San Diego Union Tribune: Trump administration struggles to win Arab support for helping rebuild Syria, leaving U.S. pullout uncertain
The Trump administration is struggling to assemble a coalition of Arab military forces to replace U.S. troops battling Islamic State militants in eastern Syria, a roadblock that could indefinitely delay President Trump’s goal of pulling American forces out of the country, U.S. officials said.
Allies in the region are deeply skeptical about sending their troops — and many are even reluctant to contribute funds — to help stabilize cities and towns liberated from Islamic State, according to senior U.S. officials, if the United States intends to pull out, as Trump has threatened.
Roughly 2,000 U.S. troops have been working with local fighters in eastern Syria to defeat Islamic State. The militants’ presence east of the Euphrates River has shrunk to a few towns and rural strongholds that are being pounded by U.S.-led airstrikes.
But what to do once those fighters are defeated remains a matter of stark disagreement between Trump and his advisors, especially at the Pentagon, where officials fear Trump’s desire for a rapid troop pullout could enable the militants to regroup and give a freer hand to Russia and Iran.
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WNU Editor: As much as President Trump wants U.S. forcs to return home from Syria (see above video) .... I doubt that it is going to happen any time soon. Syria is a quagmire, and the Arab states in the region are well aware of that. They may provide some money and (maybe) a token force .... but the impression that I have from the remarks that I have read is that for many of this governments have washed their hands of this entire mess, and are hoping that the U.S. will remain to take care of it.
