Trump: Syria withdrawal to be 'prudent'

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump fought back against criticism of his decision to remove American troops from Syria on Monday, saying all necessary steps will be taken to ensure an orderly pullout from the country's northeast.

"We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!" he said on Twitter, using another name for Daesh.

He pushed back on an article from the New York Times critical of his policy, but it is unclear which story he is referring to.

The newspaper earlier Monday published a podcast reviewing Trump's plan, as well as a separate story Sunday stating that John Bolton, the president's national security advisor, appeared to roll back the decision Sunday by suggesting the U.S. will not withdraw troops from northeastern Syria unless the Turkish government guarantees it won’t attack the YPG/PKK -- a group Turkey considers a terrorist group.

That demand, the Times said, could delay the order by months or years.

"The remarks also reflected the disarray that has surrounded the president’s decision, which took his staff and foreign allies by surprise and drew objections from the Pentagon that it was logistically impossible and strategically unwise," the Times wrote.

Trump originally claimed in a pre-recorded video announcing his decision, "our boys, our young women, our men — they’re all coming back, and they’re coming back now."