Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has introduced a War Powers Resolution that would order President Biden to pull all US troops out of Syria, a move that came after four US troops were reported injured in a raid against ISIS in the country.
“Congress has never authorized the use of military force in Syria. The United States is currently not in a war with or against Syria, so why are we conducting dangerous military operations there? President Biden must remove all US Armed Forces from Syria. America First means actually putting the people of our country first — not the interests of the Military Industrial Complex,” Gaetz said in a statement on the resolution.
He said the purpose of the resolution was to see where Congress stands on the US military presence in Syria. According to a press release from Gaetz’s office, the War Powers Resolution is privileged, meaning the House will be forced to vote on it within 18 days of its introduction. The press release said he filed the resolution on Tuesday.
“Since the invasion of Ukraine, we seem to have turned our attention away from some of America’s entanglement in Syria,” Gaetz told Fox News Digital. “And the purpose of my legislation is to force members of Congress to vote on record regarding whether they think we ought to continue Obama’s war in Syria.”
Gaetz criticized progressive Democrats for supporting US involvement in Ukraine and said he wanted to see where the “antiwar coalition” in Congress falls when it comes to the Middle East. “Is it more on the right, is it more on the left? Is it some amalgamation thereof? But this resolution will test who is truly adherent to what I believe is America First Foreign Policy and who continues to believe in Middle Eastern adventurism,” he said.
In July 2022, the House voted on a proposed amendment to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) that would have cut all funds for the US presence in Syria within one year if President Biden didn’t get authorization from the war. The amendment failed, but it received support from about 60% of House Democrats. According to the House Clerk, 130 Democrats voted in favor, while only 25 Republicans supported the amendment.
Gaetz noted that the presence in Syria risks sparking a wider war as US troops have encountered Russian soldiers in the country. “The risk of an accident or miscalculation or just misuse of authority could lead to direct kinetic conflict between the United States and Russia in Syria. And we ought to really think about whether or not that risk is worth whatever it is we’re fighting for in Syria,” he said.
The US has about 900 troops in Syria and backs the Kurdish-led SDF. On paper, the presence is about fighting ISIS, and US operations against the terror group have increased in recent months. But the US occupation is also part of the economic war against Damascus as the area of Syria under US and SDF control is where most of the country’s oil resources are.
On top of the occupation of Syria, the US imposed sanctions on the country designed to prevent reconstruction. The US issued a 180-day waiver on sanctions for transactions related to relief efforts following a devastating earthquake that hit northwest Syria and Turkey, but UN experts say the waiver isn’t enough and are calling for all sanctions to be lifted.
who would guess that SOB would be the one to suggest the right thing
Political grand stand, to deflect from his pedophile past.
Even though he appears to exude the “rich frat boy” persona,
I agree with him on many issues:
Assange
Snowden
War.
The accusations of him with underage women, were , indeed, just
like the accusations against Assange—false; attempts
to discredit and deflect.
It is amazing how powerful and persistent a false accusation can be.
“Trump is controlled by Putin”
“Snowden fled to Russia”
…
But, but, what about the oil we have been stealing???
Would? Could? Should?
YES, Yes, & yes…!!!!!!!!!!
You gotta give Obama and Hillary some credit. They completely destroyed and silenced any anti-war movement the “progressives” left that was part of.
That’s why I rather call myself a “populist” as does Gabby or Greenwald.
Don’t forget the progressism of the 1920’s and early 30’s just loved how the trains ran on time and had many kind words about classical Italian facism prior to the failed house painter and his war on humanity.
Of course that above contained too many words that can be misconstrued by those who always do those things so I kind of apologize….maybe….
I don’t think Gaetz is really anti war at all (he just wants us to move all of our troops to Taiwan instead). BUT if this passes this can at least do some good for the poor people Syria, who sorely needs it.
That said, there is a probably better chance of me winning Powerball tomorrow than this actually passing.
Wow, when would I ever agree with that nut. But yes US out of Syria.
Anti-war shows up in the darndest places and forms. His privileged resolution should be interesting since it puts these bumpkins on the record.
I for one am solidly behind forcing US troops out of Syria and shutting down Biden’s war of choice in Ukraine.
How about shutting down 700 of the bases all over the world.
Much as I despise the waste of lives and money,perhaps it is better to fight NECESSARY wars on another guys country,rather than see our own despoiled. We have kept Japan,South Korea, and Western Europe relatively free.
The US has kept its troops in foreign lands relatively free, it allows its troops there to break local laws and not face consequences.
Under Bill Clinton’s Administration, members of the US Air Force caused an accident at a ski resort in Italy and faced no consequences and a US Marine in Japan murdered another US Marine there because he said the man was gay and faced no consequences. US troops in the Far East rape women and girls, sleep with hookers and face no consequences.
US Bases harm the environment, it doesn’t keep the environment relatively free.
“And the purpose of my legislation is to force members of Congress to vote on record regarding whether they think we ought to continue Obama’s war in Syria.” YES!!! Finally someone explains Obama’s war on Syria and exposes the oxymoron of Obama being a Nobel Peace Prize winner! You would have to be a “moron” on “Oxy” to believe that he deserved it!
U.S. out of Syria could be part of a larger negotiation with Russia about Ukraine, as it probably was back when Trump took credit for “eliminating ISIS” in Iraq and Syria, when in fact, Russia aided Assad to do so, and then Trump tried to withdraw our troops from Syria, and had to compromise with the MIC and only reduce our troops.
Trump said at the time “Russia is in a better position to monitor ISIS in Iraq and Syria”
There is much that could be negotiated with Russia over the Middle East, the Black Sea area, and over a gas deal between Germany and Central Europe and Russia that would be beneficial for all Europe and most of the Middle East
Nice post. There are some who actually believe this war is the Orange Geezer’s fault and despite his trying to withdraw from Syria that is his as well.
I don’t know Gaetz from shinola but even though he’s a congressman I would vote for him just for using phrases like “Military Industrial Complex”, “Middle East adventurism”, and “whatever it is we’re fighting for in Syria”. Even if it’s just cynical grandstanding it’s still nice to read, and better than nothing.
Is Gaetz against the sanctions? And he doesn’t want to completely leave Syria alone militarily.
Should the U.S. send ground troops into Syria to fight ISIS?
Gaetz: No, conduct targeted airstrikes instead.
Should the military fly drones over foreign countries to gain intelligence and kill suspected terrorists?
Gaetz: Yes
Yup, but still much better than occupation …
I don’t disagree. But I can’t get excited about this guy. He’s just picking his spots.
Unfortunately it won’t even get out of committee to receive a floor vote and if it would get that vote it will be mostly populists on the Right and Left who will vote for it and only a dozen at that.
I don’t trust the Gaetz. But I like this idea because the executive branch of government has gotten far more power than the Constitution intended, and because that power has been so flagrantly abused.
No President should be allowed to start wars without the expressed approval of Congress. We should restore the bright lines that once governed war. For example, Korea was a war, not a police action. The authorization for war in Iraq was never intended to authorize the use of military force for the purpose of regime change in Libya or Syria.
The wars on drugs and terror were intentionally devised to allow Presidents to do whatever they want, wherever they want, and there are so many slop funds available to the President that he doesn’t even have to ask for the money.
Hillary’s use of foreign aid to organize and finance revolutions and to influence foreign elections for the purpose of regime change were acts of war.
The abuse of sanctions by both Trump and Biden were acts of war, even if no American blood was spilled.
Did Congress authorize the military actions we are taking in Somalia right now? Or is Biden claiming that these are not acts of war? Was Trump’s assassination of Qasem Soleimani an act of war?
Any step in reigning in our President’s ability to wage war without specific and widely publicized Congressional authorization is a good step.
I also like the idea of forcing every legislator to be held accountable for their votes, and we have got to find a way to prevent legislators from funding wars by including authorization in unrelated bills. For example, raising the debt ceiling should not provide an opportunity to increase spending on military or financial aid to foreign countries.
It’ll be interesting … (1) is this going to pass and (2) if it passes, will the president obey?
No way in hell it passes. I’d bet Gaetz was counting noses to make sure it wouldn’t. Reminds me of democrats pretending to be against Bush’s war.
“The US has about 900 troops in Syria and backs the Kurdish-led SDF. On paper, the presence is about fighting ISIS”
I bet we will be hearing that a lot in the next two weeks. And “keeping us safe”.
Can someone explain to me why we hate Assad and his secular government rather than a radical Islamic one that our terrorist friends want? And don’t give me that BS about him gassing his own people. I’m not claiming the guy is a saint, but we are starting to smell like the terrorists that we support. I think Assad is the least of several bad possibilities. Also, I don’t believe for a minute that we are fighting ISIS over there. That’s just more BS.
Iran …
Why?
We hate Assad because he is secular. A secular government as an enemy is a “hard sell” to the uneducated. Baathist means “enlightened” analogously to the enlightened period that was the end of the “Dark Ages”.
In the same way –Israel preferred and hence, created HAMAS as an easier-to-hate caricature enemy than the PLO. Remember that many in the PLO were actually Christians (Arafat’s wife, George Habash…); this would have been too confusing to explain to a US based Christian donor class.
The most religious and evil countries, the US leaves alone (eg Saudi Arabia). The more secular ones the US, up-ends
(Iraq, Libya, Syria)
Furthermore, If Syria devolves into total chaos like Libya,
it would be much easier for Israel to keep bombing them,
expanding, and never giving back the Golan Heights.
“If Syria devolves into total chaos like Libya,
it would be much easier for Israel to keep bombing them”
Indeed. They want to be surrounded by failed states. They’ll be doing a circle jerk if they can only get Iran to that point.
I think it is more about countries that don’t toe the US line, than it is about religiosity. As mentioned by “Caliman,” Iran is on the crap list too. Perhaps near the top of it. The US wants no competing power centers, anywhere, and that goes double in the ME, with its oil, and the presence of US “ally” Israel. The US much prefers, as you say, total chaos, than a functioning, but perhaps at least somewhat oppositional, regime. Such as formerly existed in Iraq and Libya and still exists in Syria. Syria, as you also mention, is a front line state with respect to Israel. All the more reason for it to not be allowed to have a real government, one which reflects its interests (including recovering its conquered, stolen and illegally annexed land in the Golan Heights).
For the Evangelical Rapture People it is about restoring to Israel the land that was part of the Kingdom during Solomon’s reign. Syria was part of that Kingdom. They see the land from the Nile of Egypt in the the south, to the Euphrates River in the north and east and the land to the Mediterranean as belonging to Solomon’s kingdom. Zionists, both Christian and Jewish, see it that way.
We hate Syria because it is a tool of Iran, and helped fork up Lebanon.
The left deserves to get poned by this douchebag for being absolutely dickless hypocrites on foreign policy.
What are Pharmbiotest labs in Ukraine……………People in the Luhansk region were being experimented with HIV infection and Corona virus infections since 2015. Ukrainian army service members, drug addicts and prisoners were infected with HIV and Corona virus’s. NOTE: as early as 2015. These labs could well be where Covid19 originated hence Victoria Nuland’s panic when Russia invaded and took control of these labs. Russia has provided the documentation which they obtained when they intervenes in the Donbass. I have always asked the Question….did Civid19 originate in the US biolabs in Ukraine?
Pharmbiotest labs were funded by US NGO’s including NIAID which was indirectly forwarding NIH money.
What are Metabiota labs in Ukraine……………Metabiota was founded by Hunter Biden through his investment firm Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners.
Metabiota signed an 18.4 million federal contract as a subcontractor to Black & Veatch researching bioweapons in Ukraine. The top Ukrainian investigator Viktor Shokin started an investigation into Hunter Biden’s company for corruption. In an act of text book “corruption and abuse of power” Joe Biden threatened to stop the billions in aid to Kiev if they did not fire Viktor Shokin immediately.
On the day the Russian SMO started 24/2/22 Zelensky ordered the destruction of all state docs associated with Metabiota and Pharmbiotest. NBC had a film crew in Kiev who accidentally filmed the Ukrainian intelligence workers burning the documents. NBC lied and claimed the fires were due to Russia bombing of Kiev.
In 2014 Metabiota, Wuhan institute of virology and the EHA were all named as researchers on a study of infectious diseases derived from Chinese bats.
Now we complete the links to Biden’s corruption in Ukraine and the Covid19 outbreak.
Gaetz: “America First means actually putting the people of our country first — not the interests of the Military Industrial Complex”
Should the government increase or decrease military spending?
Gaetz: Increase
Gaetz means “The Military Industrial Complex First”. He speaks from both sides of his mouth.
Matt Gaetz, the voice of reason? 😳
Bizarro world.