Lindsey Graham Condemns Trump’s Syria Withdrawal as Other Loyalists Praise Kurds
Senator Lindsey Graham has strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria and allow a Turkish invasion of the region. The South Carolina Republican, who has been a strong partisan for the President, told Fox & Friends he was unhappy with the decision and followed up on Twitter.
“I hope I’m making myself clear how shortsighted & irresponsible this decision is in my view,” Graham told the Fox News hosts on Monday morning. “This to me is just unnerving to its core.”
Graham was expressing concerns that are shared across the political spectrum. It is believed that Turkey will commit genocide against the Kurds in the region once U.S. troops are removed. Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade also expressed his anger at the decision live on air.
Lindsey Graham calls in to Fox & Friends & calls Trump's decision to abandon the Kurds "impulsive."
"I hope I'm making myself clear how shortsighted & irresponsible this decision is in my view," he says. "This to me is just unnerving to its core." pic.twitter.com/URH0DVA1bo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 7, 2019
On Twitter, Graham argued that Trump’s decision could lead to the return of ISIS and Iran dominating the region, neither of which he found palatable.
“By abandoning the Kurds we have sent the most dangerous signal possible – America is an unreliable ally and it’s just a matter of time before China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea act out in dangerous ways,” he said.
I feel very bad for the Americans and allies who have sacrificed to destroy the ISIS Caliphate because this decision virtually reassures the reemergence of ISIS. So sad. So dangerous.
President Trump may be tired of fighting radical Islam. They are NOT tired of fighting us.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 7, 2019
Graham wasn’t the only Trump supporter to blast the President’s decision. Loyalists were lining up on Monday to admonish the President. Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley denounced the move.
We must always have the backs of our allies, if we expect them to have our back. The Kurds were instrumental in our successful fight against ISIS in Syria. Leaving them to die is a big mistake. #TurkeyIsNotOurFriend
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) October 7, 2019
And former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee also distanced himself from the President on the issue. Huckabee has been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters.
I generally support @POTUS on foreign policy & don't want our troops fighting other nations' wars, but a HUGE mistake to abandon Kurds. They've never asked us to do THEIR fighting-just give them tools to defend themselves. They have been faithful allies. We CANNOT abandon them.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) October 7, 2019
While condemnation of the move has been bipartisan, it’s significant that a number of high profile Trump supporters have criticized the President. They have often been unwilling to do so on other issues.
