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The US will maintain its military presence in Syria as long as “the Iranian menace continues throughout the Middle East”, US President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton told ABC News’ “This Week” on July 15.
“But I think the president has made it clear that we are there until the ISIS territorial caliphate is removed and as long as the Iranian menace continues throughout the Middle East,” Bolton said.
Bolton’s remarks are at odds with Trump’s March announcement that US troops would be leaving Syria “like, very soon.” However, they sound much closer to the reality.:
- The US troops are still deployed in Syria expanding their military infrastructure in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This presence allows Washington to limit the Russian and Iranian influence in Syria and to prevent the Assad government from restoring full control of the country.
- The US is actively assiting Israel in its long-standing campaign to force Iranian forces to withdraw from the war torn country.
