Trump’s decision to pull troops out of Syria came after he stumped Bolton with one question

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump’s decision to pull troops out of Syria came after he stumped Bolton with one question
National Sentinel, Dec 22, 2018

[...]

As it turns out, one could even say that POTUS acted on the indirect advice of his national security adviser, John Bolton, simply because he was unable to answer one question regarding continued U.S. military presence in the war-torn shell of a country: ‘Why.’

POTUS Trump agreed to withdraw U.S. forces during a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Dec. 14, two officials told NBC News. However, the original purpose of the call was “for Trump to tell Erdogan to back off” threats to attack U.S.-supported Kurdish rebels, according to the network.

However, the president went off-script during the call, agreeing with Erdogan when he asked POTUS, “Why are you still there?” since the Islamic State (ISIS) had been 99 percent decimated. Erdogan said his military could easily take care of the remaining 1 percent remnant of ISIS.

At that point, POTUS stumped Bolton, who was “forced to admit” Erdogan’s point. NBC News reported: 

With Erdogan on the line, Trump asked national security adviser John Bolton, who was listening in, why American troops remained in Syria if what the Turkish president was saying was true, according to the officials.

Erdogan’s point, Bolton was forced to admit, had been backed up by Mattis, Pompeo, U.S. special envoy for Syria Jim Jeffrey and special envoy for the anti-ISIS coalition Brett McGurk, who have said that IS retains only 1 percent of its territory, the officials said.

Nevertheless, Bolton and others attempted to convince the president over the next few days to keep U.S. forces in Syria, but he decided against it — leading to Mattis’ resignation, according to reports.


Read more:  https://thenationalsentinel.com/2018/12/22/trumps-decision-to-pull-troops-out-of-syria-came-after-he-stumped-bolton-with-one-question/

[RoosGirl]

This article references an original NBC article, and the NBC article says:

The Dec. 14 call, described by officials who were not authorized to discuss the decision-making process publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity,

So here we have an article that supports Trump's decision on this and using anonymous sources, and that seems to be okay since it's supportive of Trump.  But articles that are critical of Trump and use anonymous sources are fake news.

The referenced NBC article also says:

Caught off guard, Erdogan cautioned Trump against a hasty withdrawal, according to one official. While Turkey has made incursions into Syria in the past, it does not have the necessary forces mobilized on the border to move in and hold the large swaths of northeastern Syria where U.S. troops are positioned, the official said.

So everyone, including Erdogan, is cautioning Trump against a hasty withdrawal, but it does not sound as though Trump is heeding that advice.

[Frank Cannon]

Nevertheless, Bolton and others attempted to convince the president over the next few days to keep U.S. forces in Syria, but he decided against it

This is why I never liked Bolton, McCain and all the other War First crowd. Trump question was extremely cogent and many Americans have been asking these simple questions after decades of endless proxy wars in places that make no sense.

[TomSea]

So, it's thanks for your service and hasta la vista. Some may accept it but it could be a stumbling block and no matter how one paints it, it is allowing an Islamic extremist to make foreign policy.

[TomSea]

All the candidates have to say in 2p19, even Republicans is look how we abandoned our allies including Christians. This could really hurt Trump.

[Frank Cannon]

So, it's thanks for your service and hasta la vista. Some may accept it but it could be a stumbling block and no matter how one paints it, it is allowing an Islamic extremist to make foreign policy.

We have islamic extremists in London. Should we send troops there?

[Right_in_Virginia]

All the candidates have to say in 2p19, even Republicans is look how we abandoned our allies including Christians. This could really hurt Trump.

Bullshit @TomSea   Asking "why" our military is continuously engaged anywhere is the right question and deserves an answer.  The President is doing what he said he would do.  He is the only President who has not been railroaded by war mongers.  God bless him.

[Wingnut]

[Right_in_Virginia]

 

[aligncare]

I like it. Rand Paul rarely fails to impress with his clear thoughts and sound reasoning about the Left’s hypocrisy, especially regarding anything Trump.

[Frank Cannon]

Bullshit @TomSea   Asking "why" our military is continuously engaged anywhere is the right question and deserves an answer.  The President is doing what he said he would do.  He is the only President who has not been railroaded by war mongers.  God bless him.

Agreed. The Military Industrial Complex have been pushing like hell for more of these 24 Dimensional Chess games in the Middle East since Bush started this shit in Iraq in 1991. We never receive any of the dividends we have been promised for going into these places and they end up dragging on into perpetuity. In the meantime we have the Chinamen openly calling on all of their tech companies to spy and steal our tech, they are building a massive Navy to take us head on in the South China Sea and they are trying to be the sole controller of 5G tech to be the master of all the worlds information. All these people pushing for Middle East wars out the ass are also pushing for "free trade" and normalized relations with the Chinamen to maintain the New World Order. They can all go to hell.

[Skeptic]

Clinton would pull them out just as quick. Job done, send the
troops to their houses and families. Why the resignation though?
I think they're covering up a scandal involving the general.
Perhaps a funding ploy, but Trump vastly increased the military
veteran budget, end of story.

[RetBobbyMI]

“Why” is the perfect question when a subordinate makes a recommendation.  If they can’t answer that, then you know it wasn’t thought out or has BS behind it.

[Fishrrman]

RoosGirl wrote:
"So everyone, including Erdogan, is cautioning Trump against a hasty withdrawal, but it does not sound as though Trump is heeding that advice."

So what do you consider would be a timely withdrawal:
- Ten weeks ???
- Ten months ???
- Ten years ???

(I'll take choice #1 for $200, Alex...)

[RoosGirl]

RoosGirl wrote:
"So everyone, including Erdogan, is cautioning Trump against a hasty withdrawal, but it does not sound as though Trump is heeding that advice."

So what do you consider would be a timely withdrawal:
- Ten weeks ???
- Ten months ???
- Ten years ???

(I'll take choice #1 for $200, Alex...)

I don't know what a good timeline should be, but if you're listening to the guy who asks you to leave and he says leave, but not TOO quickly, then maybe you shouldn't leave too quickly.