Blood on his hands: 2020 Democrats slam Trump over Syria

[snoop1130]

Blood on his hands: 2020 Democrats slam Trump over Syria

By Simon Lewis

 

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to welcome the 2019 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopefuls denounced President Donald Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops back from northern Syria, saying in an Ohio debate on Tuesday he had endangered America’s longtime Kurdish allies while empowering foes Russia and Syria.

 

In the first Democratic presidential debate since Trump announced the withdrawal, the 12 candidates on the stage were united in painting the Republican president as reckless and a danger to American interests around the world.

 

But some, including leading progressive candidate Elizabeth Warren, said if they were president they would also seek to end the U.S. military presence in the Middle East.

 

“I think that we ought to get out of the Middle East,” said Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts. “I don’t think we should have troops in the Middle East.”

 

Warren, whose electoral platform is dominated by domestic policy fixes, did not say how she would differ from Trump in her handling of the Syria situation. But she slammed the president foreign policy approach as erratic.

 

“He has sucked up to dictators, he has made impulsive decisions that often his own team doesn’t understand,” Warren said. “He has cut and run on our allies, and he has enriched himself at the expense of the United States of America.”

 

Fellow progressive Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, criticized Trump for first signalling the withdrawal in a tweet.

 

“What he has done is wreck our ability to do foreign policy, to do military policy, because nobody in the world will believe this pathological liar,” he said.

 

ENDLESS WARS

 

Trump has defended his reversal of longstanding U.S. policy in Syria as part of a plan to withdraw the United States from “endless” wars in the region. But critics, including senior figures in his own Republican Party, cast it as a betrayal of the Kurds, loyal allies who lost thousands of fighters in battle against Islamic State.

 

The abrupt withdrawal from northern Syria cleared the way for a Turkish cross-border assault on Kurdish militia, forcing 160,000 people from their homes, according to the United Nations, and raising fears of a revival of Islamic militancy.

 

It also allowed President Bashar al-Assad and his ally, Russia, to push into territory held by the Kurds, giving them a foothold in the biggest remaining swathe of Syria that had been beyond their grasp through much of its eight-year-old war.

 

Trump has since ordered almost all troops pulled out of the country.

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has touted his long experience in foreign policy as a key strength of his candidacy, said if he was president he would have protected the Kurds.

 

“It has been the most shameful thing that any president has done in modern history in terms of foreign policy,” he said.

 

He would send in “air cover” to protect American troops and make it clear they were not being pulled out, Biden said.

 

“Our commanders across the board, former and present, are ashamed of what’s happening here,” he said.

 

VETERANS

 

Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard took a different view. A veteran of the Iraq war, Gabbard has defined her campaign around ending America’s overseas conflicts, but has come in for criticism for meeting Assad and defending his regime.

 

“Donald Trump has the blood of the Kurds on his hand, but so do many of the politicians in our country from both parties who have supported this ongoing regime change war in Syria that started in 2011, along with many in the mainstream media who have been championing and cheerleading this regime change war,” she said.

 

Gabbard was confronted by Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve in Afghanistan and who has urged Congress to repeal a law passed days after Sept. 11, 2001, that paved the way for the campaigns against al Qaeda and Taliban militants.

 

“The slaughter going on in Syria is not a consequence of American presence, it’s a consequence of a withdrawal and the betrayal by this president of American allies and American values,” said Buttigieg.

 

Brian Katulis, a senior fellow on national security at the Center for American Progress, a liberal thinktank in Washington, said the candidates were not offering a clear alternative to Trump when it came to tough foreign policy issues including how to deal with terrorism.

 

“Instead, we have a Democratic field that has leaned towards the slogans of ‘end endless wars’ without offering much clarity about what they would actually do as president.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-16

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[olfu]

I paid attention government never ask my opinion about anything.

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, olfu said:

I paid attention government never ask my opinion about anything.

Hasnt Trump phoned you to ask advice ?

Maybe he doesnt have your telephone number ?

[illiterate]

Tax dollars are being saved and fewer Americans are dying and/or in danger. 

 

What exactly is not to like here?... oh, that's right. The establishment dems have to back the war profiteering companies like Halliburton's positions. 

 

US voters NEED to ONLY consider candidates who do not accept PAC money. There are plenty of them to choose from! That is the first step in revolutionizing American politics. 

[DoctorG]

There are members of both parties who are warmongers/beholden to the military manufacturing regime.

[SOTIRIOS]

...a couple of good...revealing videos to be found online...

 

...one...showing doctored footage from a firing range...being passed as 'proof of a massacre'...

 

...another....showing alleged body bag victims...moving and squirming around...

 

***

 

...the scum that control the media.....will never stop....

 

...fake stories....treasonous.....

 

....that is the truth...

 

***

 

.....corruption of the highest order....working to hide the unprecedented level of corruption.....

 

...of the past administration.....and the scummy remnants.....

 

***

 

....hope people can wake up......and put an end to this ceaseless charade against POTUS....

 

 

 

 

[Tug]

14 hours ago, illiterate said:

Tax dollars are being saved and fewer Americans are dying and/or in danger. 

 

What exactly is not to like here?... oh, that's right. The establishment dems have to back the war profiteering companies like Halliburton's positions. 

 

US voters NEED to ONLY consider candidates who do not accept PAC money. There are plenty of them to choose from! That is the first step in revolutionizing American politics. 

Really?and just who defeated isis?the Kurds by far shed the most blood on our behalf who was guarding the isis prisoners?all for the cost of Donald playing a few rounds of golf now thanks to donald we have more enemies and fewer allies

[Becker]

15 hours ago, illiterate said:

Tax dollars are being saved and fewer Americans are dying and/or in danger. 

 

Nonsense. Destabilizing the whole region by pulling out a few troops will in the end lead to more American deaths. If you can't put 2 and 2 together PM me and I'll explain in more details how that will come about so as not to bore our fellow posters.

[Cory1848]

15 hours ago, illiterate said:

Tax dollars are being saved and fewer Americans are dying and/or in danger. 

 

What exactly is not to like here?... oh, that's right. The establishment dems have to back the war profiteering companies like Halliburton's positions. 

 

US voters NEED to ONLY consider candidates who do not accept PAC money. There are plenty of them to choose from! That is the first step in revolutionizing American politics. 

“Halliburton” and “establishment dems” -- What on earth are you talking about? The individual who was in government for a while, then left to become Halliburton’s CEO, then returned to government as practically the acting president to foment a pointless and unprovoked war that profited Halliburton immensely, is a Republican, last seen (with his daughter) holding a fundraiser event for Trump’s reelection campaign.

 

Both parties are guilty of war profiteering, but at least in recent years Republican administrations have had far more blood on their hands than Democratic ones. But on a case by case basis one has to follow the money, assign blame where it’s due, and prosecute, without obstruction. Why Dick Cheney is not rotting in some jail somewhere (or living in disgrace in someplace like Paraguay) is beyond me.

 

I do agree with you that US politics is in need of radical transformation, but we probably would differ on methods for that.

[quandow]

It's not just Dems. Republicans just publicly chastised Trump for this decision, and the resulting meltdown has been astounding. As well, Trump himself just tweeted "Impeach the Pres." Freudian slip or a moment of honesty/clarity?

 

How much more will it take to make everyone understand this guy is over the edge and invoke Article 25? When will enough be enough?

[Becker]

1 hour ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...a couple of good...revealing videos to be found online...

 

...one...showing doctored footage from a firing range...being passed as 'proof of a massacre'...

 

...another....showing alleged body bag victims...moving and squirming around...

 

***

 

...the scum that control the media.....will never stop....

 

...fake stories....treasonous.....

 

....that is the truth...

 

***

 

.....corruption of the highest order....working to hide the unprecedented level of corruption.....

 

...of the past administration.....and the scummy remnants.....

 

***

 

....hope people can wake up......and put an end to this ceaseless charade against POTUS....

 

 

 

 

While your haikus are a a nice change of pace from the standard type of posts I must say they're awfully high on feelings and woefully low on facts.

[Becker]

Link: Trump, Graham swing apart over Syria

 

"The golf-and-politics alliance between President Donald Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham frayed Wednesday over Syria, with the South Carolina Republican threatening to become the White House's "worst nightmare" unless more is done to protect Kurdish fighters against Turkish attacks.
Asked whether he could still work with Trump, Graham huffed, "I don't care right now.""

 

[Becker]

Link: Pelosi Cites Trump ‘Meltdown’ as GOP Blasts Syria Reversal

 

"A White House meeting between Donald Trump and congressional leaders to contain fallout from the Syria crisis broke down abruptly Wednesday, with the president hurling insults at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who accused him of having a “meltdown.”

Pelosi said Trump appeared to be “shaken” after 129 Republican lawmakers backed a resolution rebuking him for withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s insults of Pelosi during a “nasty diatribe” prompted Democratic leaders to leave.

A Democratic source familiar with the discussion said the president erupted after Schumer quoted Trump’s former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who said Sunday on NBC that if the U.S. doesn’t keep up pressure, Islamic State “will resurge.”"

 

Link: Trump Rages at Pelosi, Mattis, ISIS Escapees, and Communists During ‘Meltdown’ in White House Meeting

 

"President Donald Trump invited Democratic Party leaders to the White House on Wednesday and proceeded to have what those leaders described as a “meltdown” in front of them. Before the lawmakers left early, Trump managed to rail against communists, his own former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and House speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom he called “a third-rate politician,” according to the Democratic leaders and sources’ descriptions of the meeting."

[Sujo]

Trump sure is the bigly snowflake after his tantrum.

[jsmythbkk]

He ( Trump ) withdraws 1,000 troops from Syria and at the same time sends 3,000 to Saudi Duh ! how is that reducing service personnel or getting out of the ME ?

[Mick501]

Bigger headline would be, "For the first day in three years, democrats do not say anything criticising Trump."

[Becker]

8 minutes ago, Mick501 said:

Bigger headline would be, "For the first day in three years, democrats do not say anything criticising Trump."

A bigger headline would be "For the first time in three years Trump neither tells nor tweets a lie - world is in shock!" 

[Jingthing]

Bigger headline would be, "For the first day in three years, democrats do not say anything criticising Trump."

Why would they skip a day?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[quandow]

1 hour ago, Becker said:

"President Donald Trump invited Democratic Party leaders to the White House on Wednesday and proceeded to have what those leaders described as a 'meltdown' in front of them."

Actually, the meeting was supposed to be between Congressional and military leaders to figure out just what the hell happened with the Syria policy change. Trump invited himself, and when he discovered WHAT the meeting was supposed to be about, he tried to call it off. Say what you will about Pelosi, she is a master politician with more balls than just about every Republican Senator, so she started asking Trump what the hell happened. That now historic and iconic photo of her standing up to Trump was tweeted by Trump himself. He subsequently ALSO tweeted "Impeach the Pres." He doesn't need Rudy to make horrible things happen any more - he's the chief engineer on the impeachment train!

 

 

Edited October 17, 2019 by quandow
speling [sic]

[Jingthing]

30 minutes ago, quandow said:

Actually, the meeting was supposed to be between Congressional and military leaders to figure out just what the hell happened with the Syria policy change. Trump invited himself, and when he discovered WHAT the meeting was supposed to be about, he tried to call it off. Say what you will about Pelosi, she is a master politician with more balls than just about every Republican Senator, so she started asking Trump what the hell happened. That now historic and iconic photo of her standing up to Trump was tweeted by Trump himself. He subsequently ALSO tweeted "Impeach the Pres." He doesn't need Rudy to make horrible things happen any more - he's the chief engineer on the impeachment train!

 

 

Yes there is an argument going now that he desperately WANTS to be both impeached and removed. He's certainly acting like it. 

[Ketyo]

I understood Trump gave the green light to Erdogan because of his real estate interests in Istanbul.

 

And that all those escaped ISIS prisoners are going to cause a lot of trouble and more violence in a lot of countries, including US NATO allies and Russia.

 

To Trump his job as president is a vehicle for furthering his family's wealth and power. No obligations to protect Americans' security in that.

[Jingthing]

37 minutes ago, Ketyo said:

I understood Trump gave the green light to Erdogan because of his real estate interests in Istanbul.

 

And that all those escaped ISIS prisoners are going to cause a lot of trouble and more violence in a lot of countries, including US NATO allies and Russia.

 

To Trump his job as president is a vehicle for furthering his family's wealth and power. No obligations to protect Americans' security in that.

Maybe. I would like there to be a thorough investigation of the REAL reasons for this basically insane decision to throw the Kurds under the bus. It's not at all clear. For the sake of history alone this dark permanent stain on American foreign policy and role in the world needs to be understood. 

[Eric Loh]

Putin is feeeling on top of the world now. Thanks comrade Trump. 

 

"Russia's Putin: From pariah to Middle East power broker" #BBC

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Putin is feeeling on top of the world now. Thanks comrade Trump. 

 

"Russia's Putin: From pariah to Middle East power broker" #BBC

Yes and this was so totally unnecessary. The USA has so much more to work with than Russia but 45 has managed to make America into a weak, untrustworthy laughingstock in the view of the world. Such a master negotiator! 

[Opl]

4 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Putin is feeeling on top of the world now. Thanks comrade Trump. 

 

"Russia's Putin: From pariah to Middle East power broker" #BBC

sic transit gloria mundi ( America)

[Jingthing]

Maybe the "American empire" was destined to be on a path of decline but we didn't need an American president to shoot steroids into that process. 

[ballpoint]

Trump's letter to Erdogan.  Chuck Schumer said the president eagerly handed out copies of it during a meeting with Congressional leaders yesterday.  Just like a toddler, proudly displaying the contents of his potty to the adults in the room:

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

Just think that letter will go down in history along with the Gettysburg address! 

[Silurian]

25 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Trump's letter to Erdogan.  Chuck Schumer said the president eagerly handed out copies of it during a meeting with Congressional leaders yesterday.  Just like a toddler, proudly displaying the contents of his potty to the adults in the room:

 

 

 

 

That letter sounds like a crazy ex-girlfriend texting her ex-boyfriend...

 

Hey, let's talk about this.

You don't want to leave me.

I know we can work this out.

Don't do something you'll regret!

Don't be a fool!

If you'll come back, it will be worth it.

I'll call you.

????

 

 

Edited October 17, 2019 by Silurian

[stevenl]

18 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Trump's letter to Erdogan.  Chuck Schumer said the president eagerly handed out copies of it during a meeting with Congressional leaders yesterday.  Just like a toddler, proudly displaying the contents of his potty to the adults in the room:

 

 

 

Is this for real? This is primary school work <deleted>.