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
- France may tweak, not tinker, as Iraq World Cup test looms - Reuters - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France arrive in Philadelphia ahead of Iraq showdown - OneFootball - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France vs Iraq picks, predictions, odds for World Cup match Monday - azcentral.com and The Arizona Republic - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France XI vs Iraq: Predicted lineup and confirmed team news - London Evening Standard - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France vs Iraq predictions: World Cup tips and odds - The Telegraph - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France faces Iraq in World Cup clash: preview and predictions - Crypto Briefing - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- France vs Iraq prediction, tips and odds | World Cup 2026 - TNT Sports - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Revealed: The three changes France are set to make against Iraq as Bradley Barcola gets his big World Cup chance - Goal.com - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Summer fires spread across Iraqs Nineveh - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Mbappe: Iraq will not be an easy opponent - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Iran details Iraq leg of Ayatollah Khamenei funeral - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Where to watch France vs. Iraq live stream, TV channel, start time for World Cup Group I match - sportingnews.com - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Iraq vs. NorwayWorld Cup: Preview, Predictions and Lineups - Sports Illustrated - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- IDF confirms killing Hezbollah commander responsible for creating Iran-backed militias in Iraq - Long War Journal - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Spain at a Tennessee boarding school, Iraq in a rural West Virginia town: Where World Cup teams live - PIX11 - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Something historic is happening: Iraq return to World Cup after 40 years and fans are dreaming - The National - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq vs Norway Predicted lineup and team news - Yahoo Sports - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Norway, Erling Haaland look to make World Cup statement vs. Iraq in Foxboro - Boston Herald - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Norway arrives in Boston ahead of World Cup match against Iraq - CBS News - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Spain at Tennessee boarding school, Iraq in rural West Virginia town: Where World Cup teams live - Santa Fe New Mexican - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq to make first World Cup appearance in 40 years - WPRI.com - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq fans take over Boston before World Cup opener - The National - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq stands to gain most from US-Iran deal, analysts warn of fragile foundations - - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- The secret weapon Iraq can use as they finally live World Cup dream - Yahoo Sports - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq WCup Soccer - The Herald Journal - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq vs Norway prediction, tips and odds | World Cup 2026 - TNT Sports - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq coach: Norway not just about Haaland - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- 'Go and do Iraq proud': Graham Arnold on living in Baghdad, family and facing Erling Haaland at World Cup - The National - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq vs Norway predictions: World Cup tips and odds - The Telegraph - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq faces Norway in first World Cup match in 40 years - IraqiNews - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Soccer-Iraq have everything to gain, will try to shock the world, says coach Arnold - MSN - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- The "Lions of Mesopotamia," Iraq returns to the World Cup after 40 years and face a historic test - i24NEWS - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq coach urges outsiders to 'shock the world' - Ahram Online - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- How And Where To Watch: Iraq vs Norway in Group I of the 2026 FIFA World Cup - beIN SPORTS - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- FIFA World Cup 26: What to look out for in Iraq v Norway - OneFootball - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq coach Graham Arnold has achieved something at the World Cup no other Australian has - SBS Australia - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq have everything to gain, will try to shock the world says coach Arnold - CNA - June 16th, 2026 [June 16th, 2026]
- Iraq vs Venezuela: Friendlies stats & head-to-head - BBC - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- It was madness in Baghdad: Ren Meulensteen on coaching Iraq and helping Ronaldo - The Guardian - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Analysis | Maine is bringing Iraq War politics back. This governor is feeling dj vu. - The Washington Post - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- London meetings advance Iraq banking agenda - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- The African developer building an $18.8 billion city in Iraq is now targeting Saudi Arabia - Business Insider Africa - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq Risks Halting Government Pay If War Persists, Minister Says - Bloomberg.com - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq World Cup star Aymen Hussein questioned for seven hours by U.S. immigration officials - The Athletic - The New York Times - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq vs. Venezuela Lineups, Live Streaming, TV Channels, How and Where to Watch - Athlon Sports - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq Conclude World Cup Preparations with a Defeat to Venezuela - Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Hidden in car parts: Sugar Land man sentenced for role in smuggling firearms to Iraq - KHOU - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq faces the risk of being dragged back into war as Iran and Israel trade blows - The National - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- PMF and Peshmerga between integration pressures and power dynamics in Iraq - ANHA - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Football has succeeded in uniting Iraq fans when all else has failed - The Athletic - The New York Times - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Robinson HS graduate killed in Iraq brought back to U.S. - Yahoo - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq At The Crossroads: Strategic Ties With Iran, Turkey, And The Arab World Analysis - Eurasia Review - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq cracks international crystal drugs network - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq Reopens Airspace after Iran Ends Operation against Israel - Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq under pressure as Iran-backed factions threaten US targets - middle-east-online.com - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq PM Keen on Attracting US Investments after Reining in Armed Factions - Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- 21 Killed, 20 Injured in Deadly Bus Crash and Fire in Southern Iraq - The Media Line - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Presidential backing boosts Zaidis drive to curb uncontrolled weapons in Iraq - The Arab Weekly - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq Also Intensifying Work To Reroute Exports Away From Strait Of Hormuz As Blockade Continues - International Business Times - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- US military strikes inside Iran - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq conclude World Cup preparations with a defeat to Venezuela - The Straits Times - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Iraq and Syria reopen airspace after Israel-Iran attacks - Middle East Eye - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- United States Joins Iran, Somalia and Iraq in Facing FIFA World Cup 2026 Travel and Visa Challenges as Entry Restrictions Raise Concerns for Fans and... - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- Zidane Iqbal on Iraq's historic World Cup return: 'It was written in the stars' - The National - June 10th, 2026 [June 10th, 2026]
- How Do I Know Graham Platner Is Lying About The Iraq War? I Was There. - The Free Press - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Wars, sanctions and punishments: Iraq's 40-year World Cup wait - BBC - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- The Possible Lineup of Spain to Face Iraq in the Friendly Match - beIN SPORTS - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- How to watch today's Spain vs Iraq Friendlies game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time - Goal.com - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- US supports Iraqs weapon consolidation process - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Army soldier from Robinson dies during training-related incident in Iraq - KCENTV.com - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Iraqs Al-Nujaba challenges government disarmament plan - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Where to watch Spain vs. Iraq live stream, TV channel, start time for international friendly - sportingnews.com - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Iraq on Verge of Restructuring Popular Mobilization Forces - Asharq Al-Awsat English - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- How the US pushed Iraq's armed factions toward disarmament, and who is still pushing back - - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Iraq oil exports collapse to ~10% of pre-Iran war levels - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- U.S. Army shares more information after death of Robinson soldier in Iraq - KCENTV.com - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- UNDP boosts Kurdistan crisis readiness - Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world - - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Spain held to draw by Iraq in friendly as both teams prepare for World Cup - Flashscore.com - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Iraq in crisis over petrol shortage - Arabian Gulf Business Insight | AGBI - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]
- Spain vs Iraq Lineups, Score, Live Streaming, How and Where to Watch on TV - Athlon Sports - June 5th, 2026 [June 5th, 2026]