Trump to pull all US troops from Syria immediately

[bhsmte]

“Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate,” [White House Press Secretary] Sanders said.

If we have learned anything from history, it is you really never defeat radicals. You may control them for a while, but that is about it.

 

[RDKirk]

Actually the US was able to degrade ISIS military assets mostly using air power. Defeat comes with boots on the ground. That defeat was mostly achieved by our allies --- the Iraqis, the Kurds and some others.

As is said in the military: "You have won the war when you can stand a 19-year-old with a rifle on the enemy's ground uncontested."

 

[RDKirk]

Even Lindsey Graham has pointed out that this was the same thing Republicans criticized Obama for in Iraq.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Even Lindsey Graham has pointed out that this was the same thing Republicans criticized Obama for in Iraq.

His "General Trump" vs "General Obama" comment was amusing.

 

[Petros2015]

Did we at least get cookies?

 

[Go Braves]

I'm sure Trump knows what he is doing?

As everybody knows that area of the world is a hot mess.

I hate hot mess.

M-Bob

Well Bob, General Mattis sure doesn't seem to share your view that Trump knows a dang thing about what he is doing. As everybody knows that area is a hot mess. Trump just did his dang best to make it messier.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Were you unaware if the ISIS fight in Iraq?

This thread is about Syria, not Iraq.

Even Lindsey Graham has pointed out that this was the same thing Republicans criticized Obama for in Iraq.

Conventional wisdom likes to paint Obama and Trump as polar opposites, but there are ways in which they are alike.

Well Bob, General Mattis sure doesn't seem to share your view that Trump knows a dang thing about what he is doing. As everybody knows that area is a hot mess. Trump just did his dang best to make it messier.

Mattis' opinion doesn't mean anymore than anybody else's especially now that he's on his way out. A general's area of expertise is in determining how to accomplish the mission. It's the President who decides what the mission is.

 

[RDKirk]

Mattis' opinion doesn't mean anymore than anybody else's especially now that he's on his way out. A general's area of expertise is in determining how to accomplish the mission. It's the President who decides what the mission is.

Well, his opinion still matters because it's an experienced and informed opinion--it's a heck of a lot better opinion than anyone else's--of whether the mission decided by the president can succeed.

Of course, as a good soldier he'll obey...and hope someone dissuades the president.

We've been there before. We were there when Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq despite efforts of the military to dissuade him in several different ways.

So we salute, get in line, and march into the fusillade as ordered.

 

[essentialsaltes]

"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump wrote on Twitter.

During a Christmas visit to troops in Iraq, Trump said that he would deny any request from the military to extend the mission in Syria. “They said again, recently, ‘Can we have more time?’ ” Trump said of U.S. generals. “I said: ‘Nope. You can’t have any more time. You’ve had enough time.’ We’ve knocked them out,” he said of the Islamic State. “We’ve knocked them silly.”

Trump now:

“With that being said, we’re pulling out of Syria but we’re doing it, and we won’t be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone,” Trump said.

 

[JackRT]

Trump now:

“With that being said, we’re pulling out of Syria but we’re doing it, and we won’t be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone,” Trump said.

Well, someone got his ear and talked some sense into him. How uncharacteristic of his presidency so far.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Well, someone got his ear and talked some sense into him. How uncharacteristic of his presidency so far.

Sadly, it's not uncharacteristic. If it were we'd have been out of Syria and Afghanistan for quite some time by now. Has good instincts, but keeps allowing advisors to talk him out of it. Just like Obama.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Well, someone got his ear and talked some sense into him. How uncharacteristic of his presidency so far.

How dare you suggest that sense has been talked into him?! He has both defeated and not defeated ISIS and is pulling out and not pulling out immediately. He has not changed his mind and he's not being indecisive! Splunge!

‘No different from my original statements’: Trump denies changes to Syria exit plan ​

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump's snap decision to withdraw reportedly came during a phone call with Erdogan last year. This led to Mattis and others leaving, but now that Bolton is massaging the message, Erdogan is crying foul.

“The message that Bolton gave in Israel is unacceptable. It is not possible for us to swallow,” Erdogan said. He suggested that he might ignore the Trump administration’s request to delay the Turkish military operation.

“Very soon, we will take action to neutralize terrorist organizations in Syria [i.e. Kurdish allies of the US],” Erdogan said. “We have completed our preparations for the operation to a large extent.”

 

[TurkishChristians]

It is time for American Army to leave...

 

[Tinker Grey]

It is time for American Army to leave...

So you can kill Kurds with impunity?

 

[JackRT]

Were it not for the Kurds the Middle East situation would be very much worse than it is now. They fought the ISIS to a standstill and then took the offensive.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Were it not for the Kurds the Middle East situation would be very much worse than it is now. They fought the ISIS to a standstill and then took the offensive.

That's also true of Assad and Putin...

Support for the Kurds against ISIS does not imply a promise to support them in some hypothetical conflict with Turkey. Especially since Turkey, as a member of NATO, is technically our ally, and the Kurds aren't even a recognized country.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Support for the Kurds against ISIS does not imply a promise to support them in some hypothetical conflict with Turkey.

Perhaps not, but they probably deserve better than to be discarded like a used Kleenex.

 

[TurkishChristians]

So you can kill Kurds with impunity?

Most of Kurds are with us, James Jeffrey talked with Kurdish leaders from Syria, in Antep. Ask him.

Turkey wants to destroy who killed our people for 40 years. Millions of Turks and Kurds are married, living happy in Turkey.

YPG is not the representative of Syrian Kurds. YPG is a terrorist organization according to CIA: CIA officially recognizes PYD as terror group PKK's Syrian wing

She is from a Turk-Kurd family:
Turkse BrndNetel on Twitter
Turkse BrndNetel on Twitter

You are under black propaganda.

Come to Turkey, I will introduce you with my Turk-Kurd friends who are against YPG.

Iraqi Christian HRC on Twitter

It is time for American forces to leave.

 

[Nithavela]

Thanks for all the help, kurds, now you are no longer usefull, onto the chopping block with you.