Texas representatives pretty much united in rebuke.
WASHINGTON — Texans in Congress may be bitterly divided over impeaching President Donald Trump, but they were almost entirely united Wednesday as they joined to rebuke the president over his decision to pull American troops out of Syria.
In a rare moment of bipartisanship, the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the president’s decision to withdraw as Turkish forces launch an assault on Kurds who helped the U.S. fight Islamic State.
The resolution passed with 354 voting in favor. Just a handful of Texans, all Republicans, joined the 60 members who voted against it.
“Simply put, the catastrophe that’s unfolded in Syria over the past 10 days is almost beyond words,” said Rep. Michael McCaul of Austin, the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
McCaul is one of several Texas Republicans who united against the president’s move, which was roundly criticized by Democrats.
“As a result of the president’s decision last week, our Kurdish allies and innocent civilians are being systematically targeted, tortured, and murdered — and at the same time, ISIS fighters are making a resurgence in the area and we have lost the trust of our allies who depend on us for their safety and security,” said Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, a Houston Democrat. “I stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have come together today to oppose this decision. Our national security is at stake.”
Just seven Texas Republicans — including some of Trump’s fiercest defenders against the impeachment probe — voted against the resolution. They were: Reps. Brian Babin, Michael Burgess, John Carter, Louie Gohmert, Lance Gooden, Randy Weber and Roger Williams.
Rep. Chip Roy, a San Antonioarea Republican, voted “present.”
The vote is part of an effort to force Trump to sign or veto legislation taking him to task for his own decision. It’s unclear whether it will go anywhere in the Senate, however, where Republican leaders have yet to commit to putting it up for a vote.
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn told reporters Wednesday he believes the escalation in Syria was inevitable and he “can understand why the president would want to pull out 1,000 American troops who might get caught in the crossfire.”
“The president is doing the best he can to protect American lives,” Cornyn said. “I don’t have a quibble with that at all.”
At the White House on Wednesday, Trump sought to distance the U.S. from the violence in the region that erupted in the days following his decision.
He dismissed U.S.allied Kurdish fighters as “no angels,” and insisted the ongoing conflict was “between Turkey and Syria” rather than among “Turkey and Syria and the United States.”
“There’s a lot of sand they can play with,” Trump said of the region. “It’s possibly never going to be very stable.”
Trump’s comments did little to convince House Republicans.
“As someone who served in the Middle East, I know our enemy and I know the value of American forces on the ground,” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Houstonarea Republican. “We had a small but costeffective force maintaining pressure on ISIS and preventing their resurgence.
“Now, we have left our Kurdish allies to defend themselves against a belligerent Turkish military, allowing the conditions for ISIS’ resurgence. Guys like me go to places like Syria to ensure that our fight stays off American shores.”
Rep. Will Hurd, RSan Antonio, a former CIA officer, spoke on the House floor before the vote.
“One of the things I learned when I was in the CIA is to be nice with nice guys and tough with tough guys — not the other way around,” he said. “Because of this decision and all the actions and inactions that led up to this decision, we have let our friends down, we have hurt our national security and we have ceded leadership in the region to Russia and Iran.”
“I hope we can change our course,” Hurd said. “But I fear it may be too late.”