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[Pages H8263-H8264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONSEQUENCES OF ABANDONING OUR KURDISH ALLIES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Schneider) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in great sadness and
profound concern over President Trump's inexplicable abandonment of our
Kurdish allies in Syria who sacrificed more than 11,000 of their sons
and daughters in our joint fight against ISIS.
The President's impulsive and abrupt decision not only betrays our
allies, but it betrays our values. It immediately compromises our
national security, dramatically undermines American credibility, and
will have negative strategic implications for generations to come.
It is not just me saying this. These are the words of Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell: ``Withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria is a grave
strategic mistake. It will leave the American people and homeland less
safe, embolden our enemies, and weaken important alliances.''
While we should all welcome the announced 5-day pause in the Turkish
assault, we should not be celebrating. Turkey has not recognized the
cease-fire but, rather, just a pause in fighting. Reports from the area
indicate that Turkish-affiliated forces are still attacking, and the
pause is scheduled to end tomorrow. We can likely expect the carnage to
then resume with a new ferocity.
Regarding the deal with Turkey, The Wall Street Journal this morning
notes: ``Critics have said the agreement was a wholesale concession to
Ankara, giving it control of an area in Syria it has coveted for years
and freeing it from U.S. sanctions in return for pausing an offensive
it had no international backing for. While President Trump hailed the
pact as a diplomatic victory, U.S.-allied Kurds have likened it to a
surrender on their part.''
Unsurprisingly, our Kurdish allies have now aligned their forces with
Assad's army. Assad has, thus, instantly made significant territorial
gains in just a few days, effectively controlling lands that the U.S.
and allied forces have spent years seeking to defend.
So, let's review.
In the weeks following the President's decision to walk away from our
allies, Turkish forces and allied fighters, many of which are Islamic
extremists, have crossed the border into Syria.
U.S. forces have abandoned forward operating bases and then sent U.S.
planes to destroy those bases. But before those bases could be
destroyed, celebrating Russian troops posted selfies in some of these
former American strongholds.
Turkey is not just targeting Kurdish forces, they are attacking
entire towns, and civilians are literally being murdered in the
streets.
The expansion of control by Russian and Syrian forces is not just a
win for those countries in Syria but also threatens our allies in the
region--in particular, Israel.
Iran's sense of emboldenment will likely lead it to expand programs
to deliver advanced weapons to Hezbollah, increasing the already
significant threat to Israel--only now from Syria as well as Lebanon.
As already noted, Assad has consolidated his power over virtually all
of Syria at no political or military cost.
Finally, many ISIS prisoners have escaped to join the fight, and
thousands more are at risk of release, giving ISIS a greater ability to
reorganize.
One more thing: Today, there are reports that President Erdogan now
wants Turkey to acquire nuclear weapons. The last thing this region
needs is a nuclear arms race.
Here is the bottom line. Last Thursday, the American Vice President
and Secretary of State stood at a podium and announced the
administration's effective capitulation and surrender. Turkey will
complete its ethnic cleansing, and the U.S. will lift all sanctions.
Assad has full control in Syria, under the tutelage of his Russian
and Iranian masters.
Turkey, Syria, Russia, and Iran are the winners. The Kurds are, once
more, on the losing end.
The United States, under President Trump, is sadly diminished--so
much so that Syrians are throwing rotten food at retreating U.S.
troops.
[[Page H8264]]
The administration's policies are tragic for reasons beyond the human
suffering it has unleashed. They weaken our national security,
undermine our fight against terrorism, and diminish American
credibility.
We are so much better than this.
I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to speak out and
condemn the actions of this administration. Congress must pass
sanctions on Turkey and seek to compel Erdogan to stop Turkey's assault
on the Kurds. We must compel this administration to live up to our
Nation's values, to stand by our allies, and to confront our enemies.
____________________
