US commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend today told CBS News that he believes only about 25-30% of the military campaign for the ISIS capital city of Raqqa has happened, talking up the massive US military buildup in the area, and insisting that US troops are “just getting started good” in the city’s invasion.
So far, that means a handful of US troops embedded with the invading Kurdish YPG, and a dirt runway in the middle of the desert with storage space for 100 tons of munitions, where US forces are clearly setting up a base for the long haul, in what could be a long invasion indeed.
To put it in context, the US announced the invasion of Raqqa had “begun” back in October, within days of the start of the Iraqi invasion of Mosul. US and Kurdish forces only reached the city of Raqqa earlier this month, however, with the other efforts all focused on “surrounding” the city, something they appear to have had limited success with, judging by the number of ISIS convoys finding their way out of Raqqa and toward Palymra.
Townsend added that he thinks the US will be in Syria long after this current battle, dubbing the return to insurgency “ISIS 2.0” and predicting that US ground troops would still be in Syria “dealing with that problem set for awhile.”
This is all happening without the permission of the Syrian government, of course, but Townsend downplayed the risk of clashes with Syria or Russia over that fact, saying that he believes they’re comfortable with focusing on the rest of the country while the US invades Raqqa, and that he doesn’t anticipate any conflicts.
We are being led by low quality people. Something that was so painfully obvious
when Rolling Stone published the juvenile adventures of McChrystal and his aides.
And the clueless media never seems to get around to find out where ISIS 1.0 or 2.0 get their ammunition, arms, fuel, food, vehicles, telecommunications, etc. And for a “state” without currency it certainly has plenty of money.
Clearly, the good general does not care who is paying for ir all.
LOL hardly a bold prediction! As if anyone needs Gen. Townsend to tell them the US will be in Syria for a long time. No kidding, just look at Afghanistan & Iraq. So another gift that keeps on giving (to the pentagon and defense contractors )…
That’s extraordinary mental discipline on his part, to not anticipate any conflicts despite conflicts having already happened and the US presence in Syria being a clear violation of sovereignty and international law.
Translation: Expect more death, destruction, and chaos as U.S. murder machine runs amok. Dick Cheney grins hugely.
“just getting started good”- Quite the intellectual to boot. Maybe English is his second language.
I noticed that too. Makes us look “good”.
Townsend is right. Russia and Syria will allow the Raqqa seige.
A US general makes predictions. What is the record of accuracy of such predictions? Exactly!
Question: Why/how is it that the military mind, and especially at the level of generals, so predictably at odds with reality?
Israeli drone just bombed tanks and artillery in the Syrian Golan Heights. Is not the Russian S-300 ground to air missiles suppose to take care of this problem, what is happening?
Russia getting lots of glory fighting terrorists in Syria, but doing nothing to prevent Israel USA from terrorizing Syria, what kind of chicken game is this?
To do “good” in this world is virtually unknown, as it means to
improve the life of others in a way that is harmless, free of all force and while refusing to except any mutual gratification in return.
But, what this General is trying to accomplish is a full and perfect definition of evil. For it is the moral crime of a liar who uses a pretense of good to his intent to be enriched upon the misery of another.
Who would have thought the 51st state would be East Syria?