Fair and balanced
On Monday, President Trump announced that a contingent of fewer than 100 U.S. troops in Syria was being moved away from Kurdish-held territory on the border of Turkey. The move effectively green-lighted military operations by Turkey against the Kurds, which have now commenced.
Some U.S. military officials went public with complaints about being “blindsided.” The policy cannot have been a surprise, though. The president has made no secret that he wants out of Syria, where we now have about 1,000 troops (down from over 2,000 last year). More broadly, he wants our forces out of the Middle East. He ran on that position. I’ve argued against his “endless wars” tropes, but his stance is popular. As for Syria specifically, many of the president’s advisers think we should stay, but he has not been persuaded.
The president’s announcement of the redeployment of the Syrian troops came on the heels of a phone conversation with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This, obviously, was a mistake, giving the appearance (and not for the first time) that Trump is taking cues from Ankara’s Islamist strongman. As has become rote, the inevitable criticism was followed by head-scratching tweets: The president vows to “totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey,” which “I’ve done before” (huh?), if Turkey takes any actions “that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits.” We can only sigh and say it will be interesting to see how the president backs up these haughty threats now that Erdogan has begun his invasion.
All that said, the president at least has a cogent position that is consistent with the Constitution and public opinion. He wants U.S. forces out of a conflict in which America’s interests have never been clear, and for which Congress has never approved military intervention. I find that sensible — no surprise, given that I have opposed intervention in Syria from the start (see, e.g., here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). The stridency of the counterarguments is matched only by their selectiveness in reciting relevant facts.
I thus respectfully dissent from our National Review editorial.
Comments
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Andrew wants to go down with the ship.
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Did hondo get fired or something?
Way to pick up the slack lackey -
So the troops are just being redeployed to allow for the slaughter of the Kurds. Not even coming home. As we send more troops to Saudi Arabia.
Hey Kurds, thanks for helping us with ISIS. Never forget Normandy though... -
Meanwhile Mnuchin holds a press conference to announce we aren't sanctioning Turkey. Must not be time yet. Dear Leader has great and unmatched wisdom you know....
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I'm for endless wars. Remember? You said it so it must be true.RaceBannon said:Did hondo get fired or something?
Way to pick up the slack lackey -
Nice meltdown going on here
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I miss peak Brat Pack Andrew McCarthy.RaceBannon said:https://foxnews.com/opinion/andrew-mccarthy-turkey-kurds-complicated
On Monday, President Trump announced that a contingent of fewer than 100 U.S. troops in Syria was being moved away from Kurdish-held territory on the border of Turkey. The move effectively green-lighted military operations by Turkey against the Kurds, which have now commenced.
Some U.S. military officials went public with complaints about being “blindsided.” The policy cannot have been a surprise, though. The president has made no secret that he wants out of Syria, where we now have about 1,000 troops (down from over 2,000 last year). More broadly, he wants our forces out of the Middle East. He ran on that position. I’ve argued against his “endless wars” tropes, but his stance is popular. As for Syria specifically, many of the president’s advisers think we should stay, but he has not been persuaded.
The president’s announcement of the redeployment of the Syrian troops came on the heels of a phone conversation with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This, obviously, was a mistake, giving the appearance (and not for the first time) that Trump is taking cues from Ankara’s Islamist strongman. As has become rote, the inevitable criticism was followed by head-scratching tweets: The president vows to “totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey,” which “I’ve done before” (huh?), if Turkey takes any actions “that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits.” We can only sigh and say it will be interesting to see how the president backs up these haughty threats now that Erdogan has begun his invasion.
All that said, the president at least has a cogent position that is consistent with the Constitution and public opinion. He wants U.S. forces out of a conflict in which America’s interests have never been clear, and for which Congress has never approved military intervention. I find that sensible — no surprise, given that I have opposed intervention in Syria from the start (see, e.g., here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). The stridency of the counterarguments is matched only by their selectiveness in reciting relevant facts.
I thus respectfully dissent from our National Review editorial. -
Agreeramenduck said:
I miss peak Brat Pack Andrew McCarthy.RaceBannon said:https://foxnews.com/opinion/andrew-mccarthy-turkey-kurds-complicated
On Monday, President Trump announced that a contingent of fewer than 100 U.S. troops in Syria was being moved away from Kurdish-held territory on the border of Turkey. The move effectively green-lighted military operations by Turkey against the Kurds, which have now commenced.
Some U.S. military officials went public with complaints about being “blindsided.” The policy cannot have been a surprise, though. The president has made no secret that he wants out of Syria, where we now have about 1,000 troops (down from over 2,000 last year). More broadly, he wants our forces out of the Middle East. He ran on that position. I’ve argued against his “endless wars” tropes, but his stance is popular. As for Syria specifically, many of the president’s advisers think we should stay, but he has not been persuaded.
The president’s announcement of the redeployment of the Syrian troops came on the heels of a phone conversation with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This, obviously, was a mistake, giving the appearance (and not for the first time) that Trump is taking cues from Ankara’s Islamist strongman. As has become rote, the inevitable criticism was followed by head-scratching tweets: The president vows to “totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey,” which “I’ve done before” (huh?), if Turkey takes any actions “that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits.” We can only sigh and say it will be interesting to see how the president backs up these haughty threats now that Erdogan has begun his invasion.
All that said, the president at least has a cogent position that is consistent with the Constitution and public opinion. He wants U.S. forces out of a conflict in which America’s interests have never been clear, and for which Congress has never approved military intervention. I find that sensible — no surprise, given that I have opposed intervention in Syria from the start (see, e.g., here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). The stridency of the counterarguments is matched only by their selectiveness in reciting relevant facts.
I thus respectfully dissent from our National Review editorial.
And Ally Sheedy -
Dear Leader - time to destroy Turkey's economy yet? Oh, not yet....thank goodness for your great and unmatched wisdom...
https://www.newsweek.com/us-troops-syria-turkey-1464727
Newsweek has learned through both an Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official and senior Pentagon official that Special Forces operating on Mashtenour hill in the majority-Kurdish city of Kobani fell under artillery fire from Turkish forces conducting their so-called "Operation Peace Spring" against Kurdish fighters backed by the U.S. but considered terrorist organizations by Turkey.
The senior Pentagon official said that Turkish forces should be aware of U.S. positions "down to the grid." The official could not specify the exact number of personnel present, but indicated they were "small numbers below company level," so somewhere between 15 and 100 troops. -
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Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago -
Things that proudly ignorant people sayPitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago -
But those of us who are informed can crisp it up a bit.BearsWiin said:
Things that proudly ignorant people sayPitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one everheard ofgave a fuck about these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago
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Shockingly ignorant. Hell we studied the Kurds in World History in high school...Pitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago -
And you've worked tirelessly since for their cause, right?GDS said:
Shockingly ignorant. Hell we studied the Kurds in World History in high school...Pitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago
Nobody gave any fucks about the Kurds then. Nobody gives any fucks about the Kurds. Just be honest about it.
Kurds are political props. Just like the illegals nobody wants to take into their own homes but are fine hiring as day work for cash in the Home Depot parking lot.
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The left cares so much about the Kurds they stood by and said nothing while the “JV” team was lopping off their heads.
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2001400ex said:
I'm for endless wars. Remember? You said it so it must be true.RaceBannon said:Did hondo get fired or something?
Way to pick up the slack lackey
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Nobody supported the Kurds more than the leftists.
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Do you studied them last week? Was that after you studied Che?GDS said:
Shockingly ignorant. Hell we studied the Kurds in World History in high school...Pitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago -
Right. Because the fact I didn’t make it my life’s work to fight for the Kurds means I can’t be outraged we are leaving them to be slaughtered by the Turks. Of all the dumbass takes on this board this one has to be right up there. “The throbber”....lmaoPurpleThrobber said:
And you've worked tirelessly since for their cause, right?GDS said:
Shockingly ignorant. Hell we studied the Kurds in World History in high school...Pitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago
Nobody gave any fucks about the Kurds then. Nobody gives any fucks about the Kurds. Just be honest about it.
Kurds are political props. Just like the illegals nobody wants to take into their own homes but are fine hiring as day work for cash in the Home Depot parking lot. -
Sure.gif.GDS said:
Right. Because the fact I didn’t make it my life’s work to fight for the Kurds means I can’t be outraged we are leaving them to be slaughtered by the Turks. Of all the dumbass takes on this board this one has to be right up there. “The throbber”....lmaoPurpleThrobber said:
And you've worked tirelessly since for their cause, right?GDS said:
Shockingly ignorant. Hell we studied the Kurds in World History in high school...Pitchfork51 said:Of all the manufactured outrage over everything trump does this whole kurd thing might take the cake.
No one ever heard of these fuckers until cnn started whining a couple weeks ago
Nobody gave any fucks about the Kurds then. Nobody gives any fucks about the Kurds. Just be honest about it.
Kurds are political props. Just like the illegals nobody wants to take into their own homes but are fine hiring as day work for cash in the Home Depot parking lot.
Outrage away. Not going to change 100 years of history and the last several months (actually couple years) of Erdogan telling the Kurds to back the fuck away from the border.
What project did your illegal work on today?
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@PurpleThrobber - GDS is still trying to recover from the genocide in
RwandaSomaliasome other place in Africa or the mideast
