strategic operation right now, and they re not. so pulling them out will not cause us any harm because that s not actually how we defend ourselves from terrorist operations around the world, so it s the right thing to do. eric: what about critics who say our presence helps bolster the fight against the iranians specifically, helps buttress? the foundation of democracies say, quote: those troops and civilians with the hinge of long-term iranian with containment backed up by allieded european special operations units that check the advance of a much larger and costly iranian, russian and syrian forces. trump s withdrawal has signaled boredom, pick ifingness, fatigue and fear. he s weakened american allies in the region and probably obliged the kurds to seek protection from russia from iran and russia. so, colonel, what do you say to those who think this was absolutely the wrong decision,