Republicans finally find a post-election Trump move they don't like

[babylonsister]

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republicans-finally-find-post-election-trump-move-they-don-t-n1248007


Republicans finally find a post-election Trump move they don't like
Republicans applaud Trump's every move, even as he launches an unprecedented attack on our democracy itself, but troop drawdowns are a bridge too far?
Nov. 17, 2020, 12:48 PM EST
By Steve Benen

snip//

There's ample room for debate as to why Trump is so eager to do this before exiting the White House, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg issued a less-than-subtle statement this morning, warning of the possible dangers associated with "leaving [Afghanistan] too soon or in an uncoordinated way."

Stoltenberg is not the only one with concerns. Roll Call reported yesterday:

Amid indications President Donald Trump will move to slash the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq before he leaves office, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attacked the idea in a blistering Senate floor speech Monday. McConnell has been almost unfailingly loyal to Trump, but the Kentucky Republican has openly pushed back when he has seen Trump's actions as possibly threatening U.S. security.

There was similar rhetoric from a variety of other GOP senators, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Armed Services Committee.

To be sure, this is a debate with several moving parts, each of which are important. The effects of withdrawal are worth considering in detail; Trump's motivations are opaque; it puts the recent personnel shake-up at the Defense Department in a new light; etc.

But Mother Jones' Kevin Drum touched on a political angle that shouldn't get lost in the shuffle: "Let me get this straight: If Donald Trump orders a reduction of 2,500 troops from Afghanistan, McConnell is willing to publicly blast Trump in no uncertain terms as a threat to the security of the nation. But if Donald Trump loudly undermines the foundations of democracy by refusing to admit defeat in a presidential election, McConnell remains silent."

Quite right. This is where McConnell and Senate Republicans draw the line? They'll applaud the outgoing president's every move, even as Trump launches an unprecedented attack on our democracy itself, but troop drawdowns are a bridge too far?

[mr_lebowski]

1. Boy this pushback from Mitch vs. Trump sure creates a quandary for me I gotta say ...

A lotta in's, lotta out's, lotta strands in the ol Duder's head ...

Fortunately I'm adhering to a strict drug regimen to keep my mind limber.

[Iliyah]

2. Yep . .

But alas, troop withdrawal means less money honey for the armory corporations. Plus what about that palace in Iraq?

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. What are the negatives to withdrawing the troops?

I was against the Afghanistan war from day one and have been for getting the hell out of there ever since we went. What national security issues are there if we leave? What the hell are we even doing there? Someone needs to clarify why this is such a problem.

[JI7]

4. The issue is more in how it's being done. We have allies there also

that sided with us and they would lose protection .

They also don't want to allow the place to turn into terrorist training grounds as was done before 9-11.