Ok…but they are all going to have to answer with very specific answers. And, given the general response to this so far, is going to be at direct odds with that general statement. That’s a problem.
So far, none of the candidates has issued a public statement yet…though I suspect that won’t last through the day. Its going to be interesting to see who comes out first, and who doesn’t come out at all, and merely replies when the question is raised. (which is going to be problematic too).
But let me take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Basically, Ukraine, China and now this move in Syria…all have foreign policy questions surrounding them. And this won’t be the last FP issue Trump raises by quite literally, creating a crisis. Our lack of coherent foreign policy from any of our candidates is unsustainable.
The Kurds have been sold out multiple times by the US-by Wilson after WW I when they were promised a state and Turkey had been defeated and once by Bush Sr, who allowed Saddam to gas them. But this is the most craven of all. They did the fighting against ISIS. ISIS will never truly be killed, because you can’t kill an ideology. To be clear, Turkey aided ISIS, at least tacitly, allowing oil to be smuggled in, which was ISIS’s main source of funding and allowing foreign jihadists to come into Syria through Turkey. This is a disgusting sell-out and every Dem should promise never to sell out the Kurds, who are the one democratic force in the region and damn effective fighters.
Why, I remember a time before Twitter, when politicians actually had to pass legislation instead of just sharing opinions with the world. Those were they days, my friend…
Politically it’s not “going to be a problem” because, as a rule
a) voters really don’t care about consistency
b) voters really don’t vote based on foreign affairs
If there are compelling narratives and photos showing Kurdish allies getting destroyed, this move will hurt Trump politically just because of his general incompetence. But there’s no real way this will hurt Democrats. Saying “we should get out of Syria” doesn’t mean “Hey, let’s have an unannounced, unilateral withdrawal without any consideration of the consequences for our allies.”
I want the US to get out of the Middle East almost entirely. That doesn’t mean I agree with what Trump is doing here. He’s a buffoon and cannot help but do everything in an amateurish fashion that exacerbates the situation.
Beat me to it. Foreign leaders undoubtedly have their own transcripts/recordings of Trump’s incriminating phone conversations. If Trump “does them a favor, though” they won’t release these transcripts.
I think it could also be a desperate move at his loathsome base, promising to withdraw everywhere around the world. The reality star personality who listens to no one and is our “president,” who cares nothing about anyone or anything except ME ME ME.
