It’s become a truism: Trump and Republicans eventually do whatever they falsely accused Democrats of doing.
Now we have the most glaring and tragic example of this: The Kurd Stand-Down Order.
September 2012: Republicans jumped on the Benghazi story like Trump on a Quarter-Pounder. Immediately, according to the right wing echo machine, Obama and Hillary had committed the crime of the century. The most serious charge (or “fact” according to the right) was that Hillary had personally issued a “Stand-Down Order” to troops on their way to rescue the besieged consulate staff.
That was categorically false, as even the GOP zealots were compelled to admit, though only after 10 investigations. Despite the negative conclusion, the investigations took a toll and were one of the many factors enabling Trump’s “win.” First, the investigation revealed the HRC email issue. Second, repetition of “Benghazi” made it one of those inchoate concepts leading to the fatal “I don’t know why, but I just don’t like her” meme. Third, the fictional “Stand-Down Order” became “true” to enough voters to tilt the electoral college (along with other factors).
October 2019: Trump gives an actual and despicable Stand-down Order to US troops in Syria, against the best advice of the military and diplomats, unleashing a bloodbath against the Kurds, strengthening Putin’s position in the Middle East and reanimating Isis. Stepping back for a moment, Trump’s actions are impressive in the scope of their malignant, evil result.
And there’s no need now for an investigation to find out this happened.* As with most horrible things he does, Trump trumpets it to the world, using insane “rationales,” like “they didn’t help us at Normandy,” and making false claims about what’s happening. And while Republicans are weeping at the result, they are doing nothing.
It’s time to take Stand-Down Order and use the truth the way the Republican use lies:
Trump’s Syria Stand-Down Order is a Disaster for the Kurds and the US
*Ultimately there must be an investigation to get to the bottom of this.
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