Why doesnt the Congress Declare War

[Plasmaball]

That’s why he might be putting back 200 troops…

[komobu]

@TommyLucchese

Declare war on who? Syria? And if so, which of the three “official” governments? Assad’s? His uncle? The other guy?

If we are not going to declare war, then do not leave our troops there. It is not our fight. I did not see us get involved with China over Tiananmen Square. Who determines which causes we should send our military to to intervene? The congress needs to do their part. Their job is not to complain about decissions made , but to make difficult decisions. They want to shirk their responsibilities.

[Blackwolf]

@Plasmaball

That’s why he might be putting back 200 troops…

I was referring to Trump World’s excuse making for everything Donald does, but yes.

[Cratic3947]

That’s a great point. Congress has giving up way too much power.

We now know dems love having American troops in small wars all over the world. Forever, I guess!

[DougBH]

Better yet, if 50 people standing between Turkey and Syria could stop an invasion, why don’t Schumer, Pelosi and all go to Syria and take the place of those 50 people they wanted to stay there? After all, we are being told that Turkey would not dare invade if 50 Americans were there between the parties, so there should be no risk.

[Oryx]

@komobu

To me it is reprehensible that a commander will have to write a letter to a family telling them their son or daughter has died in battle or from an ied, then 6 months later they decide the cause isnt worth the effort and pull every one out.

Agreed. I disagreed with both Obama and Trump for this reason. But you seem to be defending Trump’s Syria pullout.

[Oryx]

@komobu

What other places has congress complained about us pulling out of?

Where else have we pulled out from recently?

@komobu

Congress has authority here. They refuse to use it.

Do you really think the best solution is Congress declaring war on Syria and/or Turkey?

[Oryx]

@DougBH

After all, we are being told that Turkey would not dare invade if 50 Americans were there between the parties, so there should be no risk.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence they invaded the day after we pulled out.

[DougBH]

@komobu

@Forcefield

Having 50 troops in place preventing genocide by their very presence isn’t a war. Stop making excuses for this greedy cheeseburger filled lunatic, it’s not going to be a good look in retrospect.

Trump is childish, immature and petty. He is also a jerk. I have conceded that point many times. This thread isnt about Trump. It is about our Congress.

Now please explain to me why we are obligated to keep 50 troops in Syria. How did that obligation come about? Who authorized the American Military to engage in combat operations in Syria? What is the metric for removing our troops from that country? How long should they stay there?

Now, lets suppose that Trump had left those 50 people between Turkey and Syria after he had learned the invasion was imminent. Suppose Turkey had attacked. Trump would then have the option of either going to full scale war with Turkey or admitting that he had abandoned 50 Americans on the front lines knowing full well they could not hold back Turkey.
The blasting of Trump on this forum and elsewhere, at that point, would have been ten times as much as it is now.
He made the right choice.

[DougBH]

@Oryx

@DougBH

After all, we are being told that Turkey would not dare invade if 50 Americans were there between the parties, so there should be no risk.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence they invaded the day after we pulled out.

We pulled back the day after we learned the invasion was imminent.

[sikofit]

@DougBH

He made the right choice.

He’s a beta cuck who rolled over

[Oryx]

@DougBH

We pulled back the day after we learned the invasion was imminent.

If we had refused to move our troops and told Turkey to back off, do you really think they would have invaded and killed our soldiers? I don’t.

[Hexenbiest]

It’s called mission creep and it happens every single time since the Korean war. Congress did not authorize for the president to go into Syria, once the Obama administration decided to go in anyways it was to defeat ISIS not stay forever in the middle of the Kurds and Turkey two groups that historically hate each other.

[TommyLucchese]

@DougBH

We pulled back the day after we learned the invasion was imminent.

I’m agree, Trump was intimidated by Erdogan into withdrawing those troops on the threat of death to them.

[TommyLucchese]

@Hexenbiest

It’s called mission creep and it happens every single time since the Korean war. Congress did not authorize for the president to go into Syria, once the Obama administration decided to go in anyways it was to defeat ISIS not stay forever in the middle of the Kurds and Turkey two groups that historically hate each other.

Yeah, the thousands of ISIL prisoners who’ve escaped solved that problem.

[komobu]

@Oryx

Agreed. I disagreed with both Obama and Trump for this reason. But you seem to be defending Trump’s Syria pullout.

I am not defending Trump. I am chastising Congress. They have the power and authority to enforce their will on this issue. They are abdicating their responsibility because they dont want to make a difficult decision that may cost them politically.

[DougBH]

@Oryx

@DougBH

We pulled back the day after we learned the invasion was imminent.

If we had refused to move our troops and told Turkey to back off, do you really think they would have invaded and killed our soldiers? I don’t.

They might have backed off. They might have called our bluff. That’s when you wind up with your Vietnams and your Iraqs.
Suppose that this time Turkey had called our bluff. Trump would be left with two options at that point. What would you be writing about Trump under each of these conditions?

1. Turkey invades and we have 50 American casualties We then learned that Trump had been informed that the invasion had been imminent but decided to leave the Americans there as a bluff. Having been called, he now backs off with 50 American casualties and at that point threatens to ruin Turkeys economy.

2. Turkey invades and because Trump left those 50 Americans there as a trip wire he declares the trip wire pulled and we go to war with Turkey, our NATO ally.

[Cratic3947]

When will France send in the Troops?

[Oryx]

@DougBH

• Turkey invades and we have 50 American casualties We then learned that Trump had been informed that the invasion had been imminent but decided to leave the Americans there as a bluff. Having been called, he now backs off with 50 American casualties and at that point threatens to ruin Turkeys economy.
• Turkey invades and because Trump left those 50 Americans there as a trip wire he declares the trip wire pulled and we go to war with Turkey, our NATO ally.

This sounds bad, but it’s all predicated on Turkey, a NATO ally and US arms purchaser, risking all-out war with the United States in order to invade Syria to protect themselves from the Kurds. That makes no sense to me.

[BillBrown]

@komobu

Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Lindsey Graham and even Mitch McConnell think it is a huge mistake to pull out of Syria.

The thing is, they are in a position to stop the pull out. Why dont they if they feel it is such a big mistake? The Congress has the sole authority to declare war. No president can do that. The President must execute the war if Congress declares it. Why doesnt the Congress declare war in Syria if they feel it is such a big mistake?

This all just looks like another thing that the congress wants to complain about without making any tough decisions.

Excellent question.

Congress is too cowardly to declare war. It hasn’t declared a war since WWII.

It would rather blame a president for a war gone bad than to accept the responsibility itself.