This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/us/politics/turkey-syria-democratic-debate.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Kurds in Syria Were Sold Out by President Trump, 2020 Democrats Say Kurds in Syria Were Sold Out by President Trump, 2020 Democrats Say
(about 2 hours later)
It was an unusual juxtaposition for Democrats — calling a Republican president weak militarily.It was an unusual juxtaposition for Democrats — calling a Republican president weak militarily.
That’s how the contenders for the party’s nomination framed the recent withdrawal of American troops from northern Syria under President Trump, who they said during Tuesday night’s debate had created turmoil with his impulsive foreign policy decision making.That’s how the contenders for the party’s nomination framed the recent withdrawal of American troops from northern Syria under President Trump, who they said during Tuesday night’s debate had created turmoil with his impulsive foreign policy decision making.
“It’s been the most shameful thing any president has done in modern history in terms of foreign policy,” former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said.“It’s been the most shameful thing any president has done in modern history in terms of foreign policy,” former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said.
While Democrats have been consumed with the Trump administration’s dealings with Russia and Ukraine, the emerging foreign policy crisis in Syria presented a delicate test for the party’s presidential hopefuls on the debate stage.While Democrats have been consumed with the Trump administration’s dealings with Russia and Ukraine, the emerging foreign policy crisis in Syria presented a delicate test for the party’s presidential hopefuls on the debate stage.
It followed Mr. Trump’s decision this month to withdraw American troops from northern Syria, one that has been sharply criticized by Republicans and now Democrats, who said it would endanger Kurdish allies in the region. Mr. Trump said he was trying to “end the endless wars.”It followed Mr. Trump’s decision this month to withdraw American troops from northern Syria, one that has been sharply criticized by Republicans and now Democrats, who said it would endanger Kurdish allies in the region. Mr. Trump said he was trying to “end the endless wars.”
Mr. Biden, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the move a betrayal and said it would throw the country into chaos and embolden Islamic State militants. The issue appeared to give Mr. Biden an opening to burnish his foreign policy credentials and contrast himself with his main rivals, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders. Mr. Biden, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the move a betrayal and said it would throw Syria into chaos and embolden Islamic State militants. The issue appeared to give Mr. Biden an opening to burnish his foreign policy credentials and contrast himself with his main rivals, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders.
“They lost their lives,” Mr. Biden said of the Kurds. “This is shameful.”“They lost their lives,” Mr. Biden said of the Kurds. “This is shameful.”
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., who served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve and was deployed to Afghanistan, admonished Mr. Trump over the withdrawal.Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., who served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve and was deployed to Afghanistan, admonished Mr. Trump over the withdrawal.
“What we were doing in Syria was keeping our word,” Mr. Buttigieg said. “Part of what makes it possible for the United States to get people to put their lives on the line to back us up is the idea that we will back them up, too. When I was deployed, not just the Afghan national army forces but the janitors put their lives on the line just by working with U.S. forces. I would have a hard time today looking an Afghan civilian or soldier in the eye after what just happened over there.” “What we were doing in Syria was keeping our word,” Mr. Buttigieg said. “Part of what makes it possible for the United States to get people to put their lives on the line to back us up is the idea that we will back them up, too.”
“When I was deployed, not just the Afghan national army forces but the janitors put their lives on the line just by working with U.S. forces,” he continued. “I would have a hard time today looking an Afghan civilian or soldier in the eye after what just happened over there.”
Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders both assailed Mr. Trump’s abrupt withdrawal declaration, but both have long opposed American intervention in the conflict.Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders both assailed Mr. Trump’s abrupt withdrawal declaration, but both have long opposed American intervention in the conflict.
“So, look, I think we ought to get out of the Middle East,” Ms. Warren said. “I don’t think we should have troops in the Middle East, but we have to do it the right way, the smart way.”“So, look, I think we ought to get out of the Middle East,” Ms. Warren said. “I don’t think we should have troops in the Middle East, but we have to do it the right way, the smart way.”
Mr. Sanders said Mr. Trump’s credibility was completely undermined.Mr. Sanders said Mr. Trump’s credibility was completely undermined.
“Now you tell me what country in the world will trust the word of the president of the United States?” Mr. Sanders said. “In other words, what he has done is wreck our ability to do foreign policy, to do military policy because nobody in the world will believe this pathological liar.” “Now you tell me what country in the world will trust the word of the president of the United States?” Mr. Sanders said. “In other words, what he has done is wreck our ability to do foreign policy, to do military policy, because nobody in the world will believe this pathological liar.”
And then there was Representative Tulsi Gabbard, whom Senator Kamala Harris had called an apologist for Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. In 2017, Ms. Gabbard visited Mr. Assad, whose government used chemical weapons against rebels during a May 2018 attack in Syria’s civil war, the United States concluded.And then there was Representative Tulsi Gabbard, whom Senator Kamala Harris had called an apologist for Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. In 2017, Ms. Gabbard visited Mr. Assad, whose government used chemical weapons against rebels during a May 2018 attack in Syria’s civil war, the United States concluded.
Ms. Gabbard said there were severe repercussions of the troop withdrawal, particularly the weakening of Kurdish defenses against a Turkish-backed offensive. Ms. Gabbard, who was deployed to Iraq, criticized the presence of American troops in Syria and the Trump administration’s handling of their withdrawal, both of which she said contributed to the killing of Kurds by Turkish-backed forces.
“First of all, we’ve got to understand the reality of the situation there, which is that the slaughter of the Kurds being done by Turkey is yet another negative consequence of the regime change war we’ve been waging in Syria,” Ms. Gabbard said.“First of all, we’ve got to understand the reality of the situation there, which is that the slaughter of the Kurds being done by Turkey is yet another negative consequence of the regime change war we’ve been waging in Syria,” Ms. Gabbard said.
Despite the shared military service of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Buttigieg, the two veterans split over whether to keep American troops in Syria.
Mr. Buttigieg said that Ms. Gabbard was “dead wrong,” and that the slaughter was not caused by the presence of American troops but by the abrupt withdrawal of troops by the Trump administration.
Ms. Gabbard responded:
“So what you’re saying, Mayor Pete, you would continue to have U.S. troops in Syria for an indefinite period of time to continue this regime change war that has caused so many refugees to flee Syria, that you would continue to have our country involved in a war that has undermined our national security, you would continue this policy of the U.S. actually providing arms in support to terrorist groups in Syria like Al Qaeda, H.T.S., Al Nusra because they have been the ground force in this regime change war? That’s really what you’re saying?”
Mr. Buttigieg said Ms. Gabbard had aligned herself with the Trump administration on the issue.
“You can put an end to endless war without embracing Donald Trump’s policy, as you’re doing,” Mr. Buttigieg said.
Ms. Gabbard said Mr. Buttigieg’s stance didn’t make sense.
“What is an endless war if it’s not a regime change war?” Ms. Gabbard said.
Isabella Grullón Paz contributed reporting.Isabella Grullón Paz contributed reporting.