US abandoning Kurds in Syria

[Admiral Yi]

No. I just think without consequences, this is just the Access Hollywood tape with a bodycount.

There may be more going on in the Senate.

God I wish I knew what that meant. 

[Admiral Yi]

It's a meaningless vote. It does nothing, and is no different from a tweet or op-ed. They'll continue to vote with him 99% of the time and will not take any substantive action.

If 2/3 of Republicans wrote op-eds or tweets that criticized the conditions in immigration centers, or sucking up to dictators, or badmouthing the CIA and the FBI, would you say the same thing?

[crazy canuck]

It's a meaningless vote. It does nothing, and is no different from a tweet or op-ed. They'll continue to vote with him 99% of the time and will not take any substantive action.

If 2/3 of Republicans wrote op-eds or tweets that criticized the conditions in immigration centers, or sucking up to dictators, or badmouthing the CIA and the FBI, would you say the same thing?

What you are describing there is fundamentally different.  The vote was form over substance.  The fact we don't see any of the things are listed proves his point.

[Razgovory]

It's a meaningless vote. It does nothing, and is no different from a tweet or op-ed. They'll continue to vote with him 99% of the time and will not take any substantive action.

If 2/3 of Republicans wrote op-eds or tweets that criticized the conditions in immigration centers, or sucking up to dictators, or badmouthing the CIA and the FBI, would you say the same thing?

I would say something different if they 2/3rds of Republicans voted for impeachment.  Or just one third.  As it is, this is a "If you don't don't comply we will be forced to ask again!" level of opposition.

[Admiral Yi]

As it is, this is a "If you don't don't comply we will be forced to ask again!" level of opposition.

So you subscribe to the theory I mentioned earlier, that Republican primary voters will harshly treat anyone who votes against Trump on a substantive/money issue, but are indifferent to symbolic, gestural votes and/or public statements?

[Sheilbh]

So you subscribe to the theory I mentioned earlier, that Republican primary voters will harshly treat anyone who votes against Trump on a substantive/money issue, but are indifferent to symbolic, gestural votes and/or public statements?

For what it's worth I'm not sure much Republican politician positioning is to do with fear of Trump's voters per se.

I don't think the dynamic of the Republican party for the last 3 years has been one of an upsurge of Trump voters - like the Tea Party say - replacing incumbents. And, with a few very notable exceptions, Trump has been willing to follow the party line on which candidate to support.

[dps]

What does this tweet mean?

It means Donald is scared of the GOP Senators who are pissed about abandoning the Kurds.

I think it means it's time to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment.

[garbon]

What does this tweet mean?

It means Donald is scared of the GOP Senators who are pissed about abandoning the Kurds.

Dunno why he would be, though. They've long shown themselves to be little bark and no bite. The GOP Senators fear Trump's base and the base doesn't care about Kurds.

He is also concerned as there is news about evangelicals and related conservative voters getting turned off by what Trump did in the Middle East.

[Admiral Yi]

I think it means it's time to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment.

No game.  Trump chooses his own cabinet members.  Senate is  the only hope.

[Valmy]

It's the last bit that particularly confuses me. "Pehaps it is time for the Kurds to start heading to the Oil Region!"

Wut?

I would guess he is talking about the Kurdish areas of Iraq. Those have oil right?

[Agelastus]

It's the last bit that particularly confuses me. "Pehaps it is time for the Kurds to start heading to the Oil Region!"

Wut?

I would guess he is talking about the Kurdish areas of Iraq. Those have oil right?

They do, but I also believe those areas constitute less than 20% of Kurdistan.

I must admit, as bad as Trump got, given his family's Jewish connections (via marriage) I never thought he'd become an advocate of ethnic cleansing or population exchange.

[Actually, I think the Kurdish areas of Syria have oil as well in the east and south-east - probably not where the best land in Syrian Kurdistan is though.]

[dps]

It's the last bit that particularly confuses me. "Pehaps it is time for the Kurds to start heading to the Oil Region!"

Wut?

I would guess he is talking about the Kurdish areas of Iraq. Those have oil right?

They do, but I'm not sure if that's what Trump means.  Heck, Trump's probably not even sure what Trump means.

[Josquius]

Kurds should leave Turkey and turn Iraq into kurdistan? :s

[Tamas]

Guys he is basically grasping at straws. I think these tweets are more to convince himself he didn't just cause the death of thousands due to sheer incompetence. He probably thinks "the oil" is enough of an excuse for him to leave some troops, and probably advisors go along with it to salvage at least something of the US positions there.