Congressional and Media Fury Over Trump's Syria Pullout Announcement

by Stephen Lendman

Since announced on December 19, Trump backtracked enough to get some observers to believe he may have changed his mind.

Delay often becomes denial. It'll be many weeks into the new year to learn whether Trump sticks by his withdrawal from Syria and partial one from Afghanistan, or if his announcement was another example of him saying one thing and doing something else.

It happened many times before, notably on breached positive campaign promises. Either way geopolitically, Washington's imperial agenda remains unchanged. 

Its endless wars of aggression in multiple theaters continue. Its aim to replace sovereign independent governments with pro-Western puppet rule remains rock-solid - Republicans and undemocratic Dems on the same page.

Trump regime hardliners, congressional members, and US media suppress what's most important to explain.

All US post-WW II wars were and remain flagrantly illegal against nations threatening no one - what naked aggression is all about, the highest of high crimes, according to the Nuremberg principles.

The legal dictionary defines aggression as "unjustified planned, threatened, or carried out use of force by one nation against another."

According to the UN, it's "the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations" and other international laws.

No nation may attack or otherwise interfere in the internal affairs of other states except in self-defense - provided Security Council members approve their action. Otherwise it's illegal.

Following Trump's December 19 announcement, Republicans and undemocratic Dems howled against the pullout of US forces. Senator Lindsey Graham said he was "personally offended," intending "to hold the administration accountable for this decision."

Senator Marco Rubio said "(v)irtually everyone (on Capitol Hill) spoke in opposition to the decision. I didn't hear anybody that disagreed with the view I've taken…(T)his is a major mistake."

Senator Ben Sasse ripped Trump, saying the winners of his move are "high-fiving (in) Iran, ISIS and Hezbollah. The losers are Israel, humanitarian victims, and US intelligence gathering."

Comments from undemocratic Dems were similar. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump's announcement "dangerous irresponsibility… disregard(ing) our national security," adding it's a "Christmas gift to Vladimir Putin."

Other Dems called it "hasty," "irresponsible," and a "dangerous strategic mistake."

House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff said he was "deeply concerned that the president is making yet another abrupt decision, with seemingly little input or consultation with military and intelligence officials."

A bipartisan statement by Senate Armed Services Committee members called Trump's announced move "a premature and costly mistake that not only threatens the safety and security of the United States but also emboldens ISIS, (Syrian leader) Bashar al Assad, Iran and Russia."

Like Republicans and Dems, media scoundrels never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to be on the right side of key issues - none more important than Washington's  permanent war agenda.

The NYT shamefully said withdrawing US forces from Syria "risks leaving United States' allies in the long-running war weakened while strengthening rivals backed by Iran and Russia," adding:

"American troops (came to) Syria…as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State. Leaving could provide fertile ground for the jihadists to retrench."

"The American pullout could also weaken the country's influence over any negotiations on a settlement to end the conflict."

All of the above is pure rubbish, a Times specialty. US war on Syria was planned long before launched - pretending it's to combat the scourge of ISIS Washington created and supports, along with other terrorist groups in the region and elsewhere.

The neocon/CIA house organ Washington Post called Trump's pullout announcement "a dream come true for the Iranians…stunn(ing) US allies…counting on the Trump administration's seemingly tough posture on Iran to reverse extensive gains made by Tehran in recent years (sic).

Iranian military advisors alone are in Syria legally, invited by Damascus to help combat the scourge of US-supported terrorists in the country.

WaPo turned truth on its head, claiming "the withdrawal of troops opens the door to further Iranian expansion, including the establishment of a land corridor from Tehran to the Mediterranean that will enhance Iran's ability to directly challenge Israel."

Iran threatens no one. The only threats the US and Israel face are invented ones, no real ones.

The Wall Street Journal called Trump's pullout announcement "an abrupt shift of the US's posture in the Middle East" - repeating the Big Lie about being there to combat ISIS, polar opposite what's going on.

Remarks by TV talking heads were and remain as pathetic as their print counterparts, backing US wars of aggression in Syria and elsewhere, opposing peace and stability, sharing guilt by cheerleading Washington's imperial agenda instead of responsibly condemning it.

The US drive for global hegemony is humanity's greatest threat, risking unthinkable nuclear war.

Instead of warning the public of the ominous danger, US-led Western media pretend it doesn't exist. They support US aggression instead of denouncing it.

Washington's bipartisan criminal class is worse, appropriating funds to keep the Pentagon's killing machine on the march - countless trillions of dollars spent for mass slaughter and destruction at the expense of world peace and vital homeland needs.

Nuclear war if waged assures losers, not winners, humanity most of all, its survival up for grabs if a catastrophe of this enormity happens - an ominous possibility because of Washington's rage to dominate.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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