Key Republicans outraged over Trump pullback in Syria

Influential Republicans including staunch allies of Donald Trump in Congress angrily criticised the president Monday for pulling back US troops from key areas of northern Syria, warning the move abandons battlefield allies the Kurds.

Senator Lindsey Graham said he will call on Congress to reverse the sudden decision to withdraw American forces from positions along or near Turkey's border with Syria, essentially greenlighting Ankara's long-threatened move against the Kurds and raising fears of a jihadist comeback.

Graham, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and one of Trump's most outspoken supporters, described the move as "a disaster in the making."
Democrats also hammered the president. Senator Bernie Sanders, who seeks the Democratic 2020 presidential nomination, tweeted that while he supports ending US military intervention in the Middle East, Trump's "extremely irresponsible" announcement is "likely to result in more suffering and instability."
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state Trump defeated in 2016, accused the president of committing "a sickening betrayal both of the Kurds and his oath of office."
After a call between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the White House said Ankara would "soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into Northern Syria" -- and that US forces would "no longer be in the immediate area."
Trump took to Twitter to defend the withdrawal, saying the region would have to "figure the situation out."
"They have been fighting Turkey for decades. I held off this fight for almost 3 years but it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars, many of them tribal, and bring our soldiers home."
"Leaving them to die is a big mistake."
With Washington opening the door for Turkish action against the Kurds, "what kind of message is that to the next ally that wants to side with us?" Brian Kilmeade said on the show Monday