Despite bipartisan backlash of President Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops from Syria, he has always maintained that if Turkey takes any actions he does not agree with, he will “bankrupt” their economy. Immediately after U.S. troops were removed from the Syrian border with Turkey, Turkey began its offensive and continues to move into Syria.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Friday Trump had already authorized “very powerful” new sanctions against Turkey. This morning on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Mnuchin said they were monitoring the situation very closely and that the situation is complicated as you have Turkey, who is a NATO ally on one side, and the Kurdish fighters in Syria who helped the United States defeat ISIS on the other.
Reuters reported that a “U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that sanctions were ‘being worked out at all levels of the government for rollout.” Also reported is that while “sanctions appear to be the strongest tool of deterrence, the United States and its European allies could also ponder arms sales bans and the threat of war crimes prosecutions.”
Yesterday President Trump tweeted, “Dealing with @LindseyGrahamSC and many members of Congress, including Democrats, about imposing powerful Sanctions on Turkey. Treasury is ready to go, additional legislation may be sought. There is great consensus on this. Turkey has asked that it not be done. Stay tuned!”
Dealing with @LindseyGrahamSC and many members of Congress, including Democrats, about imposing powerful Sanctions on Turkey. Treasury is ready to go, additional legislation may be sought. There is great consensus on this. Turkey has asked that it not be done. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2019
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has been very vocal in his disagreement with Trump’s actions of removing U.S. Troops, but is now very supportive of Trump’s sanctions proposals and thrilled about the bipartisan support in Congress. Yesterday Senator Graham tweeted, “Just spoke with President @realDonaldTrump. I applaud his decision to work with Congress to stop Turkeys aggression in Syria through crippling economic sanctions. This decision by President Trump will be a game changer — in all the wrong ways — for Turkey.”
Just spoke with President @realdonaldTrump.
I applaud his decision to work with Congress to stop Turkeys aggression in Syria through crippling economic sanctions.
This decision by President Trump will be a game changer — in all the wrong ways — for Turkey.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 13, 2019
As of today, it appears a miraculous bipartisan coalition is ramping up its support of Trump’s sanctions on Turkey. Senator Graham tweeted just minutes ago, “Just spoke with Speaker Pelosi regarding congressional action on Turkey’s incursion of Syria. Speaker supports bipartisan sanctions against Turkey’s outrages in Syria. She also believes we should show support for Kurdish allies and is concerned about the reemergence of ISIS” He continued, “I will be working across party lines in a bicameral fashion to draft sanctions and move quickly, appreciating President Trump’s willingness to work with the Congress, The Speaker indicated to me that time was of the essence.”
I will be working across party lines in a bicameral fashion to draft sanctions and move quickly, appreciating President Trump’s willingness to work with the Congress. The Speaker indicated to me that time was of the essence.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 14, 2019
Did we witness, in just one week, the transition of an entire Congress against President Trump morph into a united front behind him? Could this have been the purpose of Trump’s actions all along that was initially not understood? It appears as though this was his perfect plan; to turn the United States’ involvement in the “endless wars” of the Middle East from military policing to monetary sanctions.
