OT If you are or have been in the Military- what do you think about the withdrawal from Syria?

While I can't be certain of it I do think it's likely that ISIS will regroup and make a comeback that will bite us in the butt.
The fire department doesn't leave a fire as soon as it's put out. No, they hang around 'cause there are usually a few hot spots that they missed that pop up later. You've got to hang around for a while and douse those hot spots as they spring up until you're certain you're in the clear.

 

The Turks played Trump like a cheap violin.

 

If there's an Ultraman comic book or cartoon movie then Trump knows about him.
If there were, by some miracle, that the Pentagon knows about Ultraman and wrote a report on him then Trump is in the dark. Entirely too complicated. Trump - You guys give me a briefing. Meanwhile, I'm gonna have a coke and a big Mac with fries and take a nap.

 

By what measure would you decide when we're in the clear?

You can't kill every single last one of them can you?

Maybe keeping our noses out of their business would make them less likely to want to attack us.

Maybe we should have a sitdown with the Russians and the Chinese and pick all the territories we want to conquer and leave each other alone while we do it.

 

I think a withdrawal could have been slower and coordinated with others including our military. Our military was not consulted before Trump reached his decision and that seems really ignorant.

Edit: Also our allies and State Department were not consulted. Wow.

 

Maybe he read this and realized that people are talking him into things he doesn't want.

 

Clearly that's the case. That's the entire reason for Kelly's resignation letter.

Pretty much everyone is unhappy about this. Trump's going to have to nominate a replacement Secretary of Defense who is acceptable to the Senate and not just acceptable to Trump or he won't get enough votes to approve.

Here is what Republican Senator Toomey had to say about a nominated Secretary of Defense:
"CHUCK TODD:

If the president nominates somebody for secretary of defense that shares his worldview, that's very different from Secretary Mattis, could you confirm somebody that you didn't share a worldview with as secretary of defense?

SEN. PAT TOOMEY:

So let me just say I -- historically, I have been very willing to defer to presidential nominees. I think I supported three-quarters of all of President Obama's nominees and, certainly, the big majority of President Trump's. But on this, I think this is so important. And the president's views are so divergent, certainly, from mine that I think I’ll be much -- this one -- this one’s going to be tough. I'm going to be looking for a defense secretary that shares a more traditional view about America's role in the world."

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-december-23-2018-n951396

 

Are there any politicians in the US that don't share the opinion that we should be the biggest bully around?

 

That's why we need to cultivate allies and not just cut them off at the knees.

 

Keeping another campaign promise.

Defense Dept. says US troop withdrawal from Syria is ‘deliberate, well thought-out’

By Elizabeth Zwirz | Fox News

US officials say there are more than 2,000 ISIS soldiers remaining in eastern Syria
The Department of Defense on Friday tweeted about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, saying that it's carefully planned and organized.

The department described the course of action as being “deliberate, well thought-out, mutually supportive, and controlled,” while also guaranteeing “our troops’ safety and protection.”

The president recently defended his decision regarding the Syria withdrawal, saying on a visit to Iraq Wednesday that U.S. military gains against the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group have made it possible for him to pull out the 2,000 U.S. troops.

TRUMP, VISITING TROOPS IN IRAQ, DEFENDS SYRIA PULLOUT PLAN

"I made it clear from the beginning that our mission in Syria was to strip ISIS of its military strongholds," Trump said.

A U.S. presence in Syria was never to be "open-ended," the president also said, adding that Turkey has agreed to eliminate ISIS remnants.

Trump's surprise visit to the region came a week after he declared that ISIS had been “defeated” in Syria in a tweet and ordered all American diplomats and soldiers out of the country.

The U.S. first deployed troops to Syria in 2015 during the Obama administration as part of a partnership with Kurdish-led forces against ISIS. A year before the deployment, U.S. airstrikes began in Syria.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/de...wal-from-syria-is-deliberate-well-thought-out

 

Exactly. This is a surprise only to those who didn't see his campaign speeches or debates on TV. His Libertarian anti-war position is why he beat Hillary, whose position was that she would install 40,000 American soldiers to protect the Kurds and make Syria another Iraq War. Trump hates the Bushes and said the Iraq War was a big mistake, to the boos of warmongers.

Trump has replaced military wars with nonviolent trade wars.

 

Jim Webb is the obvious choice for SOD, and should be easily confirmed.

 

Fox News? Oh, well it's gotta be the truth.

 

Promises made, promises kept. LOL
Hey, what about the promise that Mexico would pay for the Wall. True, he never said which century they would pay for the Wall.

 

All of you should now realize, I am not a fan of Trump. BUT

What promise to the Kurds did he break?

The USA has been supporting the Kurds, on an off as needed, since 1970s.

The agreement was. The USA would supply the Kurds with arms and ammunition, as well as financial aid to help them maintain a regional government.

The USA has not only kept this promise, it has often given additional help when needed.

 

He promised nothing but his representatives in the Middle East promised to stick by them. Note how his special envoy to Syria has quit because of his sudden withdrawal which negates his efforts over there.