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The stable genius is so much smarter than the Generals on the ground
The Danger of Abandoning Our Partners
Posted from theatlantic.com
Syria
Kurds
Donald Trump
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 6
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Generals don't make policy they implement it. We have civilian control of the armed forces for a reason. While I would endorse listening to them, they are not the only consideration.
First, Trump ran on reducing our footprint in the middle east. He was crystal clear on that position.
Second, when he determined to put boots on the ground in Syria and Northern Iraq to wipe out the caliphate many of the very people decrying the departure were decrying the deployment. Trump was clear that the troops would leave the are once the Caliphate and ISIS were beaten.
Third, ISIS has been decimated, the caliphate is gone. Some will say that it will come back with us removing 100 or so special operators. That is an opinion not a fact. If they come back we still have options
Fourth, the Peshmerga have been a good ally in this fight. That does not mean we now have an obligation to now support them in a civil war. It is a CIVIL WAR. They are fighting for independence and a state to call their own. That is not our fight,
Fifth, The Peshmerga/Kurds have somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 fighters. We have armed and trained them for years. They are a formidable force. They will need to fight or work toward a peaceful resolution with the countries in the area.
Sixth, Whether you like it or not (I don't) Turkey is a NATO ally. Technically if the Peshemerga attacked Turkey, by treaty we are obliged to help Turkey. This is what decades of political, diplomatic and national security wizardry has gotten us.
Seventh, Syria is an ally of Russia. They have been for many decades. The Russians are not going to sit idly by if we decide to get in deeper into Syria.
Eighth, some argue to let the status quo prevail meaning keep our operators there to keep Turkey at bay. Refer to the sixth item above.
What we should do, if we had an ounce of grit is to demand Turkey is removed from NATO and then have the congressional losers draft a declaration of war on Turkey for whatever reasons they can come up with. Pass it in both houses and send it to the President. Just ask yourself this. On what basis would a declaration of war be drafted? What has Turkey done to us to have war declared on them as an ally of ours? The entire region is a mess. It is a mess because politicians, diplomats and national security think tank geniuses have made it so.
First, Trump ran on reducing our footprint in the middle east. He was crystal clear on that position.
Second, when he determined to put boots on the ground in Syria and Northern Iraq to wipe out the caliphate many of the very people decrying the departure were decrying the deployment. Trump was clear that the troops would leave the are once the Caliphate and ISIS were beaten.
Third, ISIS has been decimated, the caliphate is gone. Some will say that it will come back with us removing 100 or so special operators. That is an opinion not a fact. If they come back we still have options
Fourth, the Peshmerga have been a good ally in this fight. That does not mean we now have an obligation to now support them in a civil war. It is a CIVIL WAR. They are fighting for independence and a state to call their own. That is not our fight,
Fifth, The Peshmerga/Kurds have somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 fighters. We have armed and trained them for years. They are a formidable force. They will need to fight or work toward a peaceful resolution with the countries in the area.
Sixth, Whether you like it or not (I don't) Turkey is a NATO ally. Technically if the Peshemerga attacked Turkey, by treaty we are obliged to help Turkey. This is what decades of political, diplomatic and national security wizardry has gotten us.
Seventh, Syria is an ally of Russia. They have been for many decades. The Russians are not going to sit idly by if we decide to get in deeper into Syria.
Eighth, some argue to let the status quo prevail meaning keep our operators there to keep Turkey at bay. Refer to the sixth item above.
What we should do, if we had an ounce of grit is to demand Turkey is removed from NATO and then have the congressional losers draft a declaration of war on Turkey for whatever reasons they can come up with. Pass it in both houses and send it to the President. Just ask yourself this. On what basis would a declaration of war be drafted? What has Turkey done to us to have war declared on them as an ally of ours? The entire region is a mess. It is a mess because politicians, diplomats and national security think tank geniuses have made it so.
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Cpl Jeff N.
SCPO Morris Ramsey - They may indeed. We have to be careful though, the NATO treaty would have us defending Turkey against the Kurds should they get the upper hand. It is such a mess over there/
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SCPO Morris Ramsey - The Turks have about 800 years of dealing with rebellious tribal groups, so don't put a lot of hope on that one. Their reputation from the Korean War was being some hard fighting and slightly crazy troops and the last time anyone challenged them in their homeland, the British during WWI, they got their ass handed to them.
This is a fight without a "right" side and one that we need to steer clear.
This is a fight without a "right" side and one that we need to steer clear.
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