Soldiers coming home

[Jon Estes]

I, for one, am glad that the President is calling our military home from Syria.

The left should be pro such decision.

[Dave Roberts]

My problem here is not to work out a peace but just to leave. Especially, I am bothered by the fact that we are abandoning our allies in the fight against ISIS, the Kurds, to be slaughtered by the Turks, the Syrians, and the Russians, after the Kurds did much of the fighting and dying to uproot ISIS.

[Jon Estes]

[KeithE]

In general I’m in favor of getting out of the Middle East and letting them take care of their own problems (Sunnis vs Shiites, Israelis vs Palestinians, etc.).

Yes I know that is an isolationist viewpoint and I tend that way but not is certain instances. One such instance is that the Kurds need protective forces (as Dave has pointed out) and our role in nearby Syria needs to change to include protection of the Kurds from Turkey. The trouble with fighting ISIS is that they will regenerate themselves until we come to an agreement (documented and enforceable) on their and our main issues:

Our issue with the Isalmists (I think I’m using the term right here, Haruo) is that they must end random acts of aggression (also known as terrorism) on our homeland and that of our allies.

The main issues Isalmists have with the US are: (1) they want us out of their land especially their holy lands (we could do that), (2) they object to our stalwart support of Israel in their perennial battle with the Palestinians (I agree with them on that point) and (3) they object to our decadent lifestyle (I agree with them there also).

The partial retrenchment from the Middle East (Syria and less than half our forces in Afghanistan) does not end any of these issues. Nether does Trump fanning th flames of discord (for political purposes) by bans or partial bans of Muslims into our country.

Give Peace a chance. Have serious discussions with all parties involved (not just Turkey) not just partial pre-emptive retreats.

[Dave Roberts]

[Sandy]

[Haruo]

The part about being glad the troops are going to be out of harm's way is good. I'm in favor of it. But the situation is complicated by the fact that we are a world power. The Kurds I know were already pretty well disillusioned about Trump. Read Mattis's letter, you'll see why I think.

But basically the problem is that this president is determined to undermine the United States Government and its Constitution which he is sworn to defend. His notion of a Great America is rooted in the Robber Barons, and his idea of what a President should be like is modeled on Putin and Xi (regardless of whether there has been "collusion"). And he enjoys the godlike feeling of being the creator of chaos. But give him 5 billion USD and he'll find a way to get it from the Mexicans and abscond with the initial offering.

[Jon Estes]

[Sandy]

[Jon Estes]

[Sandy]

[Jon Estes]

[Sandy]

[Jon Estes]

[Haruo]

DoD tweets about this reduction in support as a continuation. And of course from Ereoğan's POV it is, since he wants a free hand.