Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other top Republicans on Tuesday introduced a resolution warning the Trump administration against withdrawing U.S. troops from northern Syria.
The measure, according to McConnell, is backed by Republican Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Jim Risch (Idaho) — the chairmen of the Armed Services, Intelligence, Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, respectively.
“Withdrawing from Syria will invite more of the chaos that breeds terrorism and creates a vacuum our adversaries will certainly fill,” McConnell said from the Senate floor.
{mosads}The resolution calls on President Trump to halt the pullback of U.S. forces and warns that a “precipitous withdrawal” would “create vacuums.” It also urges Trump to rescind his invitation for the Turkish president to visit the White House next month and opposes Turkey’s military action.
“The Senate needs to speak up. We cannot effectively support our partners on the ground without a military presence,” McConnell said.
The Senate GOP resolution comes after the House passed its own resolution last week, with only 60 lawmakers voting against the measure.
McConnell has argued he wants something “stronger,” a sign that the House resolution is unlikely to move in the Senate.
“Unfortunately, the resolution crafted by House Democrats is simply not sufficient. It’s not so much wrong as it is badly insufficient,” the Kentucky Republican said Tuesday.
Lawmakers have introduced several pieces of legislation as they weigh how to counter Trump’s drawdown in northern Syria and Turkey’s subsequent invasion.
McConnell on Tuesday didn’t fully close the door to passing sanctions legislation but warned his colleagues to proceed with caution.
“I’m aware there is some appetite on both sides of the aisle to quickly reach for the toolbox of sanctions … but I caution us against developing a reflex to use sanctions as our tool of first, last and only resort,” McConnell said.