McConnell Criticizes Syria Troop Withdrawal
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We ran the numbers: There are 823 news articles covering this topic. 33% (269) are left leaning, 41% (336) center, 26% (218) right leaning.
On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria, a move which led Turkey to invade Syria and attack the US’s Kurdish allies. Left-leaning articles tend to focus on McConnell’s comments, while right-leaning ones discuss the cease-fire currently in place in Syria and centrist articles consider the implications of the move on US foreign relations.
A left-leaning CNN article notes that McConnell generally defends President Trump’s decisions, making his comments a rare moment of dissent. McConnell called the move a “grave strategic mistake” that will embolden enemies of the United States and weaken our alliances. The article reports “This week, the US House approved a bipartisan resolution opposing the Trump administration's move, and McConnell said he wants the Senate to pass an "even stronger" resolution.”
In contrast, a right-leaning Daily Caller article reports that several conservative thinkers have defended the troop withdrawal, arguing that a confrontation with Turkey would “destroy” NATO and that the US should not do so for the sake of its Kurdish allies. Other right-leaning articles express optimism about the current ceasefire in northern Syria, which ceded territory in the area to Turkey and required the expulsion of the Kurds from the region in exchange for a pause in the conflict.
A centrist article from The Hill summarizes McConnell’s comments, noting his belief that even if the ceasefire holds, withdrawing American troops is a setback in the fight against the Islamic State. The article also notes that Russians in Syria have taken over some abandoned US military bases, further complication the United States’ relations with both its allies and its enemies. The article reports “Lawmakers are weighing potential legislative responses to Trump's strategy,” which may involve legislative sanctions against Turkey.
From the right
We can’t destroy NATO ‘for the Kurds’: Jim Talent James Carafano break down the Syria situation
Daily Caller