There is no rational reason for the US or the West for that matter

[malaise]

to be in either Syria or Afghanistan.
Stop giving the Con a useful tool and think long and hard.

[Vinca]

1. The problem in Syria is the Kurds who have been assisting U.S. troops. Without the protection of

a U.S. presence - or even interest - they're pretty much dead meat. It's fine to withdraw from all of these places that we had no business being in in the first place, but it needs to be planned out with more care than a flip of the coin during Fox & Friends. The way this decision was made is almost more disturbing than the decision itself.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Not just the Kurds, whom Erdogun would be happy to see exterminated...

but there are possibly 20,000 or so ISIS members still around, so Trump is full of it once again.

And, our leaving gives Russia and Iran a free hand in Syria.

Trump is listening to his buddies Erdogun and Putin, not to what is in our interests.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Because nothing that happens there has any major effect on the West

Especially not Europe.

[Adrahil]

4. I disagree....

Whether we like it or not, the Middle East is at the center of a geopolitical struggle. If we abandon it to the Russians and Iranians, the will be to project power over the Persian Gulf and Eastern Med. Not a good prospect.