Unless there is an endgame that I can't see, Trump has finally done something I think is completely boneheaded and dishonorable.

I think he's making a statement about how he feels within NATO that USA is the only country pulling its weight.

This is a row within NATO now largely. We have a NATO country Turkey essentially invading Syria and a part held by probably the best locally based to help defeat the ISIS fighters. His feeling is that any ISIS fighters released will either continue to fight locally or go to Europe to cause havoc. Which is more likely given the easier passage from there into Europe.

Now he wants the European countries to actually take up the baton and deploy troops on the ground against Turkey, risky given the NATO alliance position. Or come back to beg the USA to help. He'll then smile and say "See you can't do without us. Increase your contributions to NATO or I won't".

I think that is the reason he referenced Normandy that's a message to all us in Europe - "Remember who helped you out then, wasn't the Kurds was it?" That's the message in that statement.

I felt the same way at first. It is absolutely horrible. To abandon our allies...it is just horrible. And it will probably result in the re-emergence of ISIS. I know our own military are violently against withdrawing.

But then last night I listened to Trump speak about his reasons...and the emotion in his voice, and the sincerity with with he spoke, actually made me listen.

He said he hates to see people die...just hates it. His voice broke a little bit. But that these people, (meaning the Turks and the Kurds), have been at war with one another for thousands of years, and if we stay involved, that is how long WE will be at war. He says these wars are endless wars...and he is right. The people involved are insane, some of them are genocidal, and they have been fighting these battles since time began.

He said he does not want even one more American to die fighting in a war that will never, ever end.

Did you feel the same way when Obama pulled out of Iraq and left our Iraqi soldier allies for the ISIS slaughter? What about Hillary and Obama abandoning those poor men begging for help in Benghazi?

The Turks and the Kurds have been enemies and at what might as well be called war for something in the neighborhood of 400 years. While I sympathize with the Kurds, whether we are there or not, will not change this rivalry. So, if we extract ourselves from a situation that will never end and only continue to cost American lives and resources and we expose Turkey for what they really are (remember, they are a member of NATO in good standing and supposedly our ally - NOT!) I fail to see how this is a bad decision.

Perhaps I am missing something.

What I find even more perplexing is the flip flopping from "Don't you dare go to war!" to "Don't you dare extract yourself from war!" attitudes....

It is wholly dishonourable and sadly shows America’s allies that the country cannot be trusted under Trump.

It's not a slam dunk decision.
I understand and respect you POV on the PUICK, but I think Nunos and 4meandyou nailed the reasoning behind Trumps decision.

It's ballsey on his part. He'll either look like a brilliant strategist or a buffoon. Only the latter will be reported regardless of the outcome.

I don't think Trump is even capable of putting together a coherent and well thought out long term foreign policy plan, but...

This is consistent with his America First idea about not sending American soldiers to fight and die on foreign soil, and it's also fairly consistent with the way he's conducted foreign policy in short term transactional ways, without regard to historical alliances or the long term reasons for such alliances.

I'm not going to go into what I think about Trump's mental state, the political reasons why he's suddenly doing what he said he was going to do before and then backed off, or even how this seems to benefit Putin, all of which I think might explain this decision, but whether its bone headed and dishonorable or not, it seems consistent and I doubt this decision was made to punish anyone.

Removing the illegal presence of U.S. troops in Syria. Getting the U.S. out of the never-ending wars of the Middle East. Stop trying to oust President Assad.

I really wonder why the Kurds have so much western sympathy. Who is behind them?

Feels like betrayal and that's how the Kurds see it.

It was surprising to me as well.😔Many think all these wars will never end and each country should fight their own. We'll see what happens...if he doesn't get impeached first!😯

Bringing the troops home. Let’s get the rest home too.

It is actually Turkey that is an ally of the U.S. They are a NATO member. The U.S. did never sign a treaty with the Kurdish (and Communist) militia YPG, which would give the U.S. the obligation to defend them.

Now you are starting to smell the coffee Puck. Its about time. 🙂

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It's taken you this long?

Divide and maga