The shocking decision of US President Donald Trump to pull forces from Syria started a chain of military and diplomatic communications between US allies and its international, regional and local rivals to reach arrangements and fill the gap there.
There are two dates leading these communications: US-Turkish talks in Washington on Jan 8, and the 60-day period set to implement the withdrawal decision.
On the backdrop of Trump's phone-call with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Dec. 14, the process of putting plans for a quick and full withdrawal started.
Asharq Al-Awsat received information that two scenarios were proposed. The first was adopted by Iraqi President Barham Salih and it talks about leaders from Kurdistan Workers' Party coming from Qandil Mountains to Sulaymaniyah then visiting Damascus to restore ties.
This scenario also includes the return of the army and the border guards to the Syrian border with Turkey and Iraq and the return of the Syrian flag to east Euphrates regions.
The second scenario was proposed by US officials before the withdrawal, including US Special Envoy for Syria James Jeffrey.
It is composed of more complex factors: Turkey getting a 20-30 kilometers safe line north Syria, dismantling the US overseeing points, distancing People's Protection Units from the border, spreading Peshmerga members, mobilizing Arab tribes north Aleppo and east Euphrates to fight ISIS and change the demographic balance.
This scenario also suggests launching a war against ISIS and its sleeping cells, as well as restoring a Turkish suggestion that goes back to 2014 in depending on Arab tribes and forces and opposition factions in the war against ISIS.
