Fewer Republicans approve of party's plan for Syria: Poll
October 25, 2019, 9:58 am

Fewer Republicans approve of party's plan for Syria: Poll

Only half of all Republicans say their party has a better plan than Democrats for dealing with Syria, new poll shows.

When Terry Brien, 64, reads about US 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 fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group, contributed to his recent lack of faith in his party's ability to conduct foreign policy.

It is a feeling that appears to be growing among the Republican rank and file this year.

According to an October 18-22 Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll, only about half of all Republicans - 54 percent - said their party has a better plan than Democrats, independents or others for dealing with Syria. That is down 12 points from a similar poll that ran in April.

At the same time, 65 percent of Republicans said their party had the better plan for managing the US' so-called "War on Terror", down 10 points from the April poll.

US President Donald Trump, who announced the withdrawal after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has defended his decision as part of an effort to draw down military operations overseas "where our great military functions as a policing operation to the benefit of people who don't even like the USA".

Yet the national online poll of 4,082 adults in the US found that 51 percent of its population felt that the country is better off "with US military forces stationed in the Middle East", while 29 percent did not.

More people seemed to want the US to become involved in international peacekeeping than several years ago.

Thirty-five percent of adults strongly agreed in the poll that "America is NOT the world's policeman". That is down 12 points overall from a similar poll that ran in 2013.

The poll also showed that 75 percent of Republicans approved of the way that Trump was dealing with the ISIL, which is down by about eight points from April.

Brien, who took the poll, said his criticism of the Republican Party's ability to conduct foreign policy is grounded in his general disapproval of Trump.

Unlike former Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush, Brien said he thinks Trump simply lacks the personal skills needed to work with global neighbours of the US to achieve common goals.

"Trump just seems to be out of his depth and out of touch on everything," Brien said. "He doesn't seem to understand why he shouldn't try to make money off his position of president."

When the poll asked which political party has a better plan for handling the "War on Terror", Brien answered "none".

Ann Dahlheim, 67, a Republican who lives outside of Washington DC, said she thought independents were better than anyone right now at leading the country.

"Republicans and Democrats can't agree on anything, much to my disgust," Dahlheim said. "We need some fresh new ideas."

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the US. It has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of about three percentage points.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.