U.S. Military Preparing for a Full Withdrawal of Its Forces From Syria

[morgan]

U.S. Military Preparing for a Full Withdrawal of Its Forces From Syria
Move throws campaign against Islamic State into question; pullout sparks concerns from the White House to the State Department to the Pentagon

WASHINGTON—The U.S. military is preparing a rapid withdrawal of its forces from Syria, administration officials said Wednesday, a move that marks an abrupt reversal of America’s strategy in the Middle East.

As America’s four-year-old military campaign against Islamic State draws to a close, President Trump has ordered a speedy exit for about 2,000 American forces in Syria that one U.S. official said could unfold over the next 30 days. American officials began informing partners in northeastern Syria on Wednesday of their plans, according to people briefed on the planning.

“The Pentagon has an order to move troops out of Syria as quickly as possible,” the U.S. official said.

The withdrawal plan drew concerns from the White House and Capitol Hill to the State Department and throughout the U.S. military, three U.S. officials said. The decision will have widespread consequences for American policy in the Middle East, where the Trump administration has been working to defeat Islamic State, contain Iran and expansionist ambitions and counter Russia’s influence in Syria, where Moscow has a vital Navy base.

The U.S. has long stated that it would remain in Syria until Islamic State was defeated and local forces could prevent a new rise of extremist forces, and to press Iran to withdraw all of its military forces from the country.

While those objectives have not been met, Mr. Trump declared an end to the fight against Islamic State, or ISIS, in a Tweet on Wednesday.

“We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” he wrote on Twitter after the Wall Street Journal reported on the plans.

Read the full article https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-milita ... 1545225641

[Francee89]

“We’re not going to leave as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders, and that includes Iranian proxies and militias” - John Bolton, September 2018

“So obviously, it would be reckless if we were just to say, well, the physical caliphate is defeated, so we can just leave now” - Brett McGurk, US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, last week

[MonarchMom]

Apparently announced in a Tweet, without prior consultation with the State Department, US Military leaders, or his own advisors.

But hey, it changes the headlines for the day and makes Russia happy, so there's that.

[Lemons]

Just as Russia ordered.

[cellomom26]

Good, their country isn't our problem.

The ME has been fighting for centuries, that's all they enjoy doing. Let them.

[Momto2boys973]

Exactly

Just as Russia ordered.

[Momto2boys973]

You really know squat about world affairs, don’t you? Or are you just hateful to everyone else out of simple minded bigotry?
I guess you and Trump have those in common...

Good, their country isn't our problem.

The ME has been fighting for centuries, that's all they enjoy doing. Let them.

[Momto2boys973]

I guess Trump knows he won’t be in charge for long and wants to leave his successor a revived ISIS to fight again so he can pretend that he did a good job there.

Apparently announced in a Tweet, without prior consultation with the State Department, US Military leaders, or his own advisors.

But hey, it changes the headlines for the day and makes Russia happy, so there's that.

[EarlGrayHot]

Once again Trump thinks he can just say something and make it fact whether it's true or not. It's outrageous and one more reason why he should be immediately impeached.