The Syria Troop Question

For John, BLUF:  Does opposition to President Trump now define how the Left approaches foreign policy?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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On 21 December 2018, the Althouse Blog has this post:  Glenn Greenwald calls Rachel Maddow on her hypocrisy.

Glenn Greenwald
Follow @ggreenwald

Glenn Greenwald Retweeted Michael Tracey
The most bizarre aspect of Rachel @Maddow's deep anger over troop withdrawal from Syria is that she wrote an entire book in 2012 denouncing illegal US Endless War without congressional approval - exactly what Syria is.  I interviewed her about it here: https://www.salon.com/2012/04/04/interview_with_rachel_maddow/ …Glenn Greenwald added,

Michael Tracey
@mtracey

MSNBC coverage of the Syria/Afghanistan withdrawals is just sickening. It's legitimately difficult to watch.  I am angry that liberals are being taught by former Bush lackeys (Nicole Wallace, Bill Kristol) that removing troops from pointless wars must be some corrupt Russian plot.
5:02 AM - 21 Dec 2018

Yes, I am very concerned about the Kurds in Syria, but this is a much more complex issue than just the Syrian Kurds.  For one thing the Kurds sit on junction of several nations.  There are Kurds in Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran.  There is the question of what happens if Turkey, claiming Turkish Security issues, goes after the Syrian Kurds?  Will the United States expand by a factor of ten or twenty our forces in Syria to protect the Kurds?  What happens to our US forces on Turkey's Incirlik Air Base?  Do we pull out our troops and equipment and tell our NATO Ally Turkey to go pound sand? 

Then there is the question of the impact of US presence on Sunni led nations trying to work with Syrian President Assad to reduce tensions and rebuilt the nation (parts of which look like 1945 Berlin), thus allowing people to return home and rebuild their lives.

I think President Trump is right to try and wind down US involvement in this particular imbroglio.  Is it the intention of Ms Maddow that the US be involved in asserting the rights of all minorities, everywhere?  What about when they are in conflict?

Hat tip to the Althouse Blog.

Regards  —  Cliff