,,iii  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #gda  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #bb1 #bjah   
,mr4 ,w>n] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,m55dez1    
,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,re$1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 
,mr4 ,c>p]1 & ,mr4 ,van ,holl57 submitt$
 ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ,=eign ,relations         
,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se ( !      
,s5ate on ! lett] ( resignation (       
,secret>y ( ,def5se ,james ,mattis & on 
! decision ( ,presid5t ,trump to rapidly
 )draw ,unit$ ,/ates =ces f ,syria4     
,:]eas ,james ,mattis s]v$ ! ,unit$     
,/ates ) di/9ction ov] ! c\rse ( a long 
c>e] 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9e ,corps & z 
,secret>y ( ,def5se2 ,:]eas ! ,s5ate    
concurs ) ! foll[+ s5tim5ts express$ 9 !
 lett] ( resignation submitt$ by        
,secret>y ,mattis to ,presid5t ,trump3  
7#a7 ,! /r5g? ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is      
inextricably l9k$ to ! /r5g? ( our sy/em
 ( alliances & p>tn]%ips4  7#b7 ,!      
,unit$ ,/ates _c protect our int]e/s or 
s]ve z ! indisp5sable nation 9 ! free _w

 )\t ^? alliances & p>tn]%ips4  7#c7    
,ma9ta9+ t sy/em ( alliances & p>tn]%ips
 requires t ! ,unit$ ,/ates demon/rate  
respect = our allies4  7#d7 ,:ile !     
,arm$ ,=ces ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates _c s]ve z 
! _w's policeman1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates mu/   
use all tools ( ,am]ican p[] to provide 
= ! common def5se1 includ+ provid+      
effective lead]%ip to our alliances4    
7#e7 ,^? alliances & p>tn]%ips h assi/$ 
! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 increas+ our national 
security1 = example :5 all ,nor?        
,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7
 nations f\ght alongside ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 foll[+ ! attacks ( ,septemb] #aa1      
#bjja1 & :5 #gd nations jo9$ ! ef=t to  
defeat ! ?reat f ! ,islamic ,/ate (     
,iraq & ,syria 7,,isis74  7#f7 ,! ,unit$
 ,/ates mu/ demon/rate resolve & be     
unambigu\s 9 our approa* to c\ntries ^: 
/rategic int]e/s run c\nt] to our own4  
7#g7 ,! ,russian ,f$]ation & ,*9a wi% to
 %ape a _w ord] consi/5t ) _!           
au?orit>ian model1 all[+ !m to veto o!r 
nations' economic1 diplomatic1 &        

security decisions1 & to promote _! own 
int]e/s at ! exp5se ( o!r nations1 !    
,unit$ ,/ates1 & our allies4  7#h7 ,!   
,unit$ ,/ates mu/ d ev]y?+ possible to  
advance a rules-bas$ int]national ord] t
 is mo/ conducive to our security1      
prosp]ity1 & values1 & our ef=ts 9 t    
reg>d are /r5g!n$ by ! solid>ity ( our  
alliances4  7#i7 ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y  
pressure has demon/rat$ consid]able1 b  
incomplete progress aga9/ global t]rori/
 gr\ps1 p>ticul>ly al ,qa$a1 ! gr\p     
responsible = ! ,septemb] #aa1 #bjja1   
t]rori/ attacks on ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !  
,islamic ,/ate ( ,iraq & ,syria1 :o     
?reat5 ! /ability ( ! ,middle ,ea/ & !  
safety ( ! ,am]ican p & ! citiz5s ( _m (
 our close/ allies2 ,:]eas !re are a    
small numb] ( troops on ! gr\nd 9 ,syria
 to tra91 equip1 advise1 & assi/ ,unit$ 
,/ates p>tn]s 9 ! ,syrian ,democratic   
,=ces fight+ ! ,islamic ,/ate ( ,iraq & 
,syria2 ,:]eas ! gov]nm5ts ( ! ,russian 
,f$]ation & ,iran are fight+ alongside !
 ,assad regime aga9/ ,unit$ ,/ates      

allies & int]e/s2 ,:]eas ! abrupt       
decision ( ! ,presid5t to remove all    
,unit$ ,/ates =ces 9 ,syria )\t         
consultation enables ,iran & ! ,russian 
,f$]ation to exp& _! influ5ce & pres5ce 
9 ,syria & beyond & ?reat5s ,unit$      
,/ates p>tn]s 9 ,syria & ,israel & o!r  
allies 9 ! region2 & ,:]eas ! decision (
 ! ,presid5t to precipit\sly )draw      
,unit$ ,/ates troops w leave ! p (      
,syria ev5 m vuln]able to viol5ce f     
t]rori/ gr\ps & provide "t & space = al 
,qa$a & ! ,islamic ,/ate ( ,iraq &      
,syria to recon/itute & laun* attacks   
aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates & our allies3 ,n[1
 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate--  7#a7        
expresses its gratitude to ,secret>y (  
,def5se ,james ,mattis = 8 decades (    
honorable s]vice to ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates ,m>9e ,corps & at !       
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se2  7#b7 expresses    
/rong support = ,unit$ ,/ates alliances 
& p>tn]%ips ) allies ar\nd ! _w2  7#c7  
expresses conc]n ) ,presid5t ,trump's   
decision to rapidly )draw ,unit$ ,/ates 

=ces f ,syria1 a decision tak5 )\t      
consultation ) ,congress or our allies &
 p>tn]s & )\t app>5t conc]n = our       
national & collective int]e/s2 &  7#d7  
believes t ^! decisions c\ld fur!r      
und]m9e ,unit$ ,/ates lead]%ip 9 ! _w1  
weak5 our alliance & p>tn]%ip /ructure1 
& make x h>d] to a*ieve a _w m conducive
 to ,unit$ ,/ates int]e/s1 includ+      
support = democracy4