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So no one has any thought about pulling out of Syria? Can Turkey finish up? Should we really care? Or if it’s Trumps idea it is just automatically bad.
As a Canadian, i believe Turkey will destroy the Kurds who fought against ISIS. Turkey is already moving into the area of Syria that Kurds cleared of ISIS. Tragic.
I am adding an article from today's Christian Science Monitor showing the different perceptions of the situation.
https://www.csmonitor.com/Daily/2018/20181224?cmpid=ema:ddp:20181224&id=1081283
Teacher Terry
12-24-18, 8:51pm
No it may be one of the few things that I don’t mind. I am sick of our young people dying in wars all around the world.
As a Canadian, i believe Turkey will destroy the Kurds who fought against ISIS. Turkey is already moving into the area of Syria that Kurds cleared of ISIS. Tragic.
I am adding an article from today's Christian Science Monitor showing the different perceptions of the situation.
https://www.csmonitor.com/Daily/2018/20181224?cmpid=ema:ddp:20181224&id=1081283
Is there anything stopping Canada from sending in troops to fill the void? According to the article it’s only 2000 troops.
Is there anything stopping Canada from sending in troops to fill the void? According to the article it’s only 2000 troops.
Are you aware that we are in Mali providing needed support and protection? Canada has had and has now soldiers where others do not. Also, remember that our population is 10% of the US population and has much, much less of its resources especially the military. It is not just 2,000 troops but all the support that they require and give. You know that.
You asked for thoughts about the Syrian situation.
I just think the US needs to bring back most of its military. There is no reason we need to be the worlds policeman. We can no longer afford it, and it’s not like we can win over the Middle East.
Every action usually has unintended consequences. What do you see as the potential unintended consequences of the withdrawal of 2,000?
Source: military around the world
https://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp
1 National Flag Graphic 2,183,000 China
2 National Flag Graphic 1,362,500 India
3 National Flag Graphic 1,281,900 United States
4 National Flag Graphic 1,013,628 Russia
5 National Flag Graphic 945,000 North Korea
6 National Flag Graphic 637,000 Pakistan
How will military personnel find employment when the military operations are reduced? What will the impact be for the US, its economy and its role?
The money would be better spent here, or used to reduce the debt. If we reduced the military spending those service members could work here rebuilding roads, bridges, etc. They could work on border protection. The unemployment rate is low, I’m sure many could be absorbed. If nothing else it would be cheaper to pay them here in the states than have them abroad. And much safer for them.
Would it be the end of the world for the US to cut back 10-20% ?
According to the web sight you posted our military is 20 times the size of Canada’s. If you have 10% of our population ,to be on par you should double yours.
I think we we need to stop spending so much and expect other country’s to pick up their numbers if needed.
To be sure, the US has long had involvement in the Middle East because of oil. I tend to agree with doc that we shouldn't be the world's policeman. But if we're going to stop our involvement in the Mideast we'd better spend that military money on fast tracking clean energy solutions here at home.
National Geographic had a great documentary on Syria. It explained the history: how Assad's father, a very cruel man, became the dictator and his second-born son, Bashar, became his successor.
Also showed how Bashar had 2 critical turning points in his governance - after 9/11/2001 he could have sided with the U.S. and the West but did not; instead, he opened his prisons and let members of ISIS loose to fight against the allies. And ten years later in the 2011 Arab spring, he could have acceded to his people and given them some semblance of democracy; instead, he used chemical weapons to brutally repress them. The Arab spring in Syria almost succeeded - according to the documentary, the rebels were within a few miles of Assad's compound when Russia, at the last minute, stepped in to side with Assad. Since then the U.S. and Russia have been fighting a proxy war in Syria.
There is no doubt that if/when the U.S. withdraws there will be a power vacuum and many more Syrians will die. Also no doubt that Russia will be happy to have a foothold in the area and access to its oil and other resources.
So is Trump withdrawing to make Russia happy? Or is it really because we've realized, yet again, that we can win battles but there will be no end to the occupation. I don't know what the answer is either except that as Americans, we should acknowledge our part in this and accept more Syrian refugees who have been caught in the middle.
As someone else already said, if we leave are we willing to watch this happen? or were we only there in the first place because of oil?
Teacher Terry
12-25-18, 12:23pm
I totally agree with DMC.
Williamsmith
12-25-18, 4:08pm
Ah, c’mon guys. Wouldn’t it be a blast to have our military in every country on the face of the earth, that way we could spread democracy everywhere.....including Canada!
flowerseverywhere
12-25-18, 5:13pm
I agree more of our Troops should come home. I have no issue with withdrawing troops however usually the commander in chief calls on his generals and military leaders for input. Surprising them with a tweet is not good governing.
we do not have a monarchy. One person does not make all the decisions based on what Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh are saying. They are entertainers not advisors.
There is a reason for military as well as civilian advisors. People have studied the economy, the military and Middle East history their whole lives. They are in contact with boots on the ground and know the theatres our troops operate in. They are up on the latest classified information. They at least need to be able to be respected and heard for their input. Not to say you need to agree with everything they say, but at least give them a chance to lay out the pros and cons of their arguments. I for one do not believe Trump knows more than the generals and fed chief about everything. Get our troops home but do it right and safely, not on a whim.
Our betrayal of the Kurds will shame us before history.
Teacher Terry
12-26-18, 6:23pm
Trump doesn’t know more than a 5yo about military strategy. He will probably be the only president not to age during the presidency because he doesn’t get briefed daily or read what he needs to on a daily basis. He just wakes up and decides what he wants to do with no regard for others.
How did the US get into the policeman role anyway? My knowledge of basic history suggests that when Britain lost its supremacy and Europe went through the wars, the US came into prominence but why the policeman role? And for so long? I fully understand the desire to reduce the number.
I was surprised at the number of the military around the world. I had never stopped to calculate how big the war machine really is when one includes all the nations.
flowerseverywhere
12-27-18, 11:14am
How did the US get into the policeman role anyway? My knowledge of basic history suggests that when Britain lost its supremacy and Europe went through the wars, the US came into prominence but why the policeman role? And for so long? I fully understand the desire to reduce the number.
I was surprised at the number of the military around the world. I had never stopped to calculate how big the war machine really is when one includes all the nations.
maybe money? Countries that are rich in natural resources are sitting ducks to be conquered and plundered? People that are brown and black are inferior and need the superpower to guide them?
Because one thing we can all be sure of, power and greed absolutely corrupts some people. And we certainly have our share of drunk with power and greedy politicians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA3Cc5-Tqfw
I think history is fairly clear on what weakness and lack of decisiveness invites.
I think history is fairly clear on what weakness and lack of decisiveness invites.
Absolute power and hubris, as well. Trump just loves his "strongmen." Putin, Erdogan, Duterte, Kim, bin Salman--swell fellows, all.
Absolute power and hubris, as well. Trump just loves his "strongmen." Putin, Erdogan, Duterte, Kim, bin Salman--swell fellows, all.
The world is bigger than Trump. The bad actors were taking advantage of the West’s distractions before he came on the scene, and will continue doing so when he’s selecting gold fixtures for his presidential library.
Williamsmith
1-5-19, 5:06am
Finally, a Democrat who is on public record as agreeing with Trump on the pulling out of troops from Syria and Afghanistan. There’s no real plan by the military strategists except stay there forever. That’s not acceptable to Elizabeth Warren. Now, where is Bernie on this topic? He’s got his finger in the wind trying to figure out what to say. It makes him look less appealing and now Warren has just pressured Sanders and maybe Cortez to make a public statement. Otherwise, they look indecisive. Lots of main streamers poo poo Elizabeth Warren’s chances for President. She might surprise you. Who is emerging again from the other side? Mitt Romney? LOL!
Listen to Warren lead the Democrats to water here on Rachael Maddow’s Russiagate show.
https://youtu.be/uuIx4OIqZ4k
iris lilies
1-5-19, 10:08am
Elizabeth Warren and I are in northern Iowa right now. She is a few towns over, campaigning. I wont go to her event. ;)
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