by Jack
Sorry for slow postings, but I have been down with a bad cold. Feeling a little better today.
The New York Times, among many other major news papers, has been soundly bashing Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Kurdish controlled regions in Syria.
But, like everything else in the middle east there is no clear black and white, good or bad, here. Let’s recap this situation. First the area in dispute has been a conflict zone between Turkey, Syria and Kurds for about two hundred years or more. Second, there are some problems in the world that the USA can’t solve, we can only manage them.
For the last 15 years have helped us in Iraq and later with ISIS. The was a mutually beneficial arrangement that guaranteed them more autonomy and security. So they go something and we got something from our arrangement.
The number of US troops that had to be removed from Kurdish dominated areas of Syria was less than a 1000.
President Erdogan of Turkey told Trump they were invading to create a safe zone between Syria and Turkey. The US had the option of remaining and watching the invasion and possibly becoming part of the conflict or leaving. Trump chose to leave, rather than engage a NATO ally.
Of course the Kurds wasted no time in turning to Bashir Assad for help and in turn the Russians and now they are marching to confront the Turks.
This is a real complex, messy situation and we could spend billions for a fix and have nothing to show for it. If anyone says Trump blundered they aren’t looking at all sides. Don’t misunderstand, Trump’s decision could turn out very bad for us and the world, but only time will tell.
Some cogent remarks here–
https://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2019/10/jubilation-ttg.html
“… and we could spend billions for a fix and have nothing to show for it.”
We’ve already spent hundreds of millions and now, thanks to YOUR criminally impulsive President, WE HAVE NOTHING to show for it.
Furthermore … were you not just thrilled to death with Trump’s decision to expand military spending? I believe that you were. WHAT THE HELL do you think they spend all that money on !!!!!!
https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2018/Crawford_Costs%20of%20War%20Estimates%20Through%20FY2019%20.pdf
Please take particular note of paragraph 2. Honest to Freakin’ C … you are SOOOOOO irritating … which is another good reason to stay away.
Welcome back, Jack. Glad you’re feeling better.
President Erdogan of Turkey told Trump they were invading to create a safe zone between Syria and Turkey. The US had the option of remaining and watching the invasion and possibly becoming part of the conflict or leaving. Trump chose to leave, rather than engage a NATO ally.
No, no, no. Turkey would not have invaded had we stayed there. Removing troops was basically a green light to Turkey permitting the invasion.
Your first instinct was right on this: this is a massive betrayal of our Kurdish allies, who did most of the fighting for us in this region. Note that our soldiers were not fired upon by Turkey until the withdrawal began. Trump did not even consult the Pentagon before making this decision, and his advisors and generals were stunned. Why should this privileged man-child reality show host be allowed to make such decisions, when it is clearer now more than ever that he makes them not based on what is in the national interest, or world stability, but in his own political and financial interests? He must be impeached and removed. He is a threat to national and global stability every moment he is in office.
I’m glad you noted how this move helped Russia, though.
It’s reported that the Kurdish forces have lost 11,000 soldiers in the Syrian civil war. We’ve lost eight.
It is also reported that our soldiers are shamed and angered by this betrayal. You don’t want your soldiers shamed and angry.
Well, raise my rent. I simply post a link without comment, and our two resident progs go apoplectic with both barrels on me with “you” and “your”.
For anyone interested, here is the bio of the blog author–
“Colonel W. Patrick Lang is a retired senior officer of U.S. Military Intelligence and U.S. Army Special Forces (The Green Berets). He served in the Department of Defense both as a serving officer and then as a member of the Defense Senior Executive Service for many years. He is a highly decorated veteran of several of America’s overseas conflicts including the war in Vietnam. He was trained and educated as a specialist in the Middle East by the U.S. Army and served in that region for many years. He was the first Professor of the Arabic Language at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. In the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) he was the “Defense Intelligence Officer for the Middle East, South Asia and Terrorism,” and later the first Director of the Defense Humint Service.” For his service in DIA, he was awarded the “Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive.” This is the equivalent of a British knighthood. He is an analyst consultant for many television and radio broadcasts.”
RHT477: The Gang of Two is a Gang of Two Fools. Every participant in Post Scripts knows this save the Gang of Two Fools.
RHT is complaining about the responses to him from Libby and I…which literally do not exist. You’re replying approvingly to someone who is mad at us for something we did not do, David. And the sad thing is, you know it. You, unlike many here, know better. But you desperately need their approval. Why?
Precisely. Here’s my shocked, stunned, and amazed face–
https://imgflip.com/memetemplate/Surprised-Koala
“Raise my rent” was inspired by Sheriff Bart in “Blazing Saddles” and meant to be taken just as seriously ;D
Hmm. Got the dreaded “Server Reset” error until I split my comment into two parts above.
What the hell are you talking about? No one was even replying to you.
R … I never click your links. They are usually to some dubious blog site, and I have the health of my hard drive to consider.
Besides, I cannot comprehend how you think that somebody else’s opinion bolsters your own. It’s only another opinion.
I’m wondering if you really understand what journalism is? I know you discount CNN for bias, but they are journalists. They blow it some times, but for the most part, they publish nothing they haven’t verified from three different sources. It’s not fool-proof. All three sources could lie.
But your bloggers speak their own opinions, from their own experience.
That’s all.
Libs, you really need to find a better source for news. CNN doesn’t have “journalist” they’re all opinion commentators.
CNN Whistleblower Says Working at the Network Turned Him from a Democrat to Center-Right:
“I started in June of 2017, just like any other wide-eyed just wishful thinker coming into speak the truth, be part of the fourth estate and as the title said, within the first few months, I noticed that it was completely different than what I originally thought and expected,” Poarch said. “I came here thinking this is my dream job and very quickly it descended into a nightmare that gave me trouble sleeping every night because it contradicted what I’d originally thought news should be.”
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2019/10/15/cnn-whistleblower-says-working-at-the-network-turned-him-from-a-democrat-to-centerright-n2554758/
Bashing someone else’s source for being too biased and opinionated and then linking to TownHall.
Some day I’ll stop being surprised by this level of willful, easily avoidable derpitude. But that day is not today.