THURSDAY MORNING. "MORNING JOE" STARTS RIGHT NOW.
>> HE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO
GET BORDER SECURITY.
IF HE COULD DO IT BY HIMSELF, HE
WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY.
>> NOBODY KNOWS THE SYSTEM
BETTER THAN ME.
WHICH IS WHY I ALONE CAN FIX IT.
>> IF HE COULD DO IT BY HIMSELF,
HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALL RIGHT.
>> I ALONE CAN FIX IT.
THE.
THE. >> THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THE
PRESIDENT NEEDS HELP FROM
CONGRESS FOR HIS BORDER WALL.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WAR POLICY
IN SYRIA, THE PRESIDENT SEEMS
PERFECTLY CONTENT TO GO IT
ALONE.
ALONE. ELLEL
ELLEL WELL
WELL >>> I KNOW MORE ABOUT ISIS THAN
THE GENERALS DO.
>> NO, ACTUALLY, YOU DON’T.
THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE PRETTY
DEVASTATING.
DEVASTATING. >> WE HAVE MIKE BARNACLE, FMSTEV
RATNER, HEIDI PRISBELLA, DAVID
IGNATIUS AND RETIRED FOUR STAR
NAVY ADMIRAL JAMES DEVRITIS.
>> WE’RE GOING TO GET TO SYRIA
IN ONE MINUTE, BUT RUPERT
MURDOCH’S OWNED "WALL STREET
JOURNAL," WHICH HAS FOR SOME
TIME, THE EDITORIAL PAGE AT
LEAST HAS AT TIMES DVENGDEFENDED
PRESIDENT TRUMP WHEN FEW OTHERS
HAVE.
HAVE. THEY EDITORIALIZED ABOUT TRUMP’S
SYRIA-IRAN RETREAT.
SYRIA-IRAN RETREAT. THE ISLAMIC STATE IS NOT
DEFEATED, SAYS "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL."
JOURNAL." AND THE MOLAS ARE DELIGHTED.
RETREAT IN SYRIA IS A SIGN OF
WEAKNESS, "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL" CONCLUDES THAT FRIENDS
AND FOES WILL NOTICE AND WHO IS
CELEBRATING MORE ABOUT THEIR
EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT THAN
VLADIMIR PUTIN AND RUSSIA.
AND THEY’VE SAID AS MUCH.
THIS IS A MASSIVE GEOPOLITICAL
WIN?
WIN? FOR PUTIN AND RUSSIA.
>> AND WE’VE JUST GONE THROUGH
THE SEASON OF FIRE FIGHT IN
CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA. AND WE’VE WATCHED THIS MASSIVE
DEVASTATING BLAZES.
DEVASTATING BLAZES. WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING IS
THE FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENT OF
WE’VE GOTTEN THE FIRE CONTAINED,
PROSECUTE WE’RE ALL AROUND
WE’RE ALL AROUND IT AND NOW THE
EMBERS ARE SMOLDERING.
WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO
HAPPEN?
HAPPEN? THERE’S A PREHIGH CHANCE OF WHAT
WE CALL IN THE NAVY A REFLASH
WHERE THE FIRE COMES BACK.
THAT’S THE TACTICAL PROBLEM.
BACK SEAT AS YOU POINTED OUT
CORRECTLY, THE GEOPOLITICS OF
THIS ARE TERRIBLE AND IT’S NOT
JUST VLADIMIR PUTIN CAN DOING
HIGH FIVES WITH THE MULLAHS IN
TEHRAN.
TEHRAN. IT’S ALSO THE IMPACT THIS WILL
HAVE ON OUR KURDISH ALLIES AND
FRIENDS IN THE REGION WHO WILL
SEE THIS AS A BETRAYAL.
IT WILL BE WRITTEN GLOBALLY AS A
WALK AWAY AND A BETRAYAL.
THIS IS GEOPOLITICALLY THE WORST
MOVE I’VE SEEN FROM THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. THAT’S A HIGH BAR TO GET OVER.
>> THAT IS A VERY HIGH BAR TO
GET OVER.
GET OVER. IF YOU LOOK, MIKA, AT WHO HAS
HELPED HERE, IT’S A PRETTY
SIMPLE LIST.
SIMPLE LIST. ISIS HAS HELPED.
MY GOD, ONCE AGAIN, RETREAT IN
THE MIDDLE EAST, BARACK OBAMA
AND THE UNITED STATES, 70% OF
AMERICANS WANTED US TO GET OUT
OF IRAN.
OF IRAN. ISIS WENT RIGHT INTO THAT
VACUUM.
VACUUM. PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT BACK AND
CONTINUED TO PUT THEM BACK ON
THEIR HEELS AND DONALD TRUMP
CONTINUED THAT.
CONTINUED THAT. BUT HERE WE HAVE ISIS NOT
DEFEATED.
DEFEATED. SO THIS IS A BIG DAY FOR THEM.
IRAN.
IRAN. I THOUGHT DONALD TRUMP SAW THE
IRANIANS AS AN ENEMY.
I MEAN, I THOUGHT THAT WAS
ALMOST THE CENTERPIECE OF HIS
FOREIGN POLICY.
FOREIGN POLICY. THIS IS MASSIVE NEWS, GOOD NEWS
FOR THE IRANIANS.
AND FINALLY, WHO IS HAPPIER
ABOUT THIS THAN VLADIMIR PUTIN
ON THE WORLD STAGE?
ABSOLUTELY NOBODY.
ABSOLUTELY NOBODY. THIS IS A GIVE AWAY.
THIS IS FOREIGN POLICY WELFARE
FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN.
HE CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE MISS LUCK.
OR, I’M SORRY, MAYBE HE CAN.
MAYBE THIS IS CONNECTED TO
SOMETHING NONE OF US KNOW ABOUT.
>> AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT THIS AND
THE ADMIRAL SAID SOMETHING A FEW
WEEKS AGO ON OUR SHOW ABOUT
PEOPLE STAYING IN THERE FOR THE
GOOD FIGHT.
GOOD FIGHT. THIS SHOWS THE DYSFUNCTION IN
THE WHITE HOUSE AT THE HIGHEST
LEVEL.
LEVEL. PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK TO TWIT IR
YESTERDAY TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE
WAS ORDERING THE WITHDRAW OF ALL
U.S. GROUND FORCES FROM SYRIA IN
30 DAYS WRITING, QUOTE, WE HAVE
DEFEATED ISIS IN SYRIA, MY ONLY
REASON FOR BEING HERE IN THE
TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
TRUMP PRESIDENCY. THAT WAS FOLLOWED UP BY A TWEET
THAT SOMEONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE
CONDUCTED AND POSTED LIKE YOU’VE
GOT A WHOLE COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT THAT IS NOT IN SYNC
WITH THE REST OF THE WHITE
HOUSE, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL AND FOREIGN
CABINET POLICY HEADS.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE, RIGHT?
COULD THEY BE ON BOARD WITH IN?
I DON’T THINK SO.
ON THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICIAL
TWITTER PAGE, THIS WAS POSTED.
IT WAS SHOT BY A GOVERNMENT
CAMERA.
CAMERA. THERE WAS NO PRESS PRESENT.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> WE’VE BEEN A FIGHTING FOR A
LONG TIME IN SYRIA.
I’VE BEEN PRESIDENT FOR ALMOST
TWO YEARS AND WE’VE REALLY
STEPPED IT UP.
AND WE HAVE WON AGAINST ISIS.
WE’VE BEATEN THEM AND WE’VE
BEATEN THEM BADLY.
WE’VE TAKEN BACK THE LAND AND
NOW IT’S TIME FOR OUR TROOPS TO
COME BACK HOME.
THESE ARE GREAT HEROS OF THE
WORLD.
WORLD. THEY FOUGHT FOR US, BUT THEY’VE
KILLED ISIS WHO HURTS THE WORLD.
WE’RE PROUD TO HAVE DONE IT.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK GEORGE W.
BUSH WOULD TELL YOU THAT THESE
SORT OF CEREMONIES ARE MUCH MORE
EFFECTIVE IF YOU HAVE A BANNER
BEHIND YOU.
BEHIND YOU. THAT SAYS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,
MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT. BECAUSE THE MISSION IS NOT
ACCOMPLISHED.
ACCOMPLISHED. JUST LAST WEEK, PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S SPECIAL ENVOY TO SYRIA
BRETT McGURK TOLD REPORTERS AT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT IT
WOULD BE, QUOTE, RECKLESS TO
SIMPLY DECLARE VICTORY AND
LEAVE.
LEAVE. THIS WAS JUST LAST WEEK.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ALSO
STATED JUST LAST WEEK THAT THERE
WAS MONTHS OF FIGHTING STILL
LEFT.
LEFT. JUST LOOK AT WHAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WAS SAYING JUST
LAST WEEK.
LAST WEEK. IF.
IF. >> WE REALLY ARE NOW DOWN TO THE
LAST 1% OF THE PHYSICAL
TERRITORY.
TERRITORY. WE’RE PREPARED TO MAINTAIN THE
STABILIZATION EFFORT IN IRAQ AND
SYRIA.
SYRIA. THIS WILL TAKE A PERIOD OF
YEARS.
YEARS. SO THE ENDURING DEFEAT OF ISIS
MEANS NOT JUST PHYSICAL DEFEAT,
BUT MAKE SURE WE ARE TRAINING
LOCAL SECURITY FORCES.
WE ALSO HAVE OTHER INTERESTS IN
SYRIA.
SYRIA. BUT THE MILITARY MISSION IS THE
ENDURING DEFEAT OF ISIS.
WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS
IN THE PAST.
WE KNOW ONCE A SPACE IS
DEFEATED, WE CAN’T JUST PICK UP
AND LEAVE.
AND LEAVE. I THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY
AMERICANS WILL REMAIN ON THE
GROUND UNTIL WE HAVE THE
PHYSICAL PLACES ON THE GROUND TO
ENSURE THAT DEFEAT IS ENDURING.
>> OUR PARENTS TAUGHT US IF
SOMETHING SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE
TRUE, THEN IT’S NOT TRUE.
I ALWAYS TELL MY KIDS, IF
SOMETHING DOESN’T MAKE THERE’S,
THERE’S A REASON IT DOESN’T MAKE
SENSE.
SENSE. YOU HAVE IFTHE PENTAGON, THE NAT
COMMUNITY, EVERYBODY ACROSS THE
WORLD EXCEPT FOR THE MULLAHS IN
IRAN, THE TERRORISTS OF ISIS AND
VLADIMIR PUTIN IN RUSSIA SAYING
THIS IS A TERRIBLE MOVE.
YESTERDAY DONALD TRUMP IS DOING
IT, ANYWAY, WHEN HIS OWN
ADMINISTRATION IS SAYING WHAT A
DREADFUL MISTAKE IT IS TO CUT
AND RUN.
AND RUN. NOBODY SUPPORTS THIS IN THE
FOREIGN POLICY ESTABLISHMENT.
NONE OF OUR ALLIES SUPPORT THIS.
NOBODY WAS GIVEN ADVANCED NOTICE
OF THIS.
OF THIS. DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF JUST
DECIDED TO CUT AND RUN AND
SCREAM RETREAT WHEN WE WERE
ABOUT TO DEFEAT ISIS.
>> AND REALLY AND TRULY DOES
SEEM LIKE I HE DID IT
UNILATERALLY.
UNILATERALLY. YOUR DEFENSE SECRETARY IS NOT
FOR IT.
FOR IT. YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
JOHN BOLTON HAS BEEN ON THE
RECORD SAYING HE DOESN’T SUPPORT
IT.
IT. FRANCE WAS BLIND-SIDED.
EVERY SENATOR SAYS WE WERE
BLIND-SIDED.
BLIND-SIDED. THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
>> AND VERY ANGRY ABOUT IT.
>> AND IT RAISES THE QUESTION
WHO WAS BEHIND THIS IF NOT THE
PRESIDENT ALONE?
PRESIDENT ALONE? WHO SUPPORTED THIS DECISION?
WE HEARD FROM BRETT McGURK.
HE’S BEEN ON THE RECORD NOT JUST
IN THAT BITE WE SHOWED, BUT AS
SAYING NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT
LEAVE, BUT WHEN WE DO LEAVE,
WHEN WE DO WIN THE PHYSICAL
SPACE, WE NEED TO STAY AND KEEP
A PRESENCE FOR THE FORESEEABLE
FUTURE.
FUTURE. SO WHO SUPPORTED THERE DECISION
BEYOND THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES?
UNITED STATES? >> THIS IS A DONALD J. TRUMP
PRODUCTION STARRING DONALD J.
TRUMP.
TRUMP. THIS WAS A SHOCK TO THE U.S.
MILITARY.
MILITARY. YOU REMEMBER YESTERDAY MORNING
WHEN WE STARTED TO GET WORD
BETWEEN 7:00 AND 8:00 THAT THIS
WAS COMING.
WAS COMING. THE PENTAGON OFFICIALS WHO WERE
BECOMING AWARE THAT THE NIGHT
BEFORE, TUESDAY NIGHT, THE
PRESIDENT HAD ON HIS OWN,
BASICALLY, DECIDED TO PULL THE
PLUG ON THIS MISSION, SHOCKED
THOSE PENTAGON OFFICIALS AND
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AS WORD
BEGAN TO SEEP OUT.
THIS CARRIES THE RISK OF A
SIGNIFICANT THE BLOWUP.
I MEAN, WE HAVEN’T TALKED MUCH
ABOUT THE TURKS.
TURKEY HAD BEEN PREPARING TO
INVADE NORTHERN SYRIA.
TURKEY HAS PRETTY MUCH MADE A
MESS OF EVERY PART OF SYRIA THAT
IT’S TRIED TO GET DEEPLY
INVOLVED IN.
INVOLVED IN. IT’S A BLOOD FEUD WITH OUR
ALLIES IN SYRIA, THE SYRIAN
KURDS ARE T WHO -- WHO ARE NOW
VERY VULNERABLE.
VERY VULNERABLE. SO THE WORST OF THIS, I FEAR, IS
YET TO COME, BUT THE INITIAL