Sputnik: What do you make of Trump's recent tweets on Syria?
Salih Dogan: I think that it's very clear that Donald Trump believes that the Assad regime killed Syrian civilian people including women and children in the chemical weapons attack on April 7, and he also blames Russian President Putin, Russia and Iran for baking the Assad regime, but it isn't quite clear to me actually, and when I read his tweets it's like it's not coming from the president of the United States.
Trump being the president of the United States is such a great joke already and what we are experiencing is just tragic, it's quite tragicomic actually, and he says whatever he thinks and he wants and like a child actually, he doesn't behave like the president of the United States. It's really hard to say what could be the consequences of his tweets.
READ MORE: Trump's Threats to Attack Syria Nothing but Mere Bluff – Academic
Sputnik: Other countries are taking him seriously and they're also making plans in Syria based on Trump's tweets because that's the way Trump communicates to the world, how dangerous of a situation is that really?
Salih Dogan: I mean if you look at what happened in Iraq in 2003, at that time the United States easily found a lot of allies to fight in Iraq, but they also tried to do this in Libya a couple of years back, and I think it is getting harder and harder to just go after the United States whenever they want to create a coalition to enter a country. So we have seen that they wanted to form a coalition or at least to pass a resolution in the United Nations Security Council but it was already vetoed by the majority, the British government in the United Kingdom is already discussing it in their parliament and I'm not sure what will be their reaction, the same goes for France as well, they said they're considering whether to join the United States, but I guess it's all about the first reaction of the United States, if they decide to attack the Assad regime, it would be much more serious for other countries to discuss this, to join or not, as far as I understand now.
READ MORE: 'If Something Happens in Syria, France Will Join US in War' – Journalist
What I will say about the latest Trump tweet is he does not think that they're going to attack Syria, it will not take place very soon. So if a move comes from President Trump and the United States then maybe France or the United Kingdom or Germany might consider joining this alliance or whatever it is, but for now, I don't think they will make a formal coalition to move in Syria.
Sputnik: Do you think there are enough factors that could hold Trump back from a moment of Twitter glee or trigger finger?
Salih Dogan: As a person, I don't care what Trump tweets but there are some certain people in the chain of command and they have to do whatever Trump says, and it's just like a big problem for US politics right now. I mean, if Trump decides something or Trump thinks something and he tweets it, people or countries need to react to whatever he tweets or he says. I may find this childish, but the people, the commanders in the army, the Pentagon, if Trump really decides to attack or to do something else, they have to obey him. This is quite problematic and I don't know if Trump, whenever Trump makes his mind I don't think there's any power that can change his mind.
READ MORE: 'US Will Not Be Withdrawing From Syria, No Matter What Trump Says' — Analyst
Sputnik: Donald Trump also recently said that he was planning to withdraw the troops from Syria very soon, do you still think that it's likely that US troops will be withdrawn from Syria?
Salih Dogan: I wish I could say that but I don't think so, I think that the United States troops will continue to stay in Syria for at least a couple of years if not more, and moreover the Trump administration could even deploy more troops in Syria if they decide not to attack Assad regime. I think that's quite possible and that's what happened in Afghanistan and in Iraq in the past as well, so I don't think the Trump administration will withdraw the US troops from Syria.
The views and opinions expressed by Salih Dogan are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
