In Apparent Compromise, United States To Keep 400 ‘Peacekeeping’ Troops In Syria

The United States plans to keep about 400 soldiers in Syria to serve as “peacekeepers” after the withdrawal of some 1,600 other military personnel possibly by the end of April. According to reports, Washington will station half of the troops at the al-Tanf base straddling the borders of Jordan and Iraq, a move geared towards preventing the Islamic State’s re-emergence and thwarting Iran’s attempt to establish a contiguous land corridor stretching into Lebanon through which to smuggle arms to its proxies. The remaining soldiers will join a proposed multinational force to monitor a safe zone in northeastern Syria. The decision comes as President Donald Trump is facing a backlash from members of his own political party and regional allies concerned that a complete American pull-out from the war-torn country would empower Russia and, more acutely, give Iran greater freedom to pursue its hegemonic ambitions. The announcement coincides with a push by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in eastern Syria—currently on hold to allow for the evacuation of as many civilians as possible—to oust an estimated 300 ISIS terrorists from the group’s last stronghold of Baghouz.