Important echo opinion for military and our families - Donald Trump fails on national security

Trump bad on foreign policy and national defense

TULSA WORLK, Oklahoma- My father’s grave marker in Arlington Cemetery reads: “World War II, Korea, Vietnam.” 

I served in the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany and the 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley. My son served in the Air Force for 10 years.

National defense is a priority in my family. I believe that it is a priority for most Americans.

Unfortunately, our president is bad on foreign policy and national defense. He considers Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB agent, his friend.

Most of us were astonished at President Trump’s performance at his Helsinki summit with Putin on  July 16, 2018.

Two recent actions by our president illustrate problems with his approach to national security in favor of Russia.

First, he delayed for over 6 months the $391 million military aid to Ukraine that was part of the 2019 federal budget that he signed into law on Feb. 15. This delay helped Putin’s Russia in its undeclared war with America’s ally, Ukraine.

Second, Trump abruptly announced that he had ordered American forces to withdraw from Syria, even though this exposed the Kurds to the Turks. When confronted by critics in Congress from both parties, Trump stated: “If Russia wants to get involved with Syria, that’s really up to them.” 

"If Russia wants to get involved with Syria, that’s really up to them..."   

Trump’s buddying up with a former KGB thug like Putin puts America at risk.

Regardless of your opinion of Donald Trump in other areas of presidential policy, he is bad on the one that should be first and foremost: our national security.
From John L. Harlan, in Tulsa OK