In a bold statement, Trump declared Syria 'not our fight' while blaming Obama for the chaos, suggesting Russia might want to focus more on Ukraine and less on the Middle East mess it helped create.

In an unexpected twist of foreign policy, Trump has urged the U.S. to sidestep the Syrian civil war, labeling it a 'mess, but not our friend.' While defiantly shifting blame to Obama for a 'red line' that turned into a suggestion, he indicated that with Russia preoccupied by its Ukrainian adventures and casualties stacking up, their involvement in Syria might be less of a help and more of a headache. At the same time, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is busy making gains, proving that in the world of geopolitics, some battles are better left to others—and Netflix.

Trump's comments come amid escalating tensions in the region, where Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has taken control of significant territories, including the city of Aleppo, and is reportedly advancing towards Damascus. In a world where nobody would dare suggest vacationing in Syria anytime soon, Trump's statement is oddly reminiscent of a guy at a party who insists on standing by the snack table while letting others handle the karaoke machine.

The former president's assessment of the situation transcended mere geographical concerns as he cautioned against America becoming further entangled in what resembles a geopolitical game of Jenga. It seems Trump believes the ongoing conflict, characterized by specters of foreign intervention and local strife, is akin to picking the wrong night to play Monopoly with friends—one person always ends up flipping the board, albeit without the luxury of cleaning up pieces off the floor afterward.

Not one to miss an opportunity for historical revisionism, Trump pointed fingers at Obama, suggesting that without enforcing the so-called 'red line' about chemical weapons, the U.S. opened the door to conditions which allowed Russia to further entrench its position in a country thick with conflict. Such analysis could be taken as a stepping stone towards considering future foreign missteps, though one wonders if a PowerPoint presentation would have been more illustrative.

While Trump lambasted the previous administration, analysts have pointed out that Russia, with its hands full with the ongoing war in Ukraine, may not have the bandwidth—or troops—to genuinely play savior to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. If anything, it's a classic case of 'too many cooks spoil the broth,' except in this case, those cooks are concentrated in too many different kitchens, all of whom seem to be throwing in random spices instead of making a cohesive meal.

While Hayat Tahrir al-Sham takes its march towards Damascus, the regional dynamics only seem to intensify. The situation has also rekindled long-standing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, stirring an already hot pot and demanding attention from analysts poring over the maps. Political scientists may soon cite Syria as a minor contributor to the chaos, no doubt alongside revelations that cats napping on keyboards are more productive than some diplomatic discussions.

As noted, the United States currently has around 900 troops stationed in Syria's eastern and northeastern regions. These troop placements—dubbed 'the quietest game of Frogger that ever existed'—at least give some semblance of stability but potentially subject them to local happenings that can change with the flick of a geopolitical switch. Trump has expressed a belief that a weakened Russian presence in Syria could be beneficial for U.S. interests in the country.

In essence, the message is clear: Trump urges the U.S. to stay out of the Syrian civil war and has stated that Syria is 'a mess, but not our friend' and emphasized it's 'not our fight.' As brilliant as the phrase 'not our friend' is, it could capture the sentiment perfectly of many looking to tune out the soap opera that has so spectacularly unfolded. However, if there's anything the world has learned from such scenarios, it’s that sometimes the most entertaining reality shows are exactly the ones we try to forget.