Among the groups criticizing Trump's Syria plan is the Family Research Council, a conservative evangelical organization with a mission of advancing "faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview." In the past, the group has actively supported Christians overseas who face persecution.
In a statement on its website, two senior officials of the organization wrote that a withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria could put Syrian Christians "in mortal danger" and deal "an incalculable blow ... to our reputation as a supporter of religious freedom worldwide. "
One of the authors, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin, said last year that "God's imprint" was evident in Trump's election. But in a Fox News interview last month, Boykin warned that Trump was "on dangerous ground" with his Syria plans.
Critics of the U.S. withdrawal say it could mean Turkey will be tempted to send troops and allied Syrian Arab forces into northern Syria, where they could attack ethnic and religious minority groups, including Yazidis, Kurds, and Syriac Christians, an ancient Christian community that still speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
