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Trump defends Syria decision by saying Kurds 'didn't help us with Normandy'

President says he learned Kurds didn’t help from a ‘powerful article’ as Turkey launches offensive into north-eastern Syria

Donald Trump defended his decision to withdraw US troops from Syria and enable a Turkish offensive against US-backed Kurdish fighters in the region by noting the Kurds didn’t fight alongside the US in the second world war.

The US president told reporters that the Kurds “didn’t help us in the second world war, they didn’t help us with Normandy as an example – they mention the names of different battles, they weren’t there”, in a staggering comment following the signing of executive orders on the federal regulation at the White House on Wednesday.

“We have spent a tremendous amount of money helping the Kurds,” the president said. “They’re fighting for their land. When you say they’re fighting with the US, yes. But they’re fighting for their land.”

Kurdish forces fought alongside the US against the Islamic State for nearly five years, losing roughly 11,000 fighters.

Trump said he learned that the Kurds didn’t help in Normandy from a “very, very powerful article”, apparently referencing a column by conservative opinion writer Kurt Schlichter.

“Alliances are very easy. But our alliances have taken advantage of us,” Trump also told reporters. Misrepresenting how Nato works, he added: “If you look at how much money we spend on Nato and how much countries from Europe who are a much bigger beneficiary than we are.”

Turkey on Wednesday launched an offensive into north-eastern Syria, targeting the US-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), a Kurdish force that controls the region. The Turkish offensive came just days after a call between Trump and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after which Trump tweeted that US troops would withdraw from the region.

Trump’s decision to abandon the Kurdish groups who have fought alongside the US in Syria has drawn bipartisan condemnation. Critics argue the move casts doubts about the US’s commitments to its allies, could enable an Isis resurgence and raises fears that some of the thousand Isis fighters in Kurdish detention may escape.

At the White House, Trump told reporters that some of the “most dangerous” Isis prisoners had been moved, but he did not say how many or where they had been taken.

“We’re putting them in different locations where it’s secure,” he said.

Quote (balrog66 @ Oct 10 2019 04:29am)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/09/trump-syria-kurds-normandy



Just when you think he couldn't be saying anything dumber, he goes ahead and does something like this... and totally redeems himself.

Can we rebrand to the Clown House instead of the White House? :rofl:

Quote (cambovenzi @ Oct 10 2019 11:04am)

What specifically do you think is exceptionally dumb about recognizing the fact that the Kurds were acting in self-interest fighting ISIS in their own region for their own land as opposed to being an ally that helps in other conflicts?
Was it the out of context headline? Or the editorializing and framing, with 'bipartisan condemnation'?

Quote (cambovenzi @ Oct 10 2019 08:04pm)

What specifically do you think is exceptionally dumb about recognizing the fact that the Kurds were acting in self-interest fighting ISIS in their own region for their own land as opposed to being an ally that helps in other conflicts?
Was it the out of context headline? Or the editorializing and framing, with 'bipartisan condemnation'?

Quote (cambovenzi @ 10 Oct 2019 11:04)

What specifically do you think is exceptionally dumb about recognizing the fact that the Kurds were acting in self-interest fighting ISIS in their own region for their own land as opposed to being an ally that helps in other conflicts?
Was it the out of context headline? Or the editorializing and framing, with 'bipartisan condemnation'?

Quote (Ghot @ 10 Oct 2019 11:31)

Yes, Trump could have made a better argument. Maybe if he wasn't being assailed by half of our govt. for winning an election and doing what he promised, he'd have time to construct better arguments.

It amazes me how triggered the EU gets when we ARE in the middle east, AND when we AREN'T in the middle east.
I got news for the EU... we don't work FOR you. You have a better idea about how to handle things in the middle east... feel free to put your backsides where your mouth is.

This is not directed at any one person or country...this is to the whole EU in general. In fact it's to anyone from any country who thinks they have a better idea about how to handle the BS that has been going on in the middle east for 10,000 years.


/e Same goes for the issue in Hong Kong right now. You all have better ideas... go for it.

Quote (fender @ Oct 10 2019 11:48am)

problem with that kindergarden logic of yours is that WE didn't fuck the middle east up in the first place. WE did not create ISIS, we did not topple regimes, wage war under false pretenses, and destabilise the whole region to secure digging rights for our companies (let me just pretend that your little lapdog UK has already left the EU) - WE only have to deal with the fallout from all of this, because YOU have an ocean and extremely selfish immigrant policies between the fruits of your corporate greed and your country. that's why WE care and want YOU to act with at least some semblance of decency and insight - but even that is too much to expect from the incompetent and corrupt morons you regularly elect as your leaders and representatives.

Quote (Plaguefear @ Oct 10 2019 05:18am)

Well any kurds that could have helped in ww2 are 97 years old right now for a start.

Quote (balrog66 @ Oct 10 2019 05:17am)

It just shows an incredible amount of ignorance. If the point he's trying to make is that having the same goals in one conflict isn't the same as being allies, then just say that. Now the guy is getting WWII in the mix, which always gets people riled up. Not even mentioning the fact that his point "They didn't fight alongside us in Normandy", could also be said about all the resistance groups in Europe fighting against Nazi oppression, the same as the Kurds and Yazidi's have fought against Saddam, Turkey and ISIS.

The reasoning is just incredibly flawed. If not fighting in Normandy means you're not allied with the USA, well I guess half of Europe isn't allied anymore. Gl hf.

Quote (Trump)

"The Kurds are fighting for their land, just so you understand, and somebody wrote a very, very powerful article today. They didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example, they mentioned names of different battles. But they're there to help us with their land and that's a different thing. In addition to that we—we have spent tremendous amounts of money on helping the Kurds in terms of ammunition, in terms of weapons, in terms of money, in terms of pay, with all of that being said, we like the Kurds."

Quote (fender)

i can see how you're totally not a trump shill, defending each and every one of his decisions and statements, only ever attacking those who point out his incompetence and idiocy.
no, that was an incredibly astute and relevant observation by the emperor, in his great and unmatched wisdom.

Quote (balrog66 @ 10 Oct 2019 11:53)

France and the UK carry a lot of blame in the turmoil in the Middle East.

The uprising of ISIS though, can almost entirely be ascribed to the Iraq War.