Once again, Syria is burning. Turkey and its proxy militias are advancing into area controlled by Kurdish fighters, leading to civilian casualties and reports of atrocities. Chaos abounds, with even the secure handling of dangerous Islamic State prisoners in doubt.
It did not need to be this way.
President Donald Trump enabled the mayhem when he effectively greenlighted the Turkish advance into Syria after an Oct. 6 phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.