Top general says Russians could force US out of Syria, as Congress strikes deal to slap them with new sanctions
Top US general reveals US foothold in Syria could be tenuous after ISIS defeat
Russian military present in Syria at government’s invitation, unlike US forces
Separately, Democratic and Republican senators strike deal on Russia sanctions
Deal would block Trump from relaxing sanctions without Congressional sign-off
By KEITH GRIFFITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
22 July 2017
US forces have a less credible military foothold in Syria than the Russians do, and could be expelled from the country after the defeat of ISIS, a top US general has said.
Russia, unlike the US, operates in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government, said General Raymond ‘Tony’ Thomas, the head of the Special Operations Command, at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday.
‘Here’s the conundrum: We are operating in the sovereign country of Syria. The Russians, their stalwarts, their backstoppers have already uninvited the Turks from Syria. We’re a bad day away from the Russians saying, “Why are you still in Syria, US?” Thomas said, according to Newsweek.
‘If the Russians play that card, we could want to stay and have no ability to do it,’ Thomas continued.
The US has several hundred special operators in Syria under Thomas’ command, mostly Marines and Army Rangers.
Like the US, Russia is involved in the fight against ISIS, which holds dwindling territory in Syria.
But Russia has entered the fight at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the US has backed separatists fighting both ISIS and Assad.
Thomas also revealed that the US has halted a CIA program to equip and train certain rebel groups fighting the government, adding that the decision was not made to appease the Russians.
The US now exclusively backs the Syrian Democratic Forces, the new name for Kurdish militias in northern Syria.
Thomas said that the group ‘re-branded’ at his urging, due to tensions with NATO ally Turkey, which has grappled with Kurdish separatist movements.
‘I thought it was a stroke of brilliance to put democracy in there somewhere. But it gave them a little bit of credibility,’ Thomas said.
The Rest…HERE
