House Lawmakers Confused over US Military’s Goals in Syria as Pentagon Maintains Focus on ISIS
House Lawmakers Confused over US Military’s Goals in Syria as Pentagon Maintains Focus on ISIS by Corey Dickstein - Stars & Stripes
House lawmakers on Wednesday grilled Pentagon officials on President Donald Trump’s overall goals for Syria, expressing confusion about the role of American troops in the war-torn country where Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said their mission is solely to stamp out the Islamic State.
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., repeatedly expressed frustration during a hearing of the House Armed Services subcommittee on oversight and investigations as he attempted to ascertain the differences in recent statements by top Trump administration officials about the role of U.S. troops in Syria, where they have been fighting ISIS since 2014.
On Monday, National Security Adviser John Bolton said U.S. servicemembers would not leave Syria until Iran withdraws its proxy forces from the country. Hours later, Mattis insisted some 2,000 troops are only in the country to back forces fighting ISIS and to train local groups to maintain security…