Untold American lives? Our involvement in Syria was specifically designed NOT to endanger more American lives. There are only about 1000 troops on the ground in Syria assisting the Kurds; we also supply air support and weapons. The Kurds are the reason ISIS was defeated, and they are holding 10,000 ISIS fighters as prisoners. The Kurds helped us defeat Saddam Hussein. They are our allies, and they rely on us for support. We convinced them to pull back and destroy their defensive fortifications, promising we would continue to support them. And Trump betrayed them at Erdogan's request and has ordered the US forces to not get involved. Erdogan is intent on eliminating the Kurdish population - ethnic cleansing - and between the Russians and the Turks, they will be slaughtered. Those ISIS fighters will soon be back in the field, and everything that was accomplished will be undone.
There are many more boots on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. If this was about saving American lives, why weren't they withdrawn? We've been in Afghanistan for 18 years, and there's no exit strategy. Yet, apparently on a whim and with no advice from the people who know about and understand this stuff, Trump betrayed an ally.
Trump has over 100 business interests in Turkey and none in the Kurdish territory. You tell me why he decided to do Erdogan's bidding without even consulting his staff or his generals. Everything with Trump is transactional - it's all about what's in it for him.
I'm constantly amazed by the ability of Trump cultists to excuse anything he does, even when it's clearly not in our national security interests. Even Trump butt-boy Lindsey Graham is upset with what Trump has done. What does that tell you?
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