Toomey Statement on U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Syria

Statement

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement regarding President Trump's intent to withdraw American forces from Syria:

"When President Obama prematurely evacuated American forces from Iraq we paid the price with the rise of ISIS. I am deeply concerned that President Trump is making the same mistake now in Syria and I urge him to reconsider. At a minimum, the president's national security team must come to Congress to explain the president's strategy before any troops are withdrawn.

"The American people deserve to understand, among other things, how the administration plans to prevent the return of ISIS, protect our Kurdish partners in Syria, and stop Iran from expanding its power in the region and further threatening the United States and our ally Israel."

Senator Toomey is also supporting a bipartisan measure (S.Res.738) introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) stating that the United States should continue its limited military activities within Syria, as the absence of American forces in the region will embolden ISIS, Bashar al-Assad, Iran, and Russia while putting our Kurdish allies in great jeopardy. The resolution calls on President Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw American forces from Syria.

Source