the u.s., but rivals of each other. what prompted this? it is a very difficult one. this is really one of the tweets or plots, if you will, that is most interesting to me having watched this. i ve been in syria about 25 times now and the plight of the kurds has been central to the u.s. there. obviously the kurds have been the most important fighters the u.s. has had against isis and it seems that the president may be trying to have it both ways, trying to get out of syria but also protecting the kurds from turkey as well. so interesting to hear him say on the one hand that turkey would be devastated economically. on the other hand that the kurds also can t provoke the turks either. that could be the back door for the turks to take some sort of action. but if and when the pullout, it has begun, when it ends, the big power set to become more important than anyone else is probably the russians.