On Thursday, the Pentagon revealed the US has roughly 2,000 troops occupying Syria, more than twice the number it has been disclosing.
For years, the US has said it has about 900 troops inside Syria. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the troops levels have been at 2,000 for a “while,” well before the regime change that ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Since the regime change in Syria on December 8, the Pentagon has been asked repeatedly about the number of US troops in the country and kept repeating the 900 number. Ryder claimed he had just learned that it was significantly higher than he had been saying.
“As you know, we have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 US troops deployed to Syria. In light of the situation in Syria and the significant interest, we recently learned that those numbers were higher, and so asked to look into it. I learned today that in fact there are approximately 2,000 US troops in Syria,” he said.
Ryder claimed the additional forces are on more temporary deployments while 900 are in Syria on a long-term basis. “As I understand it and as it was explained to me, these additional forces are considered temporary rotational forces that deploy to meet shifting mission requirements, whereas the core 900 deployers are on longer-term deployments,” he said.
The US has been clear that it has no intention of withdrawing from Syria following the regime change and is using the presence of ISIS fighters as the justification to stay. The presence of US troops in Syria has always been a potential tripwire for a major conflict and is now even more so as the situation in the country is unclear.
The US backs the Kurdish-led SDF, which has been clashing with Turkey and its allies in northern Syria. A report from The Telegraph also revealed that the US had foreknowledge of the offensive launched by the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that ousted Assad and helped prepare another rebel group for the fight.
"Approximately 2000…" I bet it could be 4000 and they would still lie about it. And if they become targets they can lie about the number of casualties. If we had any sense, we would cut a deal to capitalize on the oil we stole by negotiating what we need and get the hell out of there before our soldiers become fodder for Israel's quagmire now in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Any comments coming out of the Pentagon take with a grain of salt. Goebels would be proud of that institution
The pentagon can’t even pass an audit of human beings.
… And the wasted Taxpayer Money…!
Goes without saying, never passed a financial audit.
And the FED keeps rolling over the American people!
Hardly the practices of a true, free, fair democracy!
The Empire of Lies Maintains the Shaky Hegemony…!
Did he find the missing $2 trillions?
A small technical force in any case.
Once you include their squires, paiges, horses and groomsmen, bards, scribes, scouts, skirmishers, spearmen, ronin, and archers, I'm sure that number tops 5,000.
“As you know, we have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 US troops deployed to Syria. In light of the situation in Syria and the significant interest, we recently learned that those numbers were higher, and so asked to look into it. I learned today that in fact there are approximately 2,000 US troops in Syria,” he said.
I'll put this bluntly. That guy is one lying motherfucker.
"…we recently learned…"
You're a modern Major General ! You've information vegetable, animal, and mineral. You know the kings of England, can quote the fights historical from Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical. Very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, understanding equations, both the simple and quadratical. About binomial theorem you teem with a lot o' news, and many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse !
HOW'D YOU NOT KNOW ???
How else is the US going to steal Syrian oil and give it to a nearby country with great influence in Congress.
The overthrow of and Libya Assad was not the liberation of Syria. Its the final destruction as a viable nation state, in the footsteps of Somalia, Iraq and Libya.
The "liberators" are doing Uncle Sammy's dirty work.
"As I understand it…" Stop right there.