Trump’s Syria withdrawal bravely puts America First, the establishment last
by Brad Polumbo | October 07, 2019 01:12 PM
The foreign policy establishment is having a meltdown — and if you know anything about the last 20 years of U.S. history, then you know that means something good is happening.
President Trump set the swamp on fire with an early Monday morning tweetstorm announcing his decision to finally remove our troops from northern Syria. Reporting indicates that the president has given Turkey the go-ahead for their planned move into Syria, despite what this means for our allies, the Kurds.
The While House said @realDonaldTrump gave the Turkish President his blessing for his long-threatened military operation against elements of the Kurdish YPG militia that have been among America’s most effective partners in the fight against ISIS.
https://t.co/yz86d5AaND
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 7, 2019
Cue the hawks’ hysteria
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Trump’s decision “virtually reassures the reemergence of ISIS” and called it “so sad” and “so dangerous.” Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called the move a “grave mistake” and warned about the supposed consequences it will have worldwide.
Nightmare predictions aside, Trump has shown great bravery with this decision, given the inevitable vitriolic political backlash. The president campaigned on putting America first, and he’s fulfilling that promise to voters no matter how angry the establishment gets. His decision will stop risking American lives and wasting taxpayer dollars on policing Middle East politics. This is long overdue, seeing as our security goals in Syria have already been accomplished.
To recap, the U.S. military first intervened in the Syrian conflict in 2014. Our goal was to destroy the Islamic State Caliphate, as the terrorist group had built up territorial control of much of the conflict-ridden region.
Mission accomplished.
In 2015, ISIS controlled large amounts of territory in Syria and Iraq, a territory “roughly the size of Portugal,” according to CNN. As of February 2019, it controlled just 50 square miles of territory.
No, the terrorist group hasn’t been entirely eradicated, but it has been degraded to the point of insignificance. It’s time to declare victory and come home. A complete and total elimination of all terrorist capability anywhere was never a feasible goal. To demand such a utopia prior to withdrawal is a recipe for indefinite occupation of half the world.
