Reed, Cicilline Blast Trump On Syrian Withdrawal

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. David Cicilline on Wednesday both condemned the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw American troops from Syria, rejecting the president's claims that Islamic State militants have been defeated and warning of grave consequences for the stability of the Middle East.

The U.S. now has about 2,000 troops in the region, fighting against ISIS militants as part of Syria's years-long civil war. Although President Trump has frequently announced his intention to withdraw the troops once the militants were defeated, critics in both parties said Wednesday that the planned withdrawal is premature, given that many pockets of militants remain.

Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statementcondemning the "hasty, disjointed manner in which this announcement was made" and said it provides "further evidence of President Trump’s inability to lead on the world stage. "

"Just because President Trump tweets that he has defeated ISIS doesn’t make us safer, especially when the reality is very different on the ground," Reed said. "The President continues to disregard the advice of his military, diplomatic, and intelligence personnel who have consistently warned against the action the President seems poised to take."

Cicilline, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined in the condemnation.

“President Trump just gave [Russian President] Vladimir Putin two big Christmas gifts," Cicillline said. "Withdrawing American forces from Syria in such a hasty fashion is an enormous boon to Russian and Iranian interests in the Middle East.

"As I’ve said all along, Congress should debate an Authorization for the Use of Military Force that defines a clear objective and outlines a strategy for any American involvement in Syria," Cicilline continued. "Rather than seeking an authorization from Congress and setting forth our objectives in this region, the President continues to conduct foreign policy in a critical part of the world with no clear goals in mind or a comprehensive strategy.”

Republicans, too, were critical.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he was “blindsided” by the decision, calling it “a disaster in the making.” And Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said the withdrawal would be a “grave error with broader implications” in the region.

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