Speaking at a conference on the ongoing ISIS war, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter vowed that President-elect Donald Trump would remain committed militarily to the anti-ISIS coalition, saying that the “results we’re seeing” in the war are too good for any changes to happen.
Carter is just the latest in a series of Obama Administration officials who have made speeches in recent weeks insisting that Trump would not change major portions of US policy,. Though Trump has never been said to be considering any big changes in the ISIS war, beyond claiming secret plans to win, many of the other comments have sought to lock Trump into policies explicitly contrary to his campaign promises.
Carter was also the latest official to suggest that the US military commitment was more or less permanent, insisting that the fight against ISIS would require the US to remain “engaged militarily” in Iraq on a sustained basis to ensure ISIS doesn’t pop up again.
Though President Obama launched the ISIS war with a promise of “no boots on the ground,” there are an estimated 6,000 US troops in Iraq now, and 500 more in Syria. There are no signs of any timetable for ever ending these deployments, and indeed the trend seems to be sending more and more.
With the administration eager to present territorial gains in both countries as proof they are “winning” the war against ISIS, it has raised a lot of questions about what comes after the war, and in part these comments appear designed to underscore that there simply is no “after the war” as far as military planning is concerned.
A coalition with Russia I hope.
And by clipping the wings of the Desert Kingdom that refuses to come out of their Brigadoon.
This clown pretends that the US has been trying to take out ISIS at all. What a joke!
Re:
Given the chummy U.S. relationship with the repressive, autocratic, kleptocratic, slave-holding, head-chopping House of Saud, by extension the U.S. would be happy to see a Wahhabi regime installed in Damascus.
P.S. Samatha Power could sing their praises as Jeffersonian democrats even as they persecute Christians, Shia and Alawites.
They are the very definition of Hubris. Thus they do not see the Nemesis shadow looming over their “success”. Trump does see, and so do many people. It is useless to tell it to those that are willfully blind. They can only be removed from the power to stop them from making any more damage.
Yes, Trump is committed to eradicating ISIS, a cult that is spreading, conveniently advancing the interests of the desert Kingdom and Israel. Happy coincidence. But he does not need the coalition. Not the one that is designed to keep the conflicts going, not ending them.
But it is true — these are the people that feel that they are still in charge, and are confident that Trump will bow to their will, sooner or later. I really wonder what is making them this confident. American people gave them a message, loud and clear. But they are sure that they are superior to the rabble that votes, and happily march on.
” …the “results we’re seeing” in the war are too good for any changes to happen.
Must be referring to defense industry profit margins and persons Carter does not like or mind being killed off, as opposed to actually winning the war in a timely fashion with minimal waste.