President Trump is defending his decision to withdraw US forces from Syria, saying it's "time" for troops "to come home and rebuild" America.The President is under fire from leading Republicans, who want him to reverse the announcement he made on Wednesday.Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.IN: "The anger……"OUT: SOCDUR: 3:41The anger of top Republicans towards President Trump is not dissipating, 24 hours after they - and everybody else - were blindsided by his announcement on Twitter of a full-scale US troop withdrawal from Syria.He was back on his favorite social media platform this morning, insisting that he'd done the right thing."Getting out of Syria", he said is "no surprise", saying he'd been campaigning on it for years and only grudgingly agreed to extend the troops' mission six months ago.In a hastily-filmed video at the White House, the President explained himself further.AXXBut the President's fellow Republicans in the Senate aren't buying it.They say the battle with Islamic State isn't over…..and that the President's top aides and officials have said so even within the last few days.They've written an angry letter to the President, complaining about the lack of any deliberative policy process that led to his decision and insisting he that reverse course.AXXThat's Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina….a golfing buddy of President Trump and one of the most influential Republican foreign policy voices on Capitol Hill.AXXSenator Marco Rubio of Florida is another top Republican threatening Congressional hearings about the President's decision, and complaining bitterly about the way in which he over-ruled his own national security, foreign policy defense and intelligence teams.AXXThe President has gone so far publicly defending his decision, it seems impossible at this point that he could walk it back even if he wanted to.From America's Defence Secretary, General Jim Mattis - treated like a complete doormat by his boss the President - there has been no public word.The White House says all questions about the troop withdrawal should be addressed to the Pentagon.The Pentagon sends reporters scurrying back to the White House.It's hard to find anyone in Washington with a foreign policy track record who is backing the President's decision.But it's not hard to find someone in Moscow.President Vladimir Putin, whose forces have kept Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad in power, is cock-a-hoop.AXXRepublicans are horrified that President Trump would give the Russian leader not just one Christmas present but two.There was also word yesterday that the Treasury is planning to lift sanctions on a Russian businessman, Oleg Deripska, with very close ties to the Kremlin.He's one of the Russians accused by US intelligence of interfering in the 2016 Presidential Election.Coincidence?Who knows….but, in a couple of weeks Democrats will have a chance to launch an investigation of that, and so much more, when they take control of the House of Representatives.SOC
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