‘A Grave Mistake’: Top Conservatives Line Up to Absolutely Bury Trump for Syria Pullout
Photo via Nicholas Kahm/Getty Images
A number of prominent GOP voices are slamming President Donald Trump’s announcement that America will withdraw troops from Syria and approve a Turkish military campaign that will endanger the U.S.’ Kurdish allies.
The White House said in a statement that Trump told Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, that he’s on board with a Turkish military operation in Northern Syria where American forces shall not be involved. The statement says Turkey will also assume responsibility for all ISIS fighters captured in the region, even though a large number of them have been detained by Kurdish militias. The Turkish government views these Kurdish forces as terrorists despite the assistance they’ve provided to America’s anti-ISIS campaigns.
Critics have called the announcement a betrayal of trust to America’s allies in the Middle East, and several right-wing figures are also ripping Trump for this:
We must always have the backs of our allies, if we expect them to have our back. The Kurds were instrumental in our successful fight against ISIS in Syria. Leaving them to die is a big mistake. #TurkeyIsNotOurFriend
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) October 7, 2019
Withdrawing US forces from Northern Syria is a catastrophic mistake that puts our gains against ISIS at risk and threatens US security.
This decision ignores lesson of 9/11. Terrorists thousands of miles away can and will use their safe-havens to launch attacks against America.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) October 7, 2019
Once again @realDonaldTrump uses Rand Paul’s “endless wars” talking points as he orders America to once again abandon our friends and give Russia & Iran exactly what they want. This is wrong. #Syria
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) October 7, 2019
Mr @POTUS did the Kurds just not having anything on the Bidens? https://t.co/Axu4kbB1Nx
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) October 7, 2019
If reports about US retreat in #Syria are accurate, the Trump administration has made a grave mistake that will have implications far beyond Syria.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) October 7, 2019
Strongly disagree with @POTUS Trump decision to allow Erdogan to invade Syria. Betrays Kurds, strengthens ISIS and endangers American homeland.
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) October 7, 2019
I generally support @POTUS on foreign policy & don’t want our troops fighting other nations’ wars, but a HUGE mistake to abandon Kurds. They’ve never asked us to do THEIR fighting-just give them tools to defend themselves. They have been faithful allies. We CANNOT abandon them.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 7, 2019
The President’s decision to abandon our Kurd allies in the face of an assault by Turkey is a betrayal. It says that America is an unreliable ally; it facilitates ISIS resurgence; and it presages another humanitarian disaster. https://t.co/Tu8ARa8Pmp
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) October 7, 2019
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also tweeted against the pullout, as a supplement to his Fox & Friends interview where he called the move “shortsighted and irresponsible.”
* Ensures ISIS comeback.
* Forces Kurds to align with Assad and Iran.
* Destroys Turkey’s relationship with U.S. Congress.
* Will be a stain on America’s honor for abandoning the Kurds.— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 7, 2019
Fox News host Brit Hume also condemned Trump by referring to Brett McGurk, the former American anti-ISIS coalition envoy who slammed the news in a blistering statement.
This seems utterly reckless on Trump’s part. https://t.co/lvgTxvHXKT
— Brit Hume (@brithume) October 7, 2019
UPDATE – 2:17 p.m. ET: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has also condemned the withdrawal.
NEW: Mitch McConnell weighs in on Syria:
`A precipitous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria would only benefit Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime,' he says. pic.twitter.com/YTmoA1A4dz
— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) October 7, 2019
