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U.S. Equipment, but Not Troops, Begins Exiting Syria in Chaotic Withdrawal
The New York Slimes ^ | January 11, 2019 | Eric Schmitt, Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Ben Hubbard, Chaos Desk

Posted on 01/12/2019 10:25:59 AM PST by Navy Patriot

The American military has started withdrawing some equipment, but not yet troops, from Syria as part of President Trump’s order to wind down that battleground against the Islamic State, two Defense Department officials said on Friday amid continuing confusion over plans to disengage from one of the Middle East’s most complex conflicts.

The officials said the number of American troops might actually increase slightly in Syria, to help protect the final process of pulling out — an operation that is still expected to take at least four to six months to complete.

There are currently about 2,000 troops — mostly Army soldiers and Marines — in northeast Syria or in the Middle Euphrates River Valley to oust the remaining pockets of Islamic State fighters and secure newly-liberated areas from their return. A vaguely worded statement from the American military headquarters in Baghdad, which is overseeing the fight against the Islamic State, said the withdrawal process from Syria had begun.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
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To: FrankR
...the media didn’t think this one through.

Frank, you're assuming Media good intentions.

I assure you they don't have any, this was carefully thought through, and then the article was carefully written to trash President Trump as creating "chaos" where none exists.

21 posted on 01/12/2019 10:58:51 AM PST by Navy Patriot (America NEEDS Mob Rule, another European and Mid East World War and a universal Draft)
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To: caww

Forget the battle. Let Russia and Iran get mired in Syria.


22 posted on 01/12/2019 10:58:53 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant
We should get everyone and everything out.

No, we should leave the New York Slimes reporters there.

23 posted on 01/12/2019 11:00:54 AM PST by Navy Patriot (America NEEDS Mob Rule, another European and Mid East World War and a universal Draft)
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To: Navy Patriot

yes we should get all the military personnel out first and go back for the equipment. It’ll be safe there for a while. /s


24 posted on 01/12/2019 11:01:32 AM PST by Pollard (If you don't understand what I typed, you haven't read the classics.)
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To: georgia peach
"I wonder if they described Obama’s exit from Iraq as chaotic.Bet not."

Nope, not at all. I searched several times with different terms like Obama chaotic withdrawal of troops from Iraq; Obama withdrawal of troops from Iraq, etc., and came up with nothing. Only found NY Times stuff like this:

Obama Quietly Marks Troop Withdrawal in Iraq

25 posted on 01/12/2019 11:05:32 AM PST by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: Pikachu_Dad

Took them four writers to come up with “chaotic.”


26 posted on 01/12/2019 11:06:03 AM PST by JennysCool
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To: Brilliant
No way does it take 6 months to withdraw 2000 troops and related equipment

And it is extremely unwise to make any details of withdrawal activities public. Just announce when it is done.

The Russians got out of Afghanistan in 24 hours with minimal casualties.

27 posted on 01/12/2019 11:08:50 AM PST by flamberge (It seemed like a good idea at the time)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

I guess I’m just old, but I remember a time when
any self respecting reporter would never share a byline,
and they would infiltrate a war zone to get it.

Any withdrawal is confusion exemplified, it is the mark
of a competent staff if it can be completed with a minimum
of disruption. It sounds like this is going as well as
can be expected.


28 posted on 01/12/2019 11:11:00 AM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: God luvs America

> LOL- if ayatollah obama had withdrawn troops they would be held over heels <

And it wouldn’t be a “chaotic withdrawal”. It would be “an orderly and masterful redeployment of forces”.


29 posted on 01/12/2019 11:14:47 AM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: flamberge

If it takes us 6 mos to move 2000 troops then our army is in trouble.


30 posted on 01/12/2019 11:19:09 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: Navy Patriot

More neocon BS in effect I see. Somewhere between 2000 and 4000 troops there. And pulling them out as Trump ordered will now require an increase in troops and 4 to 6 months to complete?

That is pure BS Generals dragging their feet.


31 posted on 01/12/2019 11:27:41 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Navy Patriot

“said on Friday amid continuing confusion over plans to disengage”

“Confusion” = Generals disagree with their orders.


32 posted on 01/12/2019 11:29:47 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: caww
When you’re still in battle of course it does!

Lol...what battle?

33 posted on 01/12/2019 11:31:51 AM PST by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: FrankR

Well, stupid...if they move the troops out first, then WHO - pray tell - is going to move the damned equipment? Hummmmmm?

Well stupid, exactly how much equipment does a 2000 man unit have? And last I checked, they can drive down a highway into Iraq and Jordan.
This is nothing more than Generals and the CIA dragging their feet. They are angry that they are getting their pointless war taken away.


34 posted on 01/12/2019 11:33:35 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: caww

They aren’t “in battle”.


35 posted on 01/12/2019 11:34:51 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Brilliant

I think they always say stuff like that. I remember when we were asked to withdraw from The Philippines, a timetable of two years was accepted as being the soonest it could be accomplished. Mount Pinatubo erupted, and all the troops.were gone in a few weeks !


36 posted on 01/12/2019 11:35:16 AM PST by jttpwalsh
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To: Pollard

IIRC Obama left dozens (hundreds?) of strengthened Toyota trucks in one of the Middle East countries that we left swiftly. Maybe we left everything there for ISIS (the JV team) to have.


37 posted on 01/12/2019 11:43:43 AM PST by Freee-dame (Best election ever! 2016)
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To: DesertRhino
That is pure BS Generals dragging their feet

That is probably disinformation to cover the real withdrawal actions.

Withdrawals can be very dangerous. When the British withdrew from Afghanistan, their entire force of 26,000 men was slaughtered on the way out. Only three (!!!) survivors made it back.

The Russians had a much better plan for getting out of there.

We are going to get out of Syria (and Afghanistan). Accurate details and timetables of our Military operations should not be provide to the media.

38 posted on 01/12/2019 11:46:38 AM PST by flamberge (It seemed like a good idea at the time)
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To: Navy Patriot

Chaos is only complexity that small minds can’t grasp.


39 posted on 01/12/2019 11:59:13 AM PST by Revolutionary ("Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!")
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To: Navy Patriot

This is such bullS**t. The military has plans to move anything they put somewhere back out at the end of mission. There are planners whose sole job is to work these contingency plans.

In simple terms, the military is told to begin retrograde operations, the units do an assessment of their equipment (a culling of the herd of sorts) to determine what is worth the cost to take back. It’s then moved to a port, cleaned and shipped. Chaotic? Hardly...

Oh,and bringing in an additional force in the short term is pretty standard to provide security. These usually are drawn from units already in theater...

The NYT should know all this...it’s not new.


40 posted on 01/12/2019 12:32:05 PM PST by Thunder 6
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