Ilhan Omar: U.S. Strategy in Syria Taking ‘Cues’ from Russia, Turkey, Israel

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to resolve the Syrian conflict is taking “cues” from Russia, Turkey, and Israel, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) argued during a House panel hearing Wednesday without acknowledging that the three countries stand on opposing sides of the more than eight-year-old war.

During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Omar told Ambassador James Jeffrey, the president’s special envoy for Syria engagement who was invited to testify:

It seems that the particular conflict in Syria is being birthed out of a need for the people to have freedom and to actualize democracy and I’m concerned that most of our cues right now [are] being taken from Russia, and Turkey, and Israel, and so I’m wondering if that’s sort of a counter message to what we say we are interested in achieving in Syria.

Jeffrey responded by saying the United Nations, backed by the United States, is committed to giving the Syrian people democracy “through free and fair elections monitored by the U.N., including the diaspora.”

“I believe Democracy should not be given, it should be earned by the people, and we should be in partnership with them,” the Minnesota Democrat followed up.

Omar suggested that Russia, Turkey, and Israel are influencing Trump’s Syrian strategy even though these countries do not coincide in their strategy with each other, making it impossible to appease all three.

New Report Says Chinese Cameras Used in Naval Assets Secretly Sent Data to Communist Country

Alaska runner hospitalized after using bear spray to fight off brown bear on Alaska trail

Nevada man funneled 140 guns to violent Mexican drug cartels, including powerful ‘military-style’ rifles: DOJ

Judge Keeps Major Biden Admin Gun Rule On Ice

Fauci refuses Senate appearance after invoking Fifth Amendment more than 100 times in COVID probe

America Found A Rare Metal It Desperately Needs. Red Tape Could Keep It In The Ground For Ages

Trump backs Republican challenger to oust Letitia James amid ongoing mortgage fraud feud

Watch: It’s Been Banned a Million Times, But Now the Video That Exposed How ‘Queerness’ and Pedophilia Go Hand-in-Hand Is Online for Good

Bernie-backed California House candidate called DEI a ‘social justice-driven duty,’ embraced activist role

Advocate reveals freed Marine vet’s physical, mental torment in Russian prison as 5 Americans remain held

Report: Hollywood Stars Rethinking Getting Involved in Politics, Expert Says Voters ‘Tired of Celebrities Telling Them How to Think’

Court filings reveal Kyrsten Sinema had sex multiple times with married bodyguard while serving as senator

Justice Thomas reveals this elite institution is ‘off limits’ to him: ‘That’s the world we’re in’

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is a slog for the uninitiated

Rashida Tlaib rally moved after Jewish-owned Florida venue cancels event, cites ‘increased security concerns’

Russia supports the Iranian-allied regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey backs the opposition. Although Moscow and Ankara have embarked on joint efforts to end the conflict, Turkey remains resolute in its support for Assad opposition forces.

The Russia-Turkey agreement late last year to push al-Qaeda-linked jihadis out of Syria’s Idlib region failed, with Moscow blaming Ankara for the lack of success. Now, the jihadis control most of Idlib and some of the surrounding areas — considered the last remaining rebel stronghold in Syria.

Israel has targeted assets on Syrian soil linked to Assad’s ally Iran. Iran considers Israel, which shares a border with Syria, to be its mortal enemy.

Democrat leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have defended Omar from bipartisan criticism over repeated antisemitic remarks.

In his written testimony, Ambassador Jeffrey condemned Russia and Iran for enabling Assad, noting that the Syrian regime has been able to re-conquer 60 percent of the war-ravaged country with the help of Moscow, Tehran, and Iranian proxies like Hezbollah.