Mr. President, I presume you have asked a rhetorical question that really doesn’t require an answer, but I’ll provide one anyway.
You asked if the nation wants to stay “forever” in Syria, fighting the bad guys, terrorists, those who prey on innocent civilians.
No rational human being wants to fight forever. You know better than to ask such a sophomoric question.
You said in a tweet: Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild.
The issue behind your reckless and feckless decision to pull totally out of Syria centers on the method you used to reach your unfounded conclusion that we have “defeated” the Islamic State.
I don’t believe ISIS is defeated. They’re still a hideous menace. Furthermore, the Defense Department has made that determination, too. Same with the CIA and the State Department. Yet you ignored them the way you seemingly ignore the advice you get from the “best people” who surround you.
Your decision really cannot be defended rationally. You might think it’s a defensible position, but the reality is that you came to that conclusion seemingly without ever consulting with the experts who work for us.
I hear Vladimir Putin endorses your decision. So do the Turks and the Iranians. Hey, they’re all “allies,” right? Hah!
Mr. President, “forever” is too long a span of time to keep thrusting young Americans into harm’s way. The experts, though, have been saying all along since 9/11 that declaring victory in this war against terrorists is too dicey a deal to be handled cavalierly.
We aren’t fighting a government. We aren’t fighting a force that answers to a head of state. These bad guys are cunning and slippery and pretty damn creative in their methods of attacking others.
You need, sir, to listen carefully to what those in the know are telling you. Well, whatever. I know I might as well be talking to my shoes.
I just have to get it off my chest.
God help us all.