In a bipartisan bid for some clarification, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) have submitted a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley asking for specifics on the US war and military goals in Syria.
The letter wants them to articulate a “coherent and consistent strategy to Congress.” In particular, they want to know what the primary mission of US forces in Syria is, and what secondary missions, if any, are also being pursued.
Officials have offered several contradictory statements on US strategy in Syria. President Trump, however, has repeatedly said that the sole reason for having US troops in Syria is to “control the oil,” with an eye toward eventually taking the oil.
The letters request an answer as soon as possible, with a deadline of February 13 for an answer. It is entirely possible that no answer will ever be offered, as the Trump Administration has consistently ignored Congressional questions and requests for briefings on strategy.
The point of this letter is to find out when U.S. is planning to move out not whether they care about the clarity of the mission.
Or more precisely, to insure they are NOT moving out, even though it is entirely unclear where exactly US troops are at present.
For sure, they are still occupying a 50 square miles at Al-Tanf in South West. But given that Kurds have lost control of their population center and capital Kobane to Damascus, what is SDF doing — if anything — in Deir Azzor? There are less then 0..5% of Kurds living there. So, we are not there protecting Kurds. Who is there?
Moving on towards North East, and some oil fields, where exactly are US troops?
Syrian and Russian forces are up to Qamishli town, and are trying to supply the area villages with humanitarian aid. US has an issue with that and wanted UN to supply them even though Damascus controls the area.
Thus I am assuming that US troops must be somewhere in Syria about 50 miles from Iraqi border, mucking about with Kurds, probably same Iraqi PKK that US favored in Kirkuk. That will not sit well with Turkey.
Since Damascus now controls Raqqa and Euphrates valley (excepting the murky SDF role there), I cannot pinpoint an area, township or villages US is occupying in Syria.
I’ve come to realize that these Senators act as carrier pigeons for the industries with branch offices in DC.
And nations (AIPAC).
Why start caring now?? The US Senate (and the entire congress), hasn’t given a damn about US foreign policy (aka – Israeli foreign policy) in the middle east for the past 30 years at least.