq Al-Awsat - UA.NEWS - September 20th, 2026 [September 20th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - Yahoo - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- TotalEnergies, Iraq have agreed to start talks on energy projects, Iraq, France say - Reuters - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- The Zionist dream of a state stretching from the Mediterranean to Iraq - Al Jazeera - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Attack that closed key Saudi pipeline is blamed on Iran-backed militias in Iraq - PBS - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - Bozeman Daily Chronicle - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the Last US Troops Pack Up in Iraq, Factions Signal Their Weapons Will Stay - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq says Saudi pipeline attack originated from its territory, and other Mideast news - AP News - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- People practice archery at Al-Zawraa Park in Baghdad, Iraq - Xinhua - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - Oskaloosa Herald - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - Ottumwa Courier - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - Temple Daily Telegram - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Saudi Arabia, under pressure from Iranian-allied militias in Iraq and Houthi rebels in Yemen, has postponed what would have been the highest level of... - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Saudi Arabia closes its East-West pipeline after attacks from Iraq - Foundation for Defense of Democracies - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Will the Institutionalization of Trkiye-Iraq Relations Take Root? - politicstoday.org - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq postpones start of 20262027 academic year to October 11 - IraqiNews - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- France and Iraq agree to strengthen energy and defense cooperation - UA.NEWS - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq says investigations ongoing to identify perpetrators of attack on Saudi Arabia - The New Region - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- TotalEnergies, Iraq agree to start talks on energy projects (TTE:NYSE) - Seeking Alpha - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As the last US troops pack up in Iraq, militias signal their weapons will stay - guardonline.com - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq signs 25-Year contract to more than double gas output at Ajeel Field - Oil & Gas Middle East - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq under pressure after local Iran-backed militias accused of attacking Saudi pipeline - The Times of Israel - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- 49 prisoners to be extradited from Iraq to Iran: official - Mehr News Agency - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq reviews work with foreign banks, credit rating with Rothschild & Co. - IraqiNews - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- As The Iran War Lingers, Economic And Political Fireworks In Iraq Loom - MEMRI | Middle East Media Research Institute - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq vet Pyrah gives up driving to choose life and the medicine that works - Cannabis News Australia - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq resumes trade through border crossings with Iran - IraqiNews - September 15th, 2026 [September 15th, 2026]
- Iraq Is in Process of Seeking Oil Tankers for Hormuz Strait Runs - Bloomberg.com - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- US reportedly withdrawing from Iraq adds pressure on Kurds - The Jerusalem Post - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Oscars: Iraq Picks No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman as Best International Feature Contender - The Hollywood Reporter - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iraq completes investigation into thousands of ISIS detainees formerly held in Syria - Yahoo - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iraq Initiative Conference 2026 - Chatham House - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iran attack Iraqi Kurdistan in push to create buffer zone in Iraq - The Jerusalem Post - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- This Marine Died in the Iraq War. His Mother Asks, What Was It For? - The New York Times - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iraq boosts oil production capacity to three million bpd amid Strait of Hormuz attacks - thenationalnews.com - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Shafaq News..PMF bill heads to Iraq parliament within weeks - - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- US approves potential $800 million helicopter sale to Iraq - Breaking Defense - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iraq carries out four projects to recover 1.4 billion cubic feet of associated gas - iraqinews.com - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Oscars: Iraq Submits Venice Title No Paradise If You Are Killed By A Woman - Deadline - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Portion of Highway 150 dedicated to Galesburg native who died serving in Iraq - KWQC - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- The Iraq War Cheerleaders Were Wrong. They're Wrong About Iran Too. - Reason Magazine - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- US Approves $800M Bell 412 and 407M Helicopter Sale to Iraq - MiGFlug - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- First group of Turkish nationals accused of being members of ISIS return from Iraq - - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Chevron's Iraq Bet Isn't the Real Dividend Growth Story. Here's What Is. - The Motley Fool - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Low oil prices attract buyers to Iraq, which boosts exports of crude oil in August - Marine Link - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iranian-backed militia Badr admits it killed, wounded thousands of protesters in Iraq in 2019 - The Jerusalem Post - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Iraq Approved For Renewed Effort To Acquire Bell Helos - Aviation Week - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- The Iraq War Cheerleaders Were Wrong. They're Wrong About Iran Too. (opinion) - Yahoo - September 6th, 2026 [September 6th, 2026]
- Exclusive | How a poodle saved the life of a 9/11 responder and Iraq War vet - New York Post - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Greetings from Karbala, Iraq, where millions gathered for a Shia pilgrimage - NPR - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Pentagon Set to End $61 Million Peshmerga Aid as Last US Base in Iraq Closes - SOFX - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- EUAM Iraq Says Mission Will Stay at Least Two More Years in Kurdistan - Kurdistan24 - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- 'We protected each other' | 48th Brigade veterans reunite in Perry two decades after returning from Iraq - 13WMAZ - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]