Trump says he’s an ‘island of one’ on Syria
WASHINGTON
(AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is an “island of
one” for removing U.S. forces from northeastern Syria.
But he
remained steadfast and defended a move that drew widespread bipartisan
criticism that he has endangered stability in the Middle East and risked
the lives of Syrian Kurdish allies who helped the U.S. bring down the
Islamic State group in Syria.
Turkey, however, regards those Kurdish fighters as a terrorist threat and has launched a military operation against them.
Trump said the U.S. cannot fight “endless wars.”
“We
have to bring our great heroes, our great soldiers, we have to bring
them home. It’s time. It’s time,” Trump said in a lengthy and
wide-ranging address to the Values Voter Summit, an annual gathering of
social conservative activists.
He portrayed the Middle East as a hopeless cause, despite years of American military involvement and financial investment.
“It’s less safe now. It’s less secure, less stable and they fight,” he said. “That’s what they do. They fight.”
Trump
announced that he had directed $50 million in emergency aid for Syria
to support Christians and other religious minorities there.
Before
the speech, Trump was joined on stage by Andrew Brunson, an American
pastor who was released by Turkey in October 2018 after nearly two years
of confinement. The case had roiled relations with Turkey and prompted
an outcry from U.S. evangelical groups.
Brunson led Saturday’s audience in a prayer for the president.