The US Congress on Wednesday rejected a draft resolution introduced by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz that sought the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. The bill was backed by 103 congressmen, including 56 Democrats and 47 Republicans, while 321 voted against it.
Gaetz’s bill, introduced in February, called for the withdrawal of some 900 US military personnel from Syrian territory within six months. Gaetz argued that the US had no role in Syria and that the country was not a power in the Middle East. He further claimed that the US had contributed to the strengthening of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq by providing weapons to so-called “moderate rebels,” who were in fact not so moderate.
Although the vote was unsuccessful, Gaetz vowed to keep fighting to end the endless wars and bring the troops home. He argued that Congress had never authorized the use of military force in Syria and that the US was not at war with Syria.
In short, Gaetz had called for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, arguing that the US had no role in the country and that the military presence had only contributed to chaos and the strengthening of the Islamic State. Although the resolution failed to pass, Gaetz vowed to continue fighting for his cause.