"U.S. announces withdrawal of troops from northeast Syria "

"U.S. troops are pulling out of Syria today, clearing the way for a Turkish attack on Kurdish forces who have been steadfast partners in the fight against the Islamic State. This withdrawal, which the Kurds are calling a betrayal, began just hours after Trump spoke by phone on Sunday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Syrian Democratic Forces have been scaling back their defenses against a Turkish incursion recently at the behest of Americans trying to negotiate a settlement between the two sides. Now the SDF will be left to its own devices, as the massive Turkish army prepares for an imminent ground invasion."