Posted on 10/10/2019 5:58:37 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
PENTAGON – A member of U.S. Special Forces serving alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria told Fox News on Wednesday they were witnessing Turkish atrocities on the frontlines.
“I am ashamed for the first time in my career,” said the distraught soldier, who has been involved in the training of indigenous forces on multiple continents. The hardened service member is among the 1,000 or so U.S. troops who remain in Syria.
“Turkey is not doing what it agreed to. It’s horrible,” the military source on the ground said. “We met every single security agreement. The Kurds met every single agreement [with the Turks]. There was no threat to the Turks -- none -- from this side of the border."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
When a politically driven policy meets reality.
Trump could lose some votes from the military.
When you fight with comrades, your own or your allies, there is a sense of honor that develops between you. You will protect each other at all costs. That is a feeling, a feeling of loyalty that does not leave you.
Yes, there is a sense of betrayal when you are told to stand back and watch as your friends are attacked.
Most people here are safe in their homes, so no matter what the policy is, their own safety is not at stake. It is also those same people who think they are the ones who deserve the policy we now have.
But those troops of ours whose lives have been put at some risk with our allies, are the very ones who are going to like this new policy the least.
They don’t view the new policy as “supporting” THEM.
First I don’t believe they found an active service member stationed in Syria willing to talk to the media on or off the record. Since we know the media has no problem making stuff up, I will discount this part of the story.
The Middle East has been in turmoil for a very long time, some would say it goes back to the Romans invading Egypt.
There are factions within factions all with their own answer and a willingness to kill those that don’t agree with them. Only overwhelming military force and a willingness to be brutal may bring a sort of peace to the region. But as we seen with the Russians in Afghanistan even that does not work.
It is way past time for the Western world to pull back out of the Middle East and allow the various factions fight it out. Peace will come when they are all dead or just exhausted from killing each other.
One fact that I can say with certainty is that the West can not impose peace on the region.
The news fits neocons’ mindset. You can find a bunch of them in FR forum.
Remember we fought with these people . That does not make our friends or our responsibilities.
*************
Exactly. We talk too much about “allies” and “friends” but the reality is they often are not. It all just a matter of shared interests, which are frequently of a transitory nature and not long lasting.
Not saying we shouldn’t have alliances with other countries just that they are usually a matter of mutual convenience of the moment. Bottom line is that we have to look out for us.
People seem to forget Turkey is a formal ally in NATO.
First of all, this member of the Special Forces should just file a whistleblower complaint and move to get the President impeached. It’s all the rage, don’t cha know.
Secondly, I think the GOP Congress critters who oppose Trump on this are doing so based on principle. I can see their point, leaving the coop on the fox’s promise to be nice to the chickens doesn’t seem a good idea to me. Having said that, why are we concentrating on Syria when it is now obvious that China is 1930’s Japan? We have a REAL problem there and WE armed our greatest enemy.
Thirdly, the democrats are making hay out of this but could care the less about the Kurds (unless they wanted to immigrate here and vote democrat, then the concern would be real). The democrats are merely the contrarian party. If Trump was for increasing troop levels, they would be calling him a baby killer and sucking code pink on him.
The good ones are the dead ones. Just like the gang members in our cities and suburbs, so long as they just kill each other, it’s all good.
Our beloved Constitution gives to Congress the duty to declare war.
I understand how some troops may feel. But their views are situational for them. As you put it “That is a feeling, a feeling of loyalty that does not leave you”, which is admirable.
But what about the larger interests of the country and the fact that Americans have their own feelings and voted to get us out of messes like this? Should that be ignored?
Three excellent comments! A trifecta. :)
United States Army.
United States Marine Corps.
United States Navy.
United States Air Force.
United States Coast Guard.
1.3 million active-duty troops, with another 865,000 in reserve.
200,000 active troops deployed in more than 170 countries
Yet I should care one whacko’s fee-fees hurt?
Give me a break!
So? I am ashamed we’v been there in the first place.
America is not the world’s policeman and American taxpayers shouldn’t be taxed to go fight someone else’s war.
Besides, the Kurds are Sunni muslim with no redeeming qualities.
Fox News using an anonymous source to spread their narrative. So how are they different from the rest of the Democrat media? Answer: They’re not.
The President is spot on with this. Get our guys out! You know, I highly doubt a Special Forces guy said anything to CNN lite! Let the UN handle this now. I’m freakin tired tired of seeing our warriors coming home missing body parts and not having their heads screwed on right!!! We have a thing called The US AirForce!!! A few bunker buster 20000 lb jobs will do nicely. Lindsay Graham is a fraud, along with most of the Generals and pundits.
Ever notice how people who criticize Trump never bother to ask why the EU hasn’t stopped Turkey...
Be careful. I strongly suspect that guy has more than paid his dues already. Having been there myself, in direct, daily contact with host nation soldiers, you find that they’re not the horrible people so many Americans assume them to be. The hatred between different cultures, which sometimes aren’t even ethnic in nature, can compel them to do horrible things to one another - things they’d never think of doing in a different situation. Observing the horrible things people do to one another - things most people can never imagine, whether in Central America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East or elsewhere, causes very visceral reactions among those of us who can’t fully comprehend the depth of that hatred.
I don’t know what to think about our Presidents decision on this. I agree we have no business in Syria, however, maybe the President should have let them know you go anywhere near the Kurds and hellfire will rain down on your men in Syria
...especially those within the Special Operations community.
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