President Donald Trump reiterated on Saturday that he will create ‘safe zones’ in war-torn Syria as an alternative to allowing refugees to enter the United States.
Speaking at a rally in Florida, Trump said that he wants Gulf States to fund these safe zones.
“They [Gulf States] have nothing but money,” he said.
One U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss American policy, said Washington has kept large numbers of such man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, out of Syria by uniting Western and Arab allies behind channeling training and infantry weapons to moderate opposition groups while it pursued talks with Moscow.
But frustration with Washington has intensified, raising the possibility that Gulf allies or Turkey will no longer continue to follow the U.S. lead or will turn a blind eye to wealthy individuals looking to supply MANPADS to opposition groups.
“The Saudis have always thought that the way to get the Russians to back off is what worked in Afghanistan 30 years ago – negating their air power by giving MANPADS to the mujahideen,” said a second U.S. official.
The Fourth Revolutionary War 