At least seven other US Congressman joined Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, South Carolina) on Wednesday in expressing their opposition to a hasty US withdrawal from eastern Syria after the bombing in Manbij earlier that day which killed at least 19 people, four of them Americans.
The calls for a review of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw forces from Syria came from both Republicans and Democrats and from the most relevant committees—those dealing with US foreign affairs and with the US military.
“I strongly urge the President to forcefully respond” to today’s attack, Rep. Michael McCaul (R, Texas) said in a statement as he emphasized that it was necessary to “ensure we do not withdraw our troops until ISIS is completely destroyed.”
“Allowing ISIS to regroup will inspire new radicals to join their cause and invite more violence and chaos across the Middle East,” the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee warned.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R, NY), who also sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, similarly issued a statement critical of Trump’s decision. “We must ensure that any removal of troops from Syria” is done in a manner so that “required conditions and objectives” are met.
“In Syria, for example, we don’t want to see Turkey come in and wipe out the Kurds; nor do we want to see ISIS re-establishing a caliphate,” Zeldin affirmed.
Yet a third member of the committee expressed a similar view. “It’s clear that ISIS remains at large in the region,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R. Illinois) tweeted. “We mourn the loss of life, & must recommit our fight against evil.”