At a time when President Donald Trump is under fire in press and even from his own party for ordering the withdrawal of all U.S. troops in Syria, outgoing Rep. Jimmy Duncan, R-Tenn., dedicated his final speech in Congress to hailing Trump for the controversial move.
"With a $21 trillion national debt, we simply cannot afford to be the policeman of the world," Duncan declared on the House floor Friday.
Duncan, who is retiring after 30 years in Congress, emphasized "the American people do not want and especially do not need permanent, forever wars."
The Volunteer State lawmaker then went on to say, "I salute President Trump's decision to bring our troops home for Syria."
"Our very unnecessary wars in the Middle East have now cost us several trillion dollars that we had to borrow," he said, adding they "have resulted in the deaths or horrible injuries to thousands of young Americans and many more thousands of innocent women and children."
Such actions, Duncan insisted, "have created more enemies for our country around the world."
The son of the late Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn., Jimmy Duncan first won his seat in 1988 following he death of his congressman-father. Duncan was always fond of recalling his commitment to conservatism, recalling how he worked as a bagboy in a supermarket in 1964 and sent the bulk of his earnings to the presidential candidacy of Barry Goldwater.
"And if I had to cite the political figure today with whom I most identify with, I would say — without hesitation — Pat Buchanan," Duncan told Newsmax last year.
The columnist and past Republican presidential hopeful "is spot on about non-intervention, and his words becoming increasingly prophetic each day," Duncan said.
He closed his final speech by reminding listeners "[t]he Bible tells us in both the Old Testament and the New to 'seek peace and pursue it.'"
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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