“They didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example,” the president said.
David Jackson and John FritzeWASHINGTON – As Turkey launched punishing airstrikes on Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria, President Donald Trump defended his decision to clear the way for the attack and played down the alliance with the Kurds, saying they did not fight alongside the United States in World War II.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage over the decision, saying it was a betrayal of staunch American allies. "Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration," said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., normally an outspoken ally of the president.Trump appeared to support Erdogan’s desire to move refugees fleeing violence back across the border into Syria. Trump said Turkey is “holding millions of people” and said that Erdogan wants to repatriate them.
Trump has reduced U.S. military engagement in the country. The U.S. currently has about 1,000 troops in Syria, roughly half of the deployment at the end of last year."Turkey is invading Syria in reported coordination with Russian-backed forces, ISIS terrorists are launching attacks in Raqqa, and thousands of ISIS fighters are biding their time in makeshift prisons," she said."The U.S. is abandoning our ally the Kurds, who fought ISIS on the ground and helped protect the U.S.
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