Here’s a question for all the Republicans who are horrified that Donald Trump is ordering a U.S. military retreat in Syria, betraying an anti-terrorist ally, abandoning our ally to die on the battlefield, and destroying the global credibility of Uncle Sam. The question is, why are Republicans acting so surprised?

And here’s a very special question for Lindsey Graham, who has consistently trumpeted our alliance with the Kurds, who has hailed the Kurds’ willingness to fight ISIS in Syria and die by the thousands on our behalf – but, who, alas, has sought these past three years to affix his lips to the stable genius’ rump. The question is, did he really think that all that golfing and toadying would put him in the loop?

And weren’t all these Republicans repeatedly warned that trusting our national security to a “reality”-TV star and failed casino owner, someone with the foreign policy smarts of a junkyard dog, was destined to be disastrous? Am I possibly the only person who remembers the four-alarm letter, signed by 50 Republican national security experts, and released way back in August 2016 – when there was still time to consign Trump to his beauty pageants? The letter stated:

“Donald Trump is not qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief. Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a dangerous President and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being. Most fundamentally, Mr. Trump lacks the character, values, and experience to be President. He weakens U.S. moral authority as the leader of the free world…

“Mr. Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has little understanding of America’s vital national interests, its complex diplomatic challenges, its indispensable alliances, and the democratic values on which U.S. foreign policy must be based.At the same time, he persistently compliments our adversaries and threatens our allies and friends. Unlike previous Presidents who had limited experience in foreign affairs, Mr. Trump has shown no interest in educating himself. He continues to display an alarming ignorance of basic facts of contemporary international politics. Despite his lack of knowledge, Mr. Trump claims that he understands foreign affairs and ‘knows more about ISIS than the generals do.’…

“We are convinced that in the Oval Office, he would be the most reckless President in American history.”

What part of that letter was so difficult to understand? It underscored an earlier letter, authored by Republican national security experts in March 2016, when Trump was campaigning for the nomination. That letter said:

“(Trump’s) admiration for foreign dictators such as Vladimir Putin is unacceptable for the leader of the world’s greatest democracy…He is fundamentally dishonest…Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs…Trump’s own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world.”

Given the eloquent prescience of those letters, it’s almost laughable (if it weren’t so pathetic) to hear the current Republican hue and cry. Lindsey and the lickspittles are suddenly in high dudgeon, behaving as if they had no advance warning that Trump was lethally dangerous.

Lindsey says that Trump’s Sunday night decision to abandon the Kurds (thus strengthening ISIS and emboldening Russia in the Middle East) is “a stain on America’s honor,” and “a disaster in the making.” Marco Rubio calls it “a grave mistake.” Even Mitch McConnell says Trump’s decision will embolden ISIS to regroup. Liz Cheney, on the House side, calls it “a catastrophic mistake.” Nikki Haley, the Trump’s ex-U.N. ambassador, says: “We must always have the backs of our allies, if we expect them to have our back. The Kurds were instrumental in our successful fight against ISIS in Syria. Leaving them to die is a big mistake.”

By the way, it’s charming that Republicans are more stoked about defending the Kurds in Syria than they are about the defending the Constitution of their own country. And don’t underestimate the possibility that Trump timed his impulsive act to tilt the news cycle away from the burgeoning impeachment probe.

But I digressed. This column is about Trump’s long-signaled foreign policy ignorance. It’s admittedly useless at this point to wonder whether these fuming Republicans were alive in 2016 to heed the warnings; clearly, they switched off their brains and surrendered to the cult, shaming this nation for the foreseeable future. So the better question is, what are they prepared to do now? We’re stuck with a fake president who, yesterday, extolled his “great and unmatched wisdom,” claimed that “people are extremely thrilled” about his cut-and-run decision, and claimed that he hadn’t acted alone (“I always consult with everybody,” he lied), so what are the odds that outraged Republicans will convert their words into action?

The odds of that happening are almost as low as Trump’s character. You may recall what happened last December, when Trump publicly toyed with ordering a U.S. military retreat in Syria – blindsiding the military and anti-terrorism experts – a behavioral spasm that prompted Defense Secretary James Mattis to quit. A few Republican senators got upset, the episode blew over, and congressional Republicans went back to indulging the font of unmatched wisdom. Only the reality-based conservative commentators seemed willing to confront the gathering storm. David Frum warned in December, “Now the question for Congress is: The Klaxon is sounding. The system is failing. What will you do?”

What indeed.