Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis downplayed the chances of the US withdrawing from Syria soon. He said the US would not want to withdraw from the country while Syria is still in a state of war.
President Trump has expressed support for withdrawing from Syria, but is facing a lot of resistance in the cabinet. Trump had presented the US presence in Syria as about fighting ISIS, and with ISIS virtually wiped out has suggested the rest wasn’t America’s battle.
Mattis, however, argued that the US had “won the fight” and now it was up to US diplomats to “win the peace.” Given how many different wars are ongoing in Syria, however, this is still going to be a protracted war. Under Mattis’ argument, it would have US troops there the whole time.
US diplomats aren’t in much of a position to negotiate with anyone, either. The US has long insisted on unconditional regime change in Syria, but no longer has any nationwide allied factions in Syria to prop up. Indeed, most US diplomatic effort in Syria is spent trying to keep former allies from fighting current allies, and Turkey from overrunning the Kurds.
The Pentagon has always viewed Syria, like Iraq, as a permanent military presence. Mattis’ strategy, in that context, is less about “winning the peace” than about providing a justification for staying involved in the Syrian War over the long term.
The three dictatorial US classes [priestly, oligarchic, and neo-noble] never too scared, shy or dishonest to scare ‘own’ and ‘alien’ “deplorables”, but always too scared to attack militarily even Syria let alone Iran, Russia
Thus fake rage, justice, politics from them.
“He said the US would not want to withdraw from the country while Syria is still in a state of war.”
Which war? The insurgency we fund with Gulf oil money and run out of Turkey and Jordan?
W due respect to the general, if we had worked with the Russians, war would have been over long time ago, with a lot fewer Iranian forces hanging around there.
‘ “Mattis, however, argued….it was up to US diplomats to “win the peace.” ‘
US diplomats, assuming there are any, might just as well retire. No one trusts US anymore (good), not even our allies. The Turks don’t trust US because we arm the Kurds. The Kurds don’t trust US but like US weapons. Europeans, including the UK, don’t trust US because we moved Jerusalem into Israel. The Saudis don’t trust US for the same reason but like the weapons and help they get on Yemen. Syrians would be absolutely crazy to trust US after we armed head-chopping jihadists to take over their country from the leader they elected.
Meaning what? Until Russia and Turkey dismantle Idlib? Or until Israel stops bombing Syria on various pretexts? Or Kurds figure out what is it that they want — fight with Turkey, beg Assad to help them while refusing Syria’s sovereignty, or crearjng excuse for US to stay. How about this. US to stop arming assorted thugs, stop promising Kutds their state, stop urging UN to feed terrorists, while depriving of help all Syrians once liberated from terrorists. Those civilians were. good people while a fake story could be made that they support the “.rebels”. Once out of the captivity, nobody wants to know about their ordeal of many years, and heartbreaking stories kf their tragedies and survival. US has become Israel — the same trademark of endless complaints and accussations, endless lies, endless wallowing in conflict and hate of peace. In fact, there is never, ever a definition of a goal, a state of happiness and peace. Peace is the most undesirable state of them all.
In fact, Syria is much too small conflict. And as Jason pointed out, with no nationwide actor to support. Iraq wants US to wrap up its mission. And then what? A BIGGER war is needed, but only Israel is willing (to push others) to do it. The neocon brigades are on the warpath. Our cowardly Congress and Senate are closing their eyes, and ears, prefending to see no evil — hear no evil. Sleepwalking into disaster.
And since the cause of war in the US is US/israeli foreign policy the US will stay in the Syria forever. The war in Syria is yet another forever-war courtesy of netenyahoo and his peons in the US.
Of course the war cannot end when the USA and its “allies” are keeping it going.
US diplomacy is a non-existent entity.
Syria was a relatively peaceful secular state until the US reignited the dormant centuries old conflict between Islamic sects. Peace is nowhere in sight. This pleases the interventionist cabal. The claims of being concerned for the Syrian people are an insult.