Letter from 22 members of Congress to Trump

22 members of the US Congress referred to important points about the dangers of US troop withdrawal from Syria in a letter they sent to President Donald Trump.

23 December, 2018 07:53

NEWS DESK

22 members of the US Congress sent a letter to US President Donald Trump, citing important points about the dangers of withdrawing from Syria.

ANHA agency obtained a copy of the letter sent to Trump, which stated:

"Dear Mr. Trump

We are writing to you to be cautious about the withdrawal of US troops from Syria and to ask Minister Mattis and National Security Adviser Bolton to explain the details of this decision as soon as possible. While we sincerely share the belief that America should not be the policeman of the world (or that it does not engage in endless conflicts and open with clearly defined objectives), we are concerned that the withdrawal decision will seriously harm American interests in the region.

We are particularly concerned about the devastating consequences of this withdrawal on our allies - especially our Kurdish allies. Syrian Democratic Forces fought side by side with the US military against IS, when no one in the region was willing or able to do so. To abandon them in this sensitive circumstance, after having sacrificed their blood to defeat our common enemy, will hamper our ability to secure future allies, and also jeopardize the important gains we have made against IS.

We are also concerned about the ambitions of Iran, Turkey and Russia, which is destabilizing Syria. It seems clear that President Erdogan is preparing to occupy North Syria and wants to crush our Kurdish allies by this action.

Iran will continue to use southern Syria as a corridor between Tehran and Hezbollah, and Russia remains convinced of any geopolitical activities that would harm US interests.

If America withdraws too quickly, it will create a vacuum in the Middle East. This vacuum will lead to greater chaos and conflict in the region, which will revive non-state actors like IS and al Qaeda.

In short, we are concerned about the timing of the US forces withdrawal, and we seek to participate effectively with your administration on this important decision.

We look forward to your response. "

ANHA