Recently, President Trump announced that American troops will be leaving Syria, as ISIL had been virtually defeated within the country. The response from Republicans was predictably mixed, with jingoists and isolationists divided on the issue. However, the Democratic response was a powerful display of partisan hypocrisy.
Most Democrats rebuked Trump for pulling out of Syria, saying that such a move would allow some other power to take place. It’s obvious to many, however, that this position is not held because it is bad for the Syrian people or the Middle East and North Africa, but because a certain president has announced it. Indeed, various Democrats who were previously supportive of such a move have done a dizzying hand stand to stick it to the President.
This is, quite frankly, an abandonment of ideals. Trump is rarely an adept statesmen. Yet such an announcement should bring joy to any person who has grown up or has lived the past two decades or so seeing our nation in a constant state of war. It should be a refreshing move that brings us closer to peace, not a odd bargaining chip.
Yet despite all this, let us presume that the Democrats are saying such frivolities because they wholeheartedly agree. Let us presume that Russia, or Iran, or Turkey, were to become the hegemonic power in the region. After all, ISIL has left a power vacuum asking to be filled. My question is, why should we concern ourselves? Why should we be worrying about such an occurrence when groups such as Assad’s regime or perhaps even the Kurds can defend themselves in a capable manner? For freedom and democracy? Was freedom and democracy what we brought to Afghanistan when we funded the Mujahideen? Was freedom and democracy what we brought to Chile when we funded Pinochet? To Central American with various despots? To Iran itself when we brought down Mossadegh?
Clearly not. America can’t call “no fair” with such a track record. America, at the crux, is losing its hegemonic power. The Pax Americana is drawing to a slow close. The American Age is simply over, and whining behind crafted remarks won’t prevent this.
