Posted on 10/21/2019 7:46:38 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The 700 U.S. troops formerly stationed in Syria and withdrawn by the president just prior to Turkey's invasion will go to western Iraq and conduct counter-ISIS operations from there, according to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Despite Trump's promise to bring the troops home, they will simply be shifted several hundred miles west. While Esper is mum about their specific mission, the location will allow for continued support for allies fighting ISIS and counter-terrorism operations in Iraq.
His comments were the first to specifically lay out where American troops will go as they leave Syria and what the counter-IS fight could look like. Esper said he has spoken to his Iraqi counterpart about the plan to shift the more than 700 troops leaving Syria into western Iraq.
The developments made clear that one of President Donald Trump's rationales for withdrawing troops from Syria was not going to come to pass any time soon. "It's time to bring our soldiers back home," he said Wednesday. But they are not coming home.
As Esper left Washington on Saturday, U.S. troops were continuing to pull out of northern Syria after Turkey's invasion into the border region. Reports of sporadic clashes continued between Turkish-backed fighters and the U.S.-allied Syria Kurdish forces despite a five-day cease-fire agreement hammered out on Friday between U.S. and Turkish leaders.
The U.S. should have no trouble continuing its anti-ISIS missions from western Iraq. Most operations involved special forces and logistics support, which realistically could be done from anywhere.
With the Kurds withdrawing from the fight against ISIS, will the U.S. take on a more active military role?
Esper said the troops going into Iraq will have two missions.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
They are going to be a 3 hour drive or a 20 minute flight to go back to those places they were in. “Abandon” rhetoric just got squashed
Western Texas might be better. Down along the border.
Syria been a Russian Client state since the 1950s. We weren’t there fighting Isis. We were running guns from Libya to Syria to “arm the freedom fighters” and topple Assad. It was “regime change” again.
Amazing how our “journalists” just ignored all the weapons and money O’s crime club, with the help of McCain, dumped into Syria that ended up arming ISIS.
What our moron squad Obama-Clinton-McCain etc were too stupid to learn is that Isis is one part of the Anti Assad forces. So anything we gave the “freedom fighters” ended up in Isis hands.That why you saw the pictures of all the trucks we bought “the freedom fighters” hauling Isis troops around
We had NO BUSINESS being in Syria. Trump is merely cleaning up one of the disastrous mistakes the DC Lobby for for Perpetual War made
Ever wonder why the O regime did nothing to stop ISIS selling oil out of Syria? Why the 0’s regimes rules of engagement specifically prevents bombing oil shipments or oil wells? It wasn’t until Trump brought it up at a 2015 debate that O was forced to take action. That what broke ISIS back, not some 50 guys hanging out with the Kurds.
Remember all the bombast at the 2015 debates where both Democrat, and Republican, candidates where trying to out macho each other on a No Fly Zone against Russia in Syria? If any of that “thinking” had been made policy we would of been in a shooting war with Russia over Syria now.
Trump is trying to clean up the mess Bush 1-Clinton-Bush 2 and Obama created.
Frankly I prefer Trump’s attempts to return to the pre Bush family traditional US policy.
Bush the 1st made a massive mistake ending our “Over the Horizon” posture in the ME. By failing to decisively win Desert Storm in 1991 Bush locked us in a full body hug with the Middle East tar-baby ever since. We been fighting in the area almost 30 years now because of that disastrous mistake.
Trump is trying to pry the USA off the ME Tarbaby but it not going to be easy or quick
Obama’s instinct was to not go into Syria. He was forced just like they are trying to force Trump to stay. Trump is a stronger personality than Obama, that’s the only reason we even know what’s going on. The military is, basically, not taken orders, they give them and it’s not right. Even sending these troops to Iraq is there way of trying to prevent Trump from Doing what he wants
Nope. McCain-Clinton-Obama engineered the Libya-Syria debacle as part of the “Arab Spring” clown show. US Military is doing exactly what it is told to do. It the senial old DC Swamp critters who cannot figure out the Cold War is over and we live in a vastly different world now
There is still a large contingent of US forces in the south at Al Tanf blocking Iran’s route to Israel and the Med.
Erdagon is in Russia meeting with Putin. Putin picks his friends well
You’ll have a hard time convincing me that Syria or Lybia was Obama’s plan. He clearly wanted to, generally, be against the Mid East wars. I think he didn’t have the courage to do what Trump is trying to do (not a knock against Obama). The war mongers are a very powerful group
As did the 'bringing our boys home' rhetoric...especially when you consider the added troops being sent to KSA.
The entire Syria BS is just that......total BS. It’s IDIOCY!
Good summary whether one is a D or an R.
A "decisive win" by US military ought to include remaining until the region is stable, just as was done with Japan and Germany after WW2.
If we invest blood and treasure it should be with the intent of leaving as much of a permanent USA imprint as is feasible.
We shouldn't get involved unless we can commit to such an undertaking (and I consider myself some sort of a "hawk".)
American blood is too precious to be spent on halfhearted, inconclusive efforts.
Win and leave is the only workable strategy in the ME. We have the ability to project power at will into the area. What we seeing since 1991 is why you do not STAY in the ME.
Old Arab saying
Me against my brother
Me and my brother against the family
Me, my brother and the family against the clan
Me my brother, the family and the clan against all other tribes
Me, my brother, the family and all the clans against the Infidel
If you stay on the ground in the ME you end up trying to play policeman over tribal gang warfare going back across the last millennium.
Working with the Kurds presents problems because they are a complex diverse group . The group in Turkey do not have semi autonomy as they do in Iraq so they’ve been attacking Turks by bombings and attacks to secure complete independence in the area they’re in and are led by anti-religious communists.
Clearly we disagree.
My point is a premature departure threatens the longevity of any win whether it's at a local level or it includes the entire ME as you suggest in your premise.
I.e., if we leave prior to stabilizing the area any win is almost certain to be temporary and should not be considered a workable strategy.
so no net sending troops home.
This relocation makes operational sense to me. And it gets us physically out of Syria, where I didn’t see much sense in going into, other than providing air support for those fighting the last of Isis.
The media is BS. Only 50 special operations types were with the KURDS. You do not put REMF’s/support troops with SPECOPS.
We promised the Viets we’d supply them, give then support and bomb the north if the north started offensive OPS again. These clown Gen’s who say we cannot leave the KURD are just like the liars who did not back us in SF with the Montagnards, Nungs, Cambodes, etc.
The Kurds are in Iran, Turkey, and Syria. They are a lot like many minorities. My Montagnards were wiped out. Even the few that made it to Thailand never got to America. We took those sad ass, sorry Viets, who refused to fight like we did in huge numbers. I had/have no damn use for the Viets.
The Kurds are in Iran, Turkey, and Syria. They are a lot like many minorities. My Montagnards were wiped out. Even the few that made it to Thailand never got to America. We took those sad ass, sorry Viets, who refused to fight like we did in huge numbers. I had/have no damn use for the Viets.
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