"Sand" and "Death", Trump has two words to summarise Syria

While the POTUS remained largely vague about the timing of withdrawal of troops from Syria, he said the country was lost long ago.

(AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN)

New Delhi: In what can be called a rather crude take of US President on the war-torn country Syria, Trump chose two words to describe the situation in the country, “sand and death”. For Trump, talking about Syria is talking sand and death apparently. While the POTUS remained largely vague about the timing of withdrawal of troops from Syria, he said the country was lost long ago, what remains there is just sand and death. "So Syria was lost long ago. It was lost long ago. And besides that, I don't want - we're talking about sand and death. That's what we're talking about," Trump was quoted as saying by agencies. "We're not talking about vast wealth. We're talking about sand and death." Trump said US doesn’t want to be in Syria forever but did not give any specific time. He said: “I never said we are getting out overnight. We are withdrawing troops from Syria but it would happen over a period of time.” Trump had made a sudden announcement of withdrawal of troops from Syria on December 19, claiming that the purpose of US stay there - the ISIS, was defeated. However, Trump used a different tone when on Monday he said that the US was ‘slowly sending’ troops home. About 2,000 US force are deployed in Syria, most of them are on a train-and-advise mission to support local force fighting Islamic State. Trump’s decision runs on the contrary to the long-established US policy for Syria and the region and has miffed many of its international allies alike.