Fewer Republicans think their party has better plan for Syria, 'War on Terror' - Reuters poll

FILE PHOTO: Civilians ride on a tractor as they withdraw from the border town of Tal Abyad, Syria October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Terry Brien, 64, reads about American troops pulling out of northern Syria, the Republican data manager from Colorado seethes at “one of the biggest mistakes that we’ve made in a very long time” in the Middle East.

Brien, an Army and Air Force veteran, said the withdrawal, which opened the way for a Turkish offensive that displaced thousands of people and led to the escape of some Islamic State militants, contributed to his recent lack of faith in his party’s ability to conduct foreign policy.