In a Wednesday vote, the House overwhelmingly backed a resolution expressing opposition to the end of the US war in Syria, and calling on the US to protect the Syrian Kurds from Turkey. The vote was 354-60, with the majority of Republicans supporting it, and unanimous support from Democrats who cast votes.
Positions from Democrat leaders suggested an unconditional opposition to Trump ending any war and withdrawing any troops under any circumstances. They also objected to the notion that a president could end a war without their permission.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued that Congress not only has a “right to be informed” but should be able to make decisions on national security. That’s a bold claim, given the House has shown virtually no inclination to vote on America’s myriad other wars in recent years, and House leadership in particular has been eager to ditch even votes that are legally obligatory as too politically risky.
As a practical matter, Congress doesn’t have any real say on the ending of wars, particularly wars they didn’t authorize in the first place. Having for years let presidents act unilaterally it is somewhat hypocritical to now object when one of those wars might end.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House Majority Leader, took things a step farther, declaring that “any terrorist attack” that happens from here on our would be a “direct result” of the withdrawal.
Trying to position ending a war as a terror risk is an old standby for hawks, but in this case the Turkey vs. Kurds war has nothing to do with terrorism in the first place, and especially no reason to think the future will have anything to do with it.
Dems have been eager to make a connection between this and ending the Vietnam War. Recently, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice termed it “Trump’s Saigon.” She insisted that the Turks are going to create a catastrophe, and that the US needs to stay in small numbers in an open-ended way to keep Turkey from doing that.
Just amazing. A war they did not authorize and the cretins presume to try to dictate how it should be run! What do they disagree with: ending a war they did not declare? They want to protect the “Syrian Kurds” from our NATO treaty ally??
They are high on a drug called Empire … little do they know the last days of same are coming and the world is already moving on, as can be seen in the pent up reactions seen onsite, with Russia, Turkey, and Syria moving fast to create a (hopefully) real and lasting equilibrium.
Let Trump Be Trump!!! Trump 2020! Go Trump!!
Yes, go and don’t the door hit him in the butt.
Everything our congress critters do at this point is political. In the lead up to the 2020 elections, they’re all playing to AIPAC and the other Zionist lobbies for campaign cash. That Syrian oil the Kurds are sitting on was supposed to be Israel’s. The Kurds have been allied with Israel for decades. There are hundreds of CIA/Mossad contractors in their ranks, probably more than there are actual US troops in Syria at this point. For Trump to pull the rug out from under this grand plan was unacceptable both to Dems and Repubs. Point fingers at both parties if you’re going to point fingers at all.
The Democrats once again showing just how stupid and corrupt they are and how they are increasingly likely to lose again next year saddling us with another 4 years of Trump. Not that they care.
Who would you rather have “saddled” for the next 4 years?
No one currently running for president.
Not an option, and therefore adolescent.
Tulsi…maybe?
Is it the Democrats really? What about the Repubs that supported Jihadis to overthrow Assad… pretty sure 1/4 of country voted McCain… Repubs just as stupid and corrupt
Why don’t these congressional frauds advocate the reinstatement of the draft so everyone ( including woman) has an equal chance of participating in this Mideast nonsense? Wonder if the draft were in place ,would we still be there after 20 years?
that is exactly why there is no draft and never again will be.
They all want to stay there until God fulfills the promise of delivering Euphrates river and witness the second coming!
This is why Pompeo and Pence are hightailing to Turkey, to convince Erdogan of the need to accept Jesus as his Lord, or else.
Erdogan to Porcine and Pence, “No, he’s a prophet whom we revere.”
Aren’t they kind of late, Kurds already raised Syrian flags over cities, towns they held under fancy name of SDF (another acronym soon to be forgotten).
Which Democrat will go visit Kurds and sell some more snake oil?
How about a lot of apologies ro to me Justin and President Trump? He is the most antiwar President in my long lifetime. God bless and keep him! PS where is Tulsi?
In what way ? This stupid vote doesnt change anything
Now John, most comment readers here know my platform, the GOP votes for war everytime, the dems, not as much. So, my opinion on an antiwar site, destroy the GOP first, then attack the dems. I like how you equate Justin here, his focus was to build an antiwar faction within the GOP. See the mission statement. Didn’t happen, in fact, not at all. I respect his attempt. Now, trump has escalated war worldwide, brought murderous sanctions that would make Madeline Albright praise his name. Yet, somehow, you find that trump redeploying a couple dozen troops out of Turkey’s way to be an end to US intervention, and war. Let’s be clear…trump ordered the rubbling of Syrian cities, sent 3000 US marines to do it, no one knows where US troops, and mercenaries are now, or what their mission is.
No doubt, today’s vote, also backed by the GOP, is a disgrace. Remember..
.trump put them there, whether it be best they stay, or go (somewhere). If you don’t mind, I will reserve my “congratulations”, for the day trump actually does something, anything, that resembles antiwar.
Dave, Yes, I know your “platform”. LOL!! When are you announcing your run for the Presidency? 🙂
As soon as you complete research on congressional war authorization votes by party, Jay. Should take any literate person about 2 hours.
There aren’t any congressional declarations of war any longer. They just do it.
No, not war declarations, war authorizations. Just because the GOP and trump prevent congress from ending US wars, doesn’t mean the mechanism to do so doesn’t exist.
A Congressional declaration has no authority to end a military action. It’s symbolic and funding would always be found from other programs to keep it going. Normally those are political antics anyway, with Dems voting against miltiary action by Repub Administrations and for the most part, vice versa.
How come the Dems only hate wars, when a Republican is in the White House?
Dave, Both ‘political party’ are DC GHOULS, I recognize that, you clearly do not. 🙂
There are no legal war authorization except a declaration of war. Anything else is just going along with extra-Constitutional military actions by Dem and Repub Presidents who set the tone, determine the mission, deploy the troops, and welcome some back at Dover.
John1943,,HuRaHHH!!!!!
Increased airstrikes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Lessened Rules of Engagement to make killing easier.
MOAB in Afghanistan.
Casually talked about killing 10 million in Afghanistan
Sanctions.
Missile strikes in Syria.
Talked casually about assassinating “animal Assad”.
On and off on regime change in Syria.
Bolton.
Pompeo.
Haley.
Haspel.
First start visit: Saudi Arabia.
Orb rubbing/sword dancing/Iran bashing.
Iran bashing at UN.
More sanctions.
Pardoning war criminals.
Suggesting that Ed Snowden should be executed.
Pro torture.
Appointed pro torture advocate to human rights council.
Threatened to obliterate North Korea.
Threatened to obliterate Iran.
Threatened to obliterate Turkey’s economy.
Obliterated Iran’s economy.
Venezuela.
Libya continues.
Yemen continues.
Expansion in Africa.
More drones than even Obama.
Kissing Israel’s ass even more than Obama.
More military spending than even Obama.
More sanctions than even Obama.
Just the tip of the iceberg. Truly a man of peace and liberty. What’s not to like?
Tulsi is with some right-wing Hindu pals.
It is true that the drawing of state boundaries of the Levant by the victors over the Ottoman Empire did not create a state for the Kurds but these boundaries have now existed long enough to have defined several nation states in that region. I have therefore long held that the Syrian Kurds would be the safest in a stable Syria. Hence their choice ought to have been for Assad and Putin once it became clear that the insurgents were losing. Instead they chose for the US against Assad and Putin and ISIL. It is for that reason why one cannot blame the current mess in Syria on Trump’s mistakes only. The Syrian Kurds must share that blame for their own mistakes.
“I have therefore long held that the Syrian Kurds would be the safest in a stable Syria”
Exactly like they were before Obama/Biden/Hillary went for another Regime Change, like they did in Libya. Christians safer under Assad, too.
Time for Muslims to revive the caliphate for modern times. If there can be an EU and NATO, then why not a caliphate. But keeping stupid Muslims divided is the agenda. Dumb Arabs sided with the Brits against the Ottoman calipha.
…..and double-crossed by the French and British after WWI.
Like the article says, had congress used the war powers act instead of allowing military force to be authorized by decree (executive order) they would have total control over the deployment of troops. It’s easier to just to criticize the decisions of others after abdicating responsibility.
They tried in the Yemen vote, trump vetoed it. The GOP would not support it.
So, the War Powers Act means nothing.
as much good as arse paper
Guess we won’t know since the gop won’t override the veto. Guess that’s the dems fault ?
In the absence of a Declaration of War, military actions are determined by the President, and that’s what happened in Iraq, Serbia, Libya and Syria.
Bush, obama and trump have used the 2001 war on terror authorization for their varieties of mayhem. It seems they do what they want since that is precisely how it is worded. Kucinich, and several congressmen sued the US govt over the wording in federal court…lost of course. Since they couldn’t seem to stop Kucinich from being elected in his district, they eliminated his district.
Did they use that against Serbia, too?
And only used as a political tool, never really wanting it invoked. And it never is.
So the antiwar left is dead politically in the US Neocons are Democrats now?
What anti-war Left? Was the Clinton co-Presidency anti-war?
What “left”? We have right and further right just like our little parasite.
The US has no antiwar left or right. Both love war to spread “democracy, freedom, women and LGBTI rights.”
In short, we are not a normal country.
Tulsi Gabbard, Ilhan Omar and former Black Panther Bobby Rush (D-IL)did not vote on the resolution.
So American troops are in a country illegally and Congress has voted that they must stay there? Sounds like a bunch of war criminals. Trump did not put these troops there remember Obama did it secretly with non consent from Congress .
I agree 100%, William Beeby. US troops are in Syria illegally and must leave yesterday. As far as Congress is concerned, their vote for them to stay is moot. It’s the President’s decision as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to withdraw them.
Indeed, DJT didn’t deploy these troops there .. Remember, Obama did it secretly without any consent from Congress. That’s an impeachable offense .. But since he’s been out of office for over 3 years, he can be charged with the crime of waging aggressive war and crimes against humanity in Syria.
How many times do I have to refute this in one thread ?….trump entered office with 3- 4oo spec ops in Syria. trump escalated in 2017 with 3000 marines. The troops hes shuffling around, are troops he put in. Don’t make me post it again ? Eileen, I am counting on you to repeat what I said !
it’s not really a war if we only announce that we are sending in secret troops.
Yup, everyone knows about em except the US msm viewer.
https://news.antiwar.com/2017/03/09/us-confirms-400-more-troops-sent-to-syria/
I love that they can vote to condemn withdrawing troops from Syria but they wouldn’t condemn McCain n Obama funding Jihadis to tear Syria into pieces… Reps n Dems so contemptable
Joshua Barlow, you’re absolutely right and I concur. How stupid can these Congress critters be, voting to condemn withdrawing troops from Syria – the right decision by DJT – but wouldn’t condemn McCain and Obama for funding Jihadists to tear Syria into pieces? This is hypocrisy at its worst, by both Repubs and Dems, and so contemptible;(
Such love for Kurds, but none for Palestinians, Yemenis, Afghans, etc….
From Wilson in WW1 to LBJ in Vietnam the Democrats have always been the party of war.
Great, another liberty university history grad……
So much for the peace loving left.
“with the majority of Republicans supporting it”
And the right apparently.
They didn’t vote to have a war (as stupid as it was), they cant vote to end it. Trump is the CIC, not Congress. Constitution says so!
“Trump is the CIC, not Congress. Constitution says so!”
Trump is the CIC when the troops are “called into the actual Service of the United States.”
Until after World War One (and really until World War Two), that meant a small permanent federal force to maintain equipment and train state militias in between congressional declarations of war.
The Commander in Chief clause was never intended to mean the president gets to do any damn thing he pleases with the military.
Congress has abdicated its constitutional responsibility along with the presidency far exceeding its constitutional authority.
The Congress declares war, the President has the full authority to withdraw troops from anywhere, in the absence of a Declaration of War, and a Declaration of War has not been made regarding Syria, and especially not regarding NATO ally, Turkey.
Technically you’re right. I’d hate to see Congress in charge of the military. It would be a terrible SNAFU.
“Bring Them Home.” “Bring Them Home.” Crowd chants at Trump’s rally in TX!!!
Just watch the 1 minute video.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/17/texas-rally-crowd-chants-bring-them-home-in-support-of-trumps-foreign-policy/
With Latinos for Trump in the background.
Music to my ears.
I KNOW Hillary would never have led this chant.
She would if that’s all it took to get her base to vote for her despite being a massive war criminal… so is there a difference with her and Trump?
Imagine… maybe if Trumps base all called him and told him to pull our troops out of all the unauthorized wars or lose our vote… maybe then he would be forced to grow a spine and do what the base wants. Instead you all just polish his nuts despite him ending nothing this entire presidency…
He did “end” the JCPOA.
True and his base was calling for that cause they have suckled on a nice hearty meal of Israeli propaganda..but prolly had more to do with Trumps financial backers than base.
And Trump “trumped” them by getting a cease fire. What fools those dumbsh-ts are, they accomplished nothing with their ridiculous vote, but Trump got the Turks to pull back and leave the Kurds alone. He’s a genius, and Nancy is a moron.
You trumpsters crack me up…trump sends 3000 troops to northern Syria, screws the pooch, pulls them out, you call him a genius. Y’all can stop banging your head against the wall, if that’s what you consider genius.
US troops are in Syria illegally but No Media talks about this Fact…!!!? They should get out before being fired upon again by Turkish military and make fool of themselves….
I like some of those House Dems. I voted for some from my District.
Still, I know full well they’d vote against anything Trump said or did. Anything, no matter how clear, they’d oppose. Put the Devil against Trump, and they’d vote for the Devil. In fact, they just did.
What about the vote to end support for the war in Yemen that Trump vetoed? Just sayin’
Trumpsters round this site are convinced the antiwar votes in congress are just symbolic, and mean nothing. I’m hoping to convince them that their votes in 2020 are the same, and they shouldn’t waste their time voting.