Cedars, February 2019

February 2019 11 OFF CAMPUS the 2020 election, enacting his plan slowly. In the mean- time, the president has been called on to consider the inter- national effects of American withdrawal. Duerr explained that a lack of American presence could leave Syria in the hands of other nations whose interests conflict with the U.S. Among these countries are Turkey and Russia. While the Turks’ stake in Syria revolves around a con- flict with the Kurds, Duerr believes that the Russians have various reasons of to become involved in the Middle East- ern country. “Bashar al Assad is Russia’s last remaining ally in the Middle East,” said Duerr. Their alliance, he explained, provides Russia with ac- cess to strategically vital airstrips and naval bases. “Russia’s going to cling tooth and nail to Bashar al As- sad staying in power,” he said. Beyond the potential responses of Russia and Turkey, many politicians have also raised concerns over the recov- ery of ISIS if Syria is left without American support. While Libertarians such as Rand Paul and the president himself view the Islamic state as defeated, a reported 14,000 Islam- ic militants remain. Along with a belief that ISIS has been sufficiently de- feated, Trump’s supporters also show a desire to reclaim the principles set forth by George Washington and the foreign policy of the United States before World War II. “Most of America’s founding fathers wanted to avoid foreign entanglements,” Duerr said. “It’s something that’s ebbed and flowed in American politics.” Washington’s advice may have been wise for the time period, but the world has changed drastically since the 18th century, in ways the Founding Fathers couldn’t have imag- ined. Due to these changes, it may be unrealistic for Ameri- cans to pursue isolation from foreign affairs. Duerr suggested that avoiding entanglements would actually have negative affects across the world, leaving it ex- posed to oppressive rulers and increased crime. A decrease in American presence could invite other nations and orga- nizations to rewrite world order, such as China, Russia, or violent non-state actors The uncertainty and lack of stability that accompanies American withdrawal from Syria creates a philosophical self-contradiction for the United States, as it may result in less American ideology worldwide. However, Trump is not without supporters of the withdrawal, especially among lib- ertarians. “It’s [an ideology] that’s advanced by a lot of libertar- ians who will say ‘we need to protect liberty in the US. We need to stop imposing ourselves on others,’” Duerr said. The US has more military operations than the general public may realize. Smaller American forces are all over the globe. “The United States has thousands of special ops soldiers in over 100 countries around the world,” Duerr said. “We tend to look at numbers in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, but the truth of the matter is that special ops are everywhere, and they’ve taken on a much bigger share of the fighting over the last two decades than they’re given credit for.” While the nation waits for President Trump to make a move, Duerr mentioned one way all Christians can be involved in the complex and potentially combustible situ- ation. “It’s a much needed area of prayer,” Duerr said. “Just for peace to reign.” Jacob Oedy is a freshman journalism major and a staff writer for off-campus news and arts and entertainment. He enjoys creative writing, quoting TV shows, and hang- ing out with the best hall on campus, Brock 3 East. Online M.B.A. M.S.N. M.Min. Residential M.Div. M.Min. Pharm.D. Ready to take the next step? We’ve created accelerated completion plans for 10 popular majors (with more on the way!) that allow you to complete your bachelor’s degree and an M.B.A. in as little as four years, saving you time and money. Interested in a different grad program? Talk to your advisor about customizing a plan just for you! Access the free, fast-track application just for Cedarville students: cedarville.edu/gradapply