Et tu, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.?
Amid President Donald Trump’s desperate legal fight to retain the White House, one of Trump’s closest ally in Capitol Hill suddenly broke with the president.
The longtime Kentucky senator attacked Trump over his reported move to withdraw U.S. troops from the Middle East, a campaign promise from 2016 he’s insisted upon for years.
McConnell delivered the strong remarks from the Senate floor.
“Of course, all wars must end,” he said. “The question is now how they end and whether the terms on which they end are favorable or unfavorable to the security and interests of the United States.”
McConnell said Trump’s move would greatly threaten the security of America.
“… nothing about the circumstances we face today suggest that if we lose resolve, the terrorists will simply leave us alone.”
He didn’t pull any punches. He said radical Islamic terrorists would “love” Mr. Trump’s decision, and said it would rival the humiliation of former President Barack Obama’s past decision to withdraw in 2011.
“We’re playing a limited but important role in defending American national security and American interests against terrorists who would like nothing more than for the most powerful force for good in the world to simply pick up our ball and go home.”
“They would love that,” he added.
McConnell’s strong rebuke arrives in the wake of reports that Trump’s plan is to significantly reduce the number of troops as soon as January by way of executive order, reportedly against the directives of military experts’ advice.
According to The Associated Press, “there are 4,500 to 5,000 troops in Afghanistan and more than 3,000 in Iraq.”
McConnell and other GOP leaders — while acknowledging that countless sacrifices have been made — worry that the abandonment of the Middle East could lead to worse consequences.
Trump, on the other hand, has been adamant that enough is enough. And some advisors close to him feel the exact same way.
“All wars must end,” said newly appointed White House Pentagon Chief Christopher Miller.
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