Darrell Castle talks about U.S. foreign policy and explains how times change but human nature and governments do not.

Transcription / Notes:

2018 IN REVIEW PART 3—FOREIGN POLICY

Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today’s Castle Report. Today is Friday, January 4, 2019, and on today’s Report I will bring to a close my three part review of 2018 by talking about Foreign Policy, with a heavy emphasis on the Middle East.

President Donald Trump made the decision to withdraw U.S. military forces from Syria and has since seen not much in the way of praise but a great deal of criticism. It seems that virtually everyone is now a member of the Eternal War Party. One day after he made his announcement, the President and his wife made a secret trip to Iraq where he met with the troops stationed there. The troops received him enthusiastically, if you believe the videos I’ve seen of his speech to them. Perhaps the troops see the decision as I do, a Christmas present for the American and Syrian people.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis didn’t see it that way, however, and resigned, but his letter of explanation puts it in different terms.  He talked about betrayal of allies, which I take to mean Israel and Saudi Arabia. It’s hard for me to understand the General’s position on this especially since it was an important part of President Trump’s campaign promises.  I don’t see how our leaving Syria jeopardizes Saudi Arabia or Israel but anyway good riddance. It’s probably a mistake to have a General in the position of Defense Secretary anyway. It is or should be a civilian job since civilian control of the military is the way the founders designed it, but that is just my view.

Generals sometimes fail to realize that their job is not to set policy in the civilian world, and their job is not to always agree with the orders of the Commander in Chief. Instead their job is to say yes sir and carry out the order. That’s another reason why the Defense Secretary should be a civilian.  I’ve read recently where several generals, including Mcchrystal and Flynn, now retired, have been very critical of their Commander-in-Chief. I’m a little amazed that they are permitted to get away with criticizing higher command. Even if retired they can be recalled to active duty and reminded of their actual status.

The press had a field day with the announcement, of course, but then they always do no matter what he does. The Eternal War Party, and many others who didn’t serve themselves but think it’s great that others do, all cried retreat, surrender, etc. Think about what agenda these people are actually advocating-- an illegal and unconstitutional invasion and occupation of another country. It has been about seven years since President Obama said “Assad must go”, and apart from 500,000 dead Syrians, what have we gained?Obama is gone but Assad is still there.

President Trump has been widely condemned for this announcement but the same press and same politicians referred to him as “Presidential” when he twice launched cruise missiles into Syria. It seems that Trump has been pursuing a deal with Turkey in order to protect this withdrawal. Turkey has apparently agreed to help clean up and contain what is left of the ISIS force in Syria. This will hopefully help to avoid the otherwise inevitable clash between Turkish and American soldiers in northern Syria.

In addition Bagdad is only 450 miles from Damascus, Syria, and 450 miles from Tehran, Iran. Trump has made it clear that he has no intention of pulling American troops from Iraq so troops could easily be redeployed to either of those countries if necessary.

There is no reason for the United States to maintain troops in Syria that is not a bad reason. Despite what General Mattis thinks about the betrayal of allies, they are an important part of war, a force multiplier, but in times of peace they are a negative that must always be considered and responded to.