Trump

[SB Shock]

The Syria fiasco maybe the tipping point against Trump.

[1972Shocker]

The Syria fiasco maybe the tipping point against Trump.

Maybe. But what is the answer to the Turkey-Syria-Kurd-Iraqi mess? I have to admit I am not very well versed on all the issues and I supsect the great majority of my flellow Americans are in the same boat.

I did find a series of aricles on the situation. Whether the author's viewpoint is objective and honest or spun to fit an agenda I'm not sure I can say. But I do feel like I have a better understanding of the situation. Now for what the best answer is I have concluded the following: Who the hell knows?

Syria Withdrawal Part I: The Right Decision

Syria Withdrawal Part II: Protecting (Our) Kurds

Syrian Withdrawal Part III: The Current Battlespace

Syria Withdrawal Part IV: Conclusion-Way Ahead

The consensus, however, seems to be that President Trump has made a major mistake.

[SB Shock]

Maybe.

When your answer is the “Kurds didn’t help us in WW2
” - how can you trust any foreign policy decision with him?

[Shockm]

When your answer is the “Kurds didn’t help us in WW2
” - how can you trust any foreign policy decision with him?

The policy on withdrawal from Syria seems to be quite iffy at best and long term may prove to be a disaster.

However, his foreign policies on the balance have been a breath of fresh air. For example, holding Europe accountable for a lot of their own defense (NATO) instead of counting on the U.S. to pay for it, his policies on trade (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada look to be good, his new trade with Japan seems solid and an improvement for the U.S. economic interests, trade policies with the EU seem solid (although the EU wants to be hard headed and able to continue to take advantage of the U.S., and I tend to agree with what he is doing with China on trade even though it hasn't bore fruit yet. One can hardly fault Trump for N. Korea which isn't going well but he hardly had a great hand on that to begin with and no other U.S. President was successful with N. Korea either. (Somewhat the same with Iran) He was also dealt a bad hand with Iran and seems to be doing the best he can all things considered.

Most anyone who looks at Trump from a balanced lens, has to admit, that Trump's willingness to fight the status quo (the world just continually takes advantage the United States and we just bend over and take their swats willingly) has a lot of good when it comes to foreign policy. While Trump has many faults and he definitely is a narcissist imo, I was getting very tired of the "elites" like Bush just saying there was nothing we could do with regards to the world taking advantage of the U.S., and Obama's apology tour was even worse.

[WichitaStateGuy]

To be blunt, we don't owe the Kurds anything.

Saying that the Kurds helped up fight ISIS is disingenuous at best. The Kurds were living in Iraq. Did we have a mutual interest in getting rid of ISIS? Absolutely. But pretending like the Kurds are some organized, well-formed militia that flew in with heavy artillery, advanced war-fighting machines and state-of-the-art weaponry is duplicitous. Since ISIS hated the Kurds, the Kurds really didn't have a choice but to "help" us fight them. Could they have done nothing? Probably not, actually. Contrast that to the US literally flying thousands of miles with a well-formed militia, advanced war-fighting machines and state-of-the-art weaponry to assist some native, tribal, ethnic group... we're not comparing apples to apples, people.

Point is, this is a never ending conflict, and anyone with any semblance of foreign policy knowledge knows that this doesn't look that bad at all.

[wufan]

I don’t want us to be the world police. There may be long term benefits for America and the free world to doing so, but I don’t like it. I’m not an isolationist, but I also don’t like, “fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here.”

I’d like for us to back out of foreign nations generally, so maybe this was a good step. I’d rather we be the nation that speaks softly and carries a big stick.

[SB Shock]

The Kurds [I]were living in Iraq

This actually show how uninformed you are. The kurds live (today) in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Regardless that you do not think this "doesn't look that bad at all" - Allies are taking notice. The U.S. is not a reliable ally under trump.

[SB Shock]

Most anyone who looks at Trump from a balanced lens, has to admit, that Trump's willingness to fight the status quo .

He over promises and under delivers. The only wins he has had is with the supreme court. Though you have to wonder if Kavanaugh is really a win or not.

NAFTA is a maybe - nobody is really sure of the consequences of what was negotiated yet.

NATO spending was already increasing prior to Trump. He just would like to use it as an excuse to pull out of NATO.

Our policy on China is total fiasco. He talks tough but ends up being spineless.

NK - not going well at all. Norks are using this window where maximum pressure has ended to make advancements in their war fighting technology and to violate sanctions to revive their economy. In the end, the will be in a better position to mess with S.K. and allied readiness will worse off.

Iran - Again, another example of his spinelessness. No consequences to his own "red lines". He basically gave Iran the Ok to do whatever they want because he said he not going to do anything. Europe is actively finding ways for Iran to be able to violate sanctions with no repercussions.

Afghanistan - no coherent policy there beside he wants out but doesn't have the spine to do it.

[WichitaStateGuy]

This actually show how uninformed you are. The kurds live (today) in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I said they were living in Iraq, you say I'm uninformed, and AND THEN GO ON TO SAY THEY LIVE IN IRAQ (among other places -- note I said they are a tribal group). What are you trying to prove / what do you disagree with that I said? Move on, snowflake.

[WichitaStateGuy]

He over promises and under delivers. The only wins he has had is with the supreme court. Though you have to wonder if Kavanaugh is really a win or not.

NAFTA is a maybe - nobody is really sure of the consequences of what was negotiated yet.

NATO spending was already increasing prior to Trump. He just would like to use it as an excuse to pull out of NATO.

Our policy on China is total fiasco. He talks tough but ends up being spineless.

NK - not going well at all. Norks are using this window where maximum pressure has ended to make advancements in their war fighting technology and to violate sanctions to revive their economy. In the end, the will be in a better position to mess with S.K. and allied readiness will worse off.

Iran - Again, another example of his spinelessness. No consequences to his own "red lines". He basically gave Iran the Ok to do whatever they want because he said he not going to do anything. Europe is actively finding ways for Iran to be able to violate sanctions with no repercussions.

Afghanistan - no coherent policy there beside he wants out but doesn't have the spine to do it.

Dude, we get it, she lost... get over it.

[WuDrWu]

I could be mistaken, but I don't think SB is any fan of Hillary. But like I said, I could be wrong.

[WichitaStateGuy]

That was petty of me... I apologize.

[Shockm]

He over promises and under delivers. The only wins he has had is with the supreme court. Though you have to wonder if Kavanaugh is really a win or not.

NAFTA is a maybe - nobody is really sure of the consequences of what was negotiated yet.

NATO spending was already increasing prior to Trump. He just would like to use it as an excuse to pull out of NATO.

Our policy on China is total fiasco. He talks tough but ends up being spineless.

NK - not going well at all. Norks are using this window where maximum pressure has ended to make advancements in their war fighting technology and to violate sanctions to revive their economy. In the end, the will be in a better position to mess with S.K. and allied readiness will worse off.

Iran - Again, another example of his spinelessness. No consequences to his own "red lines". He basically gave Iran the Ok to do whatever they want because he said he not going to do anything. Europe is actively finding ways for Iran to be able to violate sanctions with no repercussions.

Afghanistan - no coherent policy there beside he wants out but doesn't have the spine to do it.

Dude,
He’s fighting Dems, Never Trumpers, Main Stream Media, Business Dems and Business Republicans or maybe Inshould call them Elites of All Stripes who are ALL part of the Swamp. I’m not sure of your category but you fit in one of them.

At least thr Wall Street Journal who tends to disagree with his use of Tariffs gives him the benefit of the doubt because they don’t have effective answers to fight the Chinese economic cheaters. Some times the WSJ backs him and sometimes not. Most of his critics often don’t have good alternatives to solve 5hese problems. They just liked the status quo because they were making a lot of money by the way things were. Under Bush and Obama, workers lives sucked. While I don’t like how hw behaves, and disagree with a few of his policies, I give him an A for bucking past trends against many odds that needed bucking.

[C0|dB|00ded]

This actually show how uninformed you are. The kurds live (today) in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Regardless that you do not think this "doesn't look that bad at all" - Allies are taking notice. The U.S. is not a reliable ally under trump.

The Kurds in Syria have terrorists in their midst. They've done a number on Turkey in the past. They were useful to us for the purposes of defeating ISIS but they are not innocent.


T


...

[ShockerPrez]

Our allies are taking notice and our enemies as well. In that we haven't gone to war with the intention of destroying beyond recognition, those we aim to obliterate.

For fear of killing civilians, pissing off the indigenous people, whatever.. I don't know. But if its worth committing 1 troop, its worth committing overwhelming force to achieve the goal.

Our enemies dont fear us, our allies question us, because we haven't hauled off and kicked anyone's ass in forever.

If we are going to fight, commit and fight the damn war to win. If we can't win, don't fight.