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AP Fact Check: Democrats Flub Details on Guns, Syria in Debate

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - A dozen Democrats seeking the presidency tussled in a
   debate packed with policy, flubbing some details in the process.

   Several gave an iffy explanation Tuesday of why they're not swinging
   behind a bold proposal to make people turn over their assault-style
   weapons. Sloppiness also crept in during robust exchanges over foreign
   policy, health care, taxes and more.

   How some of their claims from Westerville, Ohio, stack up with the
   facts:

   SYRIA

   Joe Biden: "I would not have withdrawn the troops, and I would not have
   withdrawn the additional 1,000 troops that are in Iraq, which are in
   retreat now, being fired on by Assad's people."

   The Facts: The former vice president is wrong. There is no evidence
   that any of the approximately 1,000 American troops preparing to
   evacuate from Syria have been fired on by Syrian government forces led
   by President Bashar Assad. A small group of U.S. troops came under
   Turkish artillery fire near the town of Kobani last week, without
   anyone being injured, but there is no indication that Syrian troops
   have shot at withdrawing Americans.

   Also, Biden was addressing the situation in Syria, not Iraq.

   GUN CONTROL

   Pete Buttigieg: "On guns, we are this close to an assault weapons ban.
   That would be huge."

   Amy Klochubar: "I just keep thinking of how close we are to finally
   getting something done on this."

   The Facts: No, the U.S. is not close to enacting an assault-weapons
   ban, as Buttigieg claimed, nor close on any significant gun control, as
   Klobuchar had it. Congress is not on the verge of such legislation.
   Prospects for an assault-weapons ban, in particular, are bound to
   remain slim until the next election at least.

   Legislation under discussion in the Senate would expand background
   checks for gun sales, a politically popular idea even with gun owners.
   But even that bill has stalled because of opposition from the National
   Rifle Association and on-again, off-again support from Trump. Democrats
   and some Republicans in Congress say they will continue to push for the
   background checks bill, but movement appears unlikely during an
   impeachment inquiry and general dysfunction in Congress. And Senate
   Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear he won't move forward
   on gun legislation without Trump's strong support.

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