Latest ""
US military halts patrols against Islamic State in Syria
Turkish threats of a ground invasion have stymied the missions with Kurdish forces.
By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
What Trump gets wrong about war against the Islamic State
President Donald Trump has made several incorrect or misleading statements about the five-year battle against the Islamic State group as he seeks to end what he calls “endless wars” and explain an abrupt abandonment of America’s Kurdish partners in the face of a Turkish offensive.
By Robert Burns, The Associated Press
US military struggles to find a strategy amid sudden policy changes in CENTCOM region
The future of the five-year fight against Islamic State militants is unclear, along with the entire strategy underpinning the U.S. troop presence in the U.S. Central Command region.
Russia, Turkey seal power in northeast Syria with accord after American troops withdraw
The leaders of Russia and Turkey announced an agreement Turkey for their two countries’ forces to jointly patrol almost the entire northeastern Syrian border after the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters. The deal would seal the two countries’ power in Syria, filling the void left by departing American troops after President Donald Trump abruptly ordered their withdrawal.
Brett McGurk warns that ISIS threats are likely to reemerge
“I think the ability of the United States to hold the SDF intact, which is critical to mitigating the risk of an ISIS resurgence, is draining by the day,” McGurk said.
By Diana Stancy
High stakes for Putin, Erdogan summit on northeast Syria
Turkey’s president is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in talks crucial to the outcome of Turkey’s latest incursion into northern Syria , and to the broader Syrian war.
Some American troops may stay in Syria to guard oil fields, Esper says
The U.S. may leave some forces in Syria to secure oil fields and make sure they don’t fall into the hands of a resurgent Islamic State, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday, even though President Donald Trump has insisted he is pulling troops out of the country and getting out of “endless wars.”
By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
A veteran’s perspective on Syria: A letter to our leadership
This is a case when service members deserve a private conversation with leaders without fear of reprisal, an officer says.
By Jay Zwirblis
US military convoy withdrawing from Syria pelted with garbage by angry residents
Departing U.S. troops from Syria just cross the border into Iraq Monday.
By Shawn Snow
There was nothing fast or loose about US support for the Kurds
There was good reason for the U.S. to end its partnership with the Kurds in a more deliberate manner, says the author of this commentary.
By Andrew Milburn