A New Middle East Emerges as US Pulls Troops Out of Syria

NORTHEAST SYRIA - On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani are due to meet about the future of the Middle East following President Donald Trump's announcement to pull US troops out of northeast Syria. 

Northeast Syria has become some of the most strategic ground in the Middle East following the announcement and the surrounding nations want to fill that vacuum. 

CBN Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell is currently in Northeast Syria.

For the time being, US boots are still on the ground but who eventually wins this tug of war will dramatically shape the destiny of the Middle East. 

Syrian leaders of this region are telling CBN News they have two major fears.  First the prospect of an invasion by Turkey from the north and second the possibility of Iran coming in from the east. 

They're caught in the middle while Russia and the Assad regime are trying to pull these Syrians into their orbit. 

Some are saying they would rather deal with Assad and let Iran in than deal with Turkey.  That would increase the danger to Israel exponentially.

Without the presence of US troops, they feel they'll be at the mercy of all these major powers. 

In addition, to the west there's a new level of open warfare between Israel and Iran. Iran launched a missile at Israel's Mt. Hermon ski resort earlier this week but the Iron Dome intercepted the attack. Israel responded by pounding Iranian targets based in Syria.

It's all part of a new Middle East emerging.