Following his December announcement saying that he would be pulling all U.S. troops out of Syria, President Trump has decided to leave 200 troops in the Middle Eastern country in order to keep the peace.
In a news conference on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced the change saying, “A small peacekeeping group of about 200 will remain in Syria for a period of time.” This will be a drastic change as the number of soldiers in Syria will go from 2,000 to 200.
President Trump’s December announcement which stated that we had both beat ISIS in Syria and would be withdrawing all 2,000 troops from the region was met with mix emotions. As Christian Headlines previously reported, political leaders on both sides of the aisle condemned the President’s decision, insisting that ISIS was still alive and well in Syria.
According to CBN News, the Pentagon warned the President that a total withdrawal of the U.S. from Syria would enable the terror group to regain its lost territory in six to 12 months.
The President’s announcement also set off a series of bids by Turkey, Iran, Russia, and Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime for Syrian land which Israeli officials fear could allow Iran’s oppressive regime to build a land bridge and increase their ease of mobility.
CBN News reports that a statement from the White House noted that President Trump will continue to work with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to “continue coordinating on the creation of a potential safe zone.”
As of now the timeline for military withdrawal from Syria is not known, however, President Trump did confirm that it would be a gradual process.
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Joe Raedle
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