The Senate on Thursday voted down a resolution that would have directed President Biden to withdraw all US troops from Syria, where US forces have come under frequent attack in response to President Biden’s support for Israel’s Gaza onslaught.
The bill failed in a vote of 13-84 and received support from seven Democrats, five Republicans, and one Independent, Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT). The resolution was introduced by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who argued the US occupation of eastern Syria risks a major regional war.
“Keeping 900 US troops in Syria does nothing to advance American security. Rather, our intervention puts those servicemembers at grave risk by providing an enticing target for Iranian-backed militias,” Paul said.
“Our continued presence risks the United States getting dragged into yet another regional war in the Middle East without debate or a vote by the people’s representatives in Congress. Congress must cease abdicating its constitutional war powers to the executive branch,” he added.
Paul’s bill would have given the president 30 days to withdraw from Syria unless he was able to get authorization from Congress. The resolution received support from Robert Ford, who was the US ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014 when the US first threw its weight behind the regime change effort against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“We owe our soldiers serving there in harm’s way a serious debate about whether their mission is, in fact, achievable. Absent a debate and authorization of such a mission, our troops should be removed. Consideration of S.J. Res. 51 is an important opportunity for the Senate to take a step towards that necessary outcome,” Ford said.
The US has launched several rounds of airstrikes against Shia militias in Syria and Iraq in response to the rocket and drone attacks that have targeted US bases since October 17. The US bombings, which have killed dozens of militia members, have not deterred further attacks, and the region has turned into a powder keg.
The US maintains that its presence in eastern Syria is about fighting ISIS remnants, but the occupation is part of a broader campaign against Damascus and its allies, which includes Iran. The US maintains crippling economic sanctions on Syria that are designed to prevent the country’s reconstruction, and the area the US occupies is where most of Syria’s oil and gas fields are located.
I said under 10. Isn’t it refreshing that I was so far off? /s
You lost by a field goal …
I said only one: Rand Paul. So, I guess you win. Although, it seems we all win nothing–We only lose. We always lose. Therefore, I’m officially changing the official quote: No matter who you vote for, you always get
John McCainJoe Biden.Dat be funny.
These people will stop at nothing! & my MAGA neighbors try to claim the Republicans are the antiwar party now.
It’s one big Uniparty. They just put on a show to try and convince the people that there’s differences between the ‘D’s and the ‘R’s. Sort of like convincing people that voting makes a difference.
“But…, but…. Trump ! He’s not like the others ! He didn’t start any new wars ! He’s going to clean out the Deep State !” (*eye roll*)
I can’t get over how evil American foreign policy is. It is frightening especially when I think of the old saying, “What goes around comes around.” Someday it will be America’s turn to suffer.
Been a long time coming … :
Jefferson: “Indeed I tremble for my country when reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever” …
Thanks, Mary! I have thought the same, the evil is everywhere in the govt, from the top down.
And yet, the American sheeple have not a clue, have not a voice, because elections do not matter, what do they get, biden, and the totally controlled congress.
I agree. LIke one wag said, “No matter who I vote for, I wind up with John McCain.
American foreign policy is the product of the US Federal Government so it really should not be a surprise.
So … when there’s the inevitable attack on US troops here and it finally kills a bunch of them (rather than severely wounding many as has happened already), will these 84 be on hand to explain to the families of the dead why exactly their sons died?
“Freedom” blah, blah “democracy” blah, blah blah. C’mon, you know the drill by now.
Meanwhile, on the home front, primaries are being cancelled so the people don’t have any say. Only the donors get to decide. Not democracy. It’s Donor-cracy.
Or good old fashioned imprison the political opposition like a Banana republic.
Marine Le Pen may be in the same boat. Efforts to ban her from running in France are underway.
She should be banned from running. She is not ashamed of France’s colonial past but she is for expelling immigrants from France’s former colonies and keeping immigrants out of her country although France and a lot of other Western Powers are wreaking havoc in those countries.
The French people should choose. Obviously you are opposed to that. You believe you are against colonialism but you are actually in favor of it
You probably are opposed to free speech also. If the Palestinians had the right to oppose immigration into their lands it would not be such a mess.
Authoritarians are the problem. And those that seek to subvert human rights. Which you do.
Added note: I am against Western states rulers and their alliances using military force, sanctions or economic/monetary monopolies and bribery in order to dominate people in other countries. Or for them to do that within their own countries for that matter.
No, I am not in favor of colonialism. France and a lot of other Western Powers had colonies all over the world.
In France, it is illegal to deny Turkey committed genocide in Armenia but it is legal to deny France and other Western Powers mistreated people in their former colonies and the people are suffering from the after effects.
I wish the Palestinians could stop Israelis from colonizing them and committing ethnic cleansing against them and that Israel’s neighbors could stop them from declaring war on them and taking land from them.
I am an Asian Indian and India was colonized by Britain and they made diabetes worse in the people there.
If the Pilgrims stayed in Holland after leaving England, they could have avoided wars, ethnic cleansing, genocide and slavery and they would still have their freedom.
Your issue should be with the rulers of those countries of you refer to. French laws against speaking about the Armenian genocide are a violation of free speech: a human right. Again, this restriction of a human right is imposed by state force. I would hope that you would understand this right of free speech extends to speech you don’t like. Else you would be co-opted into accepting that those that control the state have the right to suppress whatever they choose to.
You are in favor of colonization of France. It wasn’t right for the French rulers to do it and isn’t right for it to be done to the French people either.
The various empires in history didn’t generally benefit the vast numbers of people of the countries that are labeled as colonizers. It benefited the ruling classes, the bureaucracy and various economic opportunists. In other words those associated with a state. The population of these imperial powers were dupes and cannon fodder and the indigenous peoples were victims.
Migration can be a form of colonisation. It is now being used a state tool against indigenous populations. This is divide et imperia tactic that was used in the past by colonial powers against subjugated populations. Including India.
This division has now turned inward as those associated with states seek to retain their dominance. It will end badly as the process continues to social entropy.
As long as its them that gets thrown to jail – a Banana Republic is better than none at all.
… and what they won’t explain is that he was a part of a Neocon dream of global capitalist empire with the Zionists designated viceroy of south west Asia.
Only solution is a shattered union. Vote for whoever will bring the cancer that is the US Federal Government closer to extinction!
As I see it, we’re at the point where the troops themselves have to share some of the responsibility for whatever happens to them. By illegally deploying to Syria, aren’t they in violation of their enlistment oath?
When did we acquire Syria as part of the American empire?
If we did, give it back.
“If”?… Seriously ?
One word: Obama.
He has 84 accomplices in the senate. He had 321 accomplices in the house (Gaetz’s resolution). His predecessors set the stage for him, and his successors have carried on with more of the same.
Nevertheless (IMO), Obama is far from the idealized figure he’s been manufactured to be.
As time passes, he continues to shrink in my estimation (of course, as time passes, I continue to shrink!).
That was an indictment of our current congress and previous Presidents, and Biden now, and not in any way an attempt to exonerate Obama. He was in charge, and it happened under his watch.
Alcohol keeps the intervertebral disks pumped up. Something to keep in mind.
Lol
Obama and Trump. IIRC there were less than 300 U.S. troops in Syria when Obama left office, and Trump immediately increased the number of troops there to almost 2000.
They’re bait. That’s the way we keep our sons and daughters safe from needless harm.
900 hujman shields there to protect the Kurds from Syria.
If removed the country will return to the status it had before H Clinton and Obama attacked with their Saudi Wahabbi terrorists.
Trump skedaddled on the Kurds way back when.. We’re there to protect Syria from it’s oil.
Unfortunately, this forces one outcome. The only way those troops are coming home is in body bags, which Biden has already prepared. The death of those troops would be played as another Pearl Harbor, for which Iran would be responsible. War with Iran on behalf of Israel isn’t starting itself, people!
Well, Iran better hurry up or old Joe will have to do it himself, it’s an election year after all… And he can’t let one of those happen!
Then, be prepared to be attacked some more….and no complaining and whining…!
Hey no fair!.. Waaaah WAAAHH!!
Our Republic was not designed to be the BULLY in the world. Syria needs to rebuild and there is only one reason we do not want that, why we will not leave, it is because of Zionist Israel. We have been killing in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, etc., for one reason, to satisfy the Zionist, protect the Zionist. Israel only exists because of our illegal wars in the ME and our support of money/weapons to Israel.
re: The US maintains that its presence in eastern Syria is about fighting ISIS remnants
The ten year old “war” against ISIS is all for show because the division of Iraq has been a US objective since the realization (in 2005) that the US stupidly created an Iran ally with its invasion & occupation.
The invasion of Iraq proved a pivotal moment in the centuries-old balance of power between the two sects that emerged from a schism in Islam 1,300 years ago. First came The Sunni-based Caliphate and then ISIS which was (is) also used in Syria, initially to transport Syrian oil, and later as a excuse to keep US troops in Syria. General Michael Flinn, intelligence chief, blew the initial whistle on it which is why he’s been persecuted after he became Trump’s first national security advisor.
“Our continued presence risks the United States getting dragged into yet another regional war in the Middle East …”
“dragged into” good one. remember when US was dragged into invading Iraq. twice.
totally against their will, right?
Joe Biden: So you’re suggesting that I pretend to be repeatedly dragged into wars totally against my will? …I like it. But maybe not more than one war every other year? I mean, I would like to get dragged into more, but don’t you think it may become too obvious? …What’s that? …Obama bombed 7 countries in 8 years and still managed to receive the Nobel Peace Prize? …Blinken, I like this guy. He’s got fresh ideas. Let’s give him a job.
Bloody spot on!
Anyone has any confidence that Congress and the President will ever do the right thing. I do not b lieve they can be trusted with watering plants.
Not watering the plants, but if you wanted them to bomb the plants, they’re most trustworthy.
Hey! It’s our oil, right? Finders keepers, losers weepers….
I’m calling for a fact finding mission by Congress. Bipartisan. Made up of the Congress persons who voted against leaving Syria. They would land in Syria, get off the plane and then the plane would leave.
This was about as surprising as the release of a new Call of Duty Title this year
They are all probably benefiting from all the stolen oil so just keeping the gravy train on track.
October 28, 2019: “We’re keeping the oil,” Presidenyt Trump said to a conference of police chiefs in Chicago. (ABC NEWS)
Pillaging is a technical term for theft during wartime that is illegal under USA and international law; prohibited by the Fourth Geneva Convention, which the USA ratified as a trety in 1955.
“Israel Grants First Golan Heights [occupied Syria] Oil Drilling License to Dick Cheney Linked Company.” (businessinsider.com, by Nichael B. Kelley, February 22, 2013)
US Troops should never have been in Syria in the first place. They should leave. Ehud Barack Obama said “Assad Must Go” when he was the POTUS. He was meddling in Syria’s affairs and it is not the USA’s job to decide who the leader of another nation is.
It is better to have Russia in Syria because they are protecting Syria’s sovereignty and the USA is violating it.
Rand Paul rocks.
Apparently the fact that the occupation of Syria by U.S. forces is illegal under international law and U.S. law simply doesn’t matter.
yes. IMO Rand’s resolution was just another attempt to demonize Iran.
Rand = ” US intervention puts those US servicemembers at grave risk by providing an enticing target for Iranian-backed militias,”
“grave” “enticing”,
i bet he was patting himself on the back when he chose those words