Now that Turkey’s promised military offensive against the Kurds in northern Syria has begun, we’re starting to see some responses from Republicans who are angered by President Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of the area.
Rep. Liz Cheney tweeted that it’s, “Impossible to understand why @realDonaldTrump is leaving America’s allies to be slaughtered and enabling the return of ISIS”:
News from Syria is sickening. Turkish troops preparing to invade Syria from the north, Russian-backed forces from the south, ISIS fighters attacking Raqqa. Impossible to understand why @realDonaldTrump is leaving America’s allies to be slaughtered and enabling the return of ISIS
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) October 9, 2019
And Sen. Lindsey Graham called it “the biggest mistake of his presidency”:
"If he follows through with this it’d be the biggest mistake of his presidency,” Sen. Lindsey Graham to Fox and Friends just now re: Trump allowing Turkish invasion of Syria.
— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) October 9, 2019
“President Trump will own it”:
Graham says Turkish invasion would lead to slaughter of Kurds, return of ISIS, “and President Trump will own it.” https://t.co/ApqI27BIIu
— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) October 9, 2019
The president has suggested he’ll retaliated against Turkey, but we don’t know what exactly would trigger said retaliation:
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As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2019
….understands that while we only had 50 soldiers remaining in that section of Syria, and they have been removed, any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency. We are helping the Kurds financially/weapons!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019
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Editor’s note: We’ve corrected an editing error in this post.
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