Local Troops Deployed Should Not Be Affected by Syrian Policy Change

Military sources tell NBC 7 troop deployments in rotation from Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms to the Middle East under CENTCOM in support of the fight against ISIS should not be impacted by President Trump’s declaration that ISIS has been defeated in Syria.

Where they will be assigned in the region is up to CENTCOM commanders. There is no word from the U.S. military on if there will be a decrease in the number of troops at this time.

On Wednesday a source with the U.S. military told NBC News that President Donald Trump’s announcement the U.S. troops would be leaving Syria was a surprise.

U.S. Marines have been in Syria supporting the fight against ISIS under CENTCOM during multiple deployments to the Middle East since the Obama Administration.

NBC 7 recently reported on their involvement in Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria as part of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Crisis Response conducting a live-fire demonstration in eastern Syria in early October 2018. 

Weeks later according to the Defense Department three Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment attached to the SPMATF-CC Central Command received Purple Hearts for wounds sustained while deployed to Syria. 

Despite President Trump’s declaration Wednesday that ISIS has been defeated in Syria statements from CENTCOM and Ambassador James Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syrian Engagement this month suggest otherwise. 

Only days ago on Dec. 15, CENTCOM stated, “ISIS continues to use protected structures to launch attacks against our Coalition partners with complete disregard for the infrastructure and innocent human lives.” 

Stating ISIS is violating the laws of armed conflict and misuse protected structures like hospitals and religious sites, which causes the facility to lose its protected status.

Coalition Forces and partners continue to make offensive gains against ISIS, according to the release. 

“Making gains” are the words CENTCOM used to describe of the status of Operation Roundup, which began in May 2018 to enable the enduring defeat of ISIS in Syria. 

Earlier this month Jeffrey told reporters the U.S. is well on its way to reaching the goal of U.S. involvement is the enduring defeat of ISIS with but, “The problem is ISIS will come back if the underlying conditions are receptive to that kind of ideological movement.” 

Which is what the U.S. military saw happen in Iraq when American troops pulled out of that country under the Obama Administration.

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