[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 165 (Friday, October 18, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AMERICA IS BETTER THAN THIS

  (Ms. DEAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DEAN. Mr. Speaker, by abandoning our Kurdish allies in Syria, 
President Trump has allowed ISIS fighters to escape prison, strengthen 
Russia, Iran and Syria, and damaged our reputation around the world. He 
has also betrayed an ally that fought valiantly alongside American 
forces against ISIS and who lost 11,000 soldiers doing so.
  The Washington Post reports that American soldiers are sickened by 
this betrayal. One retired four-star general described the President's 
decision as, ``unsound, morally indefensible, and a disgrace.'' Our 
allies around the world are also disturbed. They watched America leave 
its friends vulnerable to attack. They took note as a predictable 
humanitarian crisis ensued. As The New York Times reports, many now see 
the United States as an unreliable, untrustworthy partner.
  The President's decision cost many lives, including the lives of 
children, and it will have painful consequences for generations to 
come.
  As our dear colleague, Representative Elijah Cummings, so often said 
to us, we are better than this, America is better than this.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Van Drew). Members are reminded to 
refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.

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