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President Trump:

SNIP

Look, we beat you on the — we won on the Mueller scam. That was a whole big deal. That lasted for two and a half years. We had a few days of peace and then, all of a sudden, they came up with this one. But I guess it’s just part of my life. This is the most ridiculous thing many people have ever seen. All you have to do is read. All you have to do is read what they wrote down, the stenographers. They wrote down an exact call.

Now, what happened is Schiff, Adam Schiff, went up before Congress, and he read the most horrible speech, attributed the speech to me. These people won’t believe this one. If you went to Annapolis, West Point, or the Air Force Academy, you’re not going to believe this one happened. He went up, and he took a speech, and he made it up. It was horrible. And he said, “The President of the United States said this on the call.” It’s a fraud. He real- — I mean, it’s a fraudulent speech. What he did is incredible. And it shouldn’t be allowed. And I don’t think it’s going to be allowed. I think a lot of things are happening.

By the way, Nancy Pelosi knew it was a fraud, and she didn’t say anything about it.

SNIP

The decision to leave Syria reminded me of the U.S. Naval Institute article titled “Senators Quiz Military Leaders on U.S. Forces in Syria after ISIS”. It is interesting, because of the map presenting areas controlled by various armed factions. This colorful crazy quilt identifies Syrian Kurds and Aligned Forces, Syrian Government Forces, Islamic State Forces, Syrian Opposition Forces, Turkish Military Backed Forces, and some white areas for which evidently no one can hazard a guess. Remote from each other are two tiny circles labeled U.S./Coalition Military. The map does not account for Israeli airstrikes. Here is an endless array of possible permutations for factions to fight each other.

Based on the occupation of two tiny enclaves, I wonder how one could divine any meaningful level of influence in the face of such turmoil? A comprehensive ceasefire seems remote. Even if achieved, then where do you find the diplomatic skills needed to sort out the combatants into peaceful agrarian villages like you see on Star Trek?

However, the alternative should be a Russian/Iranian dominated Syria under Assad, and that could be unpleasant

. Senators Quiz Military Leaders on U.S. Forces in Syria after ISIS https://news.usni.org/2018/03/13/senators-quiz-military-leaders-u-s-forces-syria-isis?utm_source=USNI+News&utm_campaign=4be94c77a1-USNI_NEWS_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0dd4a1450b-4be94c77a1-230377553&mc_cid=4be94c77a1&mc_eid=d1b7ba249a