Donald Trump: America Invading the Middle East ‘Worst Decision Ever Made’

In this Thursday, July 14, 2011 file photo, U.S. soldiers board a U.S. military aircraft a
AP/Musadeq Sadeq
Charlie Spiering

President Donald Trump defended his desire to end U.S. military engagement in the Middle East on Wednesday.

“GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY!” Trump wrote in all-caps on Twitter, noting the United States spent $8 trillion dollars in the ongoing wars and subsequent security in the region.

“Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded,” he wrote. “Millions of people have died on the other side.”

Trump argued the United States was drawn into invading Iraq by George W. Bush under a “disproven premise” of the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

“Now we are slowly & carefully bringing our great soldiers & military home,” he wrote. “Our focus is on the BIG PICTURE! THE USA IS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!”

President Trump has faced opposition from the foreign policy establishment in Washington for his efforts to remove troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria and bring them home.

“The stupid endless wars, for us, are ending,” he wrote on Twitter, defending his decision to move 50-100 troops away from the Turkish-Syrian border.

Trump announced plans to withdraw 7,000 troops from Afghanistan in December 2018 and in August he announced the withdrawal of over 5,000 troops.

Ideally, the president would like to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 but peace talks with the Taliban blew up in September.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he would continue to pursue an “end game” in the Middle East, despite criticism from both political parties.

“We’re willing to do what we have to do, but there has to be an end game,” Trump said. “And if you stay, it’s going to be the same thing. Eventually, you’re going to have to leave.”

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