[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 166 (Monday, October 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5911-S5912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Turkey and Syria

  Madam President, let's go to Syria.
  Saturday night, President Trump announced on Twitter that he was 
reversing his decision to host next year's G7 summit at his golf resort 
in Doral, FL. The President's original decision was the textbook 
definition of self-dealing--an outrageous move that provoked immediate 
and rightful condemnations. Over the weekend, multiple outlets reported 
that the President decided to back down only after hearing of intense 
opposition from members of his own party, many of whom told him 
privately they would not defend him on the issue.
  It is obvious to almost everyone in America that you don't suggest a 
resort that you own as the place to have a conference. It makes no 
sense. Is the President so interested in making a few extra dollars--
reports are that he brags what a multibillionaire he is--that he would 
risk violating the rules and laws of this country, the emoluments 
clause? It makes no sense.
  It is unfortunate that this wasn't the only decision that made no 
sense. There is an obvious parallel between the President's decision 
about the G7 and his decision to precipitously withdraw our forces from 
Syria. Both were done in a sort of whimsical way whereby, from all 
reports, the President didn't consult with the experts in this latter 
case--with the military, the State Department, and the CIA.
  Both have resulted in condemnation from across the political 
spectrum. In fact, last week, over 120 House Republicans voted in favor 
of the resolution criticizing the President's Syria policy. Leaders 
McCarthy, Scalise, and Cheney are hardly moderates, in the middle, who 
always seek compromise. These are pretty hard-nosed people, and they 
voted to condemn it, so it must be pretty bad. Of course, it is. Former 
military commanders and some of the President's staunchest allies in 
the Senate have echoed those sentiments.
  Just like the President reversed course on the G7 after a torrent of 
criticism from his own party, President Trump must dramatically and 
drastically rethink his policy in Syria, which is far more dangerous 
because of one word above all else--``ISIS.'' By his abruptly having 
pulled troops out of northern Syria, the President has betrayed and 
deserted our partners and

[[Page S5912]]

allies and has created a security vacuum that our longest standing 
adversaries--Iran, Putin, and Assad--are exploiting. He put American 
lives in danger by letting hardened ISIS fighters escape captivity and 
regroup.
  As American troops leave Kurdish areas, videos show Kurdish locals 
hurling rotting vegetables and shouting ``America lies.'' That is 
painful. Do you know to whom it is the most painful? Our soldiers who 
fought alongside the Kurds. The Kurds sacrificed some of their own 
people so that Americans wouldn't have to die.
  One leading Russian newspaper, which is, no doubt, part of the Putin 
propaganda machine, ran a column this week that proclaimed Russia's 
unexpected triumph in the Middle East and that Putin won the lottery. 
Meanwhile, public reports suggest that at least 200 people with 
suspected links to the Islamic State have escaped the displacement camp 
in northeast Syria as a result of the Turkish invasion, and we in New 
York know better than anyone what a small group of bad, bad 
terrorists--evil terrorists--can do in untold damage to our homeland.
  This policy is reckless, unthought out, and dangerous. It has been 3 
weeks since the announcement of the President's decision, and he has 
yet to articulate any plan for what happens next. As a 5-day pause on 
hostilities comes quickly to an end tomorrow, every Member of this 
Chamber ought to be asking: What is President Trump's strategy to 
secure the enduring defeat of ISIS? How does the President plan to find 
the escaped ISIS prisoners? How does he plan to fix this mess? These 
ISIS people are dangerous and can create a problem right here in our 
homeland.
  This morning, according to the New York Times, the President is now 
considering leaving a small force in eastern Syria. We need to know if 
that is true. If so, how many? What would be the force's mission and 
for how long? Maybe the most pressing question is, How would a 
deployment in eastern Syria secure ISIS prisoners and help track down 
those who have escaped? This presents such a great danger to our 
country.
  The President is flitting from one idea to the next and has no 
coherent, apparent strategy. His own Cabinet officials have yet to even 
agree on a time to brief the Senators on the administration's plan. We 
have been waiting, and we want to hear from the top people--Secretary 
Esper, Secretary Pompeo, and CIA Director Haspel. This is serious 
stuff. The Congress has to be briefed. We are worried the reason we are 
not being briefed is that there is no strategy and that these three 
people who are in charge of major portions of the American Government--
the military, the CIA, the diplomatic corps--don't have any idea what 
the President is up to.
  The quickest, simplest, and most powerful way to send that message to 
the President would be for the Senate to take up and pass the 
bipartisan House resolution on Syria. Last week, I asked for the 
Senate's consent to take it up, but unfortunately it was blocked. We 
are going to keep going back to it.
  It makes a difference when my Republican colleagues stand up to the 
President. That can affect him more than anything else, so they 
shouldn't duck it or be allowed to duck it. When the Republicans 
pressure the President, as they did on the G7, he considers changing 
course. So, when it comes to our national security, vital matters of 
foreign policy, and, yes, especially when it comes to the Constitution, 
the rule of law, or the integrity of our democracy, the Republicans 
must put the country over the party.
  On Syria and the fight against ISIS, that means Leader McConnell and 
Senate Republicans should let us vote on the House resolution 
criticizing the President's withdrawal.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Boozman). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.