Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
David Ignatius: For U.S. soldiers, 'it's a dagger to the heart' to abandon the Kurds
Source: Washington Post
For U.S. soldiers, its a dagger to the heart to abandon the Kurds
By David Ignatius
Columnist
Oct. 14, 2019 at 7:26 p.m. EDT
At a gathering last Saturday night of military and intelligence veterans, one topic shrouded the room: President Trumps decision to abandon Kurdish fighters in Syria who had fought and died to help America destroy the Islamic State.
Its a dagger to the heart to walk away from people who shed blood for us, one former top CIA official who attended the black-tie dinner told me later. A retired four-star general who was there said the same thing: Trumps retreat was an unsound, morally indefensible act and a disgrace to America and the soldiers who serve this country.
This sense of anguish was pervasive among those attending the event, several attendees said. It was an annual dinner honoring the Office of Strategic Services, the secret World War II commando group that was a forerunner of todays CIA and Special Operations forces. The event celebrated the military alliances that have always been at the center of American power. It was a bitter anniversary this year.
Its probably impossible for Americans to fully grasp the sense of betrayal felt by the Syrian Kurds, who suffered 11,000 dead and 24,000 wounded in a war that we asked them to fight. But perhaps we can understand the shame and outrage of the Special Operations forces who fought alongside them and now see the Kurds cast aside to face their Turkish enemies alone.
It will go down in infamy, said one Army officer who served in the Syria campaign. This will go down as a stain on the American reputation for decades. Those may sound like extreme sentiments, but theyre widely shared by those who served in the Syria mission. For these soldiers, abandoning an ally on the battlefield is about the worst thing that can happen.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/for-us-soldiers-its-a-dagger-to-the-heart-to-abandon-the-kurds/2019/10/14/f0a1db60-eecf-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html
By David Ignatius
Columnist
Oct. 14, 2019 at 7:26 p.m. EDT
At a gathering last Saturday night of military and intelligence veterans, one topic shrouded the room: President Trumps decision to abandon Kurdish fighters in Syria who had fought and died to help America destroy the Islamic State.
Its a dagger to the heart to walk away from people who shed blood for us, one former top CIA official who attended the black-tie dinner told me later. A retired four-star general who was there said the same thing: Trumps retreat was an unsound, morally indefensible act and a disgrace to America and the soldiers who serve this country.
This sense of anguish was pervasive among those attending the event, several attendees said. It was an annual dinner honoring the Office of Strategic Services, the secret World War II commando group that was a forerunner of todays CIA and Special Operations forces. The event celebrated the military alliances that have always been at the center of American power. It was a bitter anniversary this year.
Its probably impossible for Americans to fully grasp the sense of betrayal felt by the Syrian Kurds, who suffered 11,000 dead and 24,000 wounded in a war that we asked them to fight. But perhaps we can understand the shame and outrage of the Special Operations forces who fought alongside them and now see the Kurds cast aside to face their Turkish enemies alone.
It will go down in infamy, said one Army officer who served in the Syria campaign. This will go down as a stain on the American reputation for decades. Those may sound like extreme sentiments, but theyre widely shared by those who served in the Syria mission. For these soldiers, abandoning an ally on the battlefield is about the worst thing that can happen.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/for-us-soldiers-its-a-dagger-to-the-heart-to-abandon-the-kurds/2019/10/14/f0a1db60-eecf-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 2119 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (15)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
David Ignatius: For U.S. soldiers, 'it's a dagger to the heart' to abandon the Kurds (Original Post)
Eugene
Oct 2019
OP
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)1. You never abandon comrades in arms
And wounded or dead you carry them out
TxVietVet
(1,905 posts)2. Amen, brother.
Makes me wonder how the orange-faced shitgibbon sleeps at night. Oh yeah. Hes a conservanazi POS so he probably uses lots of dope.
dalton99a
(81,450 posts)3. Kick
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)4. Will they still vote for Trump again?