The Pentagon offers the Trump administration to arm Syrian Kurds and send additional US troops in Syria in order to accelerate the war against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in the country.
Photo: AP / Khalid Mohammed
The Pentagon is going to present a new plan to the Trump administration in order to allow it to accelerate the war against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria and, in particular, in Raqqa city, the CNN TV-channel reported on Tuesday. The US Defense Department believes that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are the only forces, capable to conquer the IS in Raqqa.
According to one of the options of the Pentagon’s plan, the US can send thousands additional troops in Syria in order to assist to take Raqqa city. However, at the same time, CNN noted that the number of troops on the ground depends on progress made in arming and training of the SDF by the US-led coalition.
Currently, the SDF consists of about 50,000 fighters, including more than 27,000 fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). The Syrian Arab Coalition portion of the SDF includes some 23,000 Arab forces, with some Kurds in the mix.
“The Pentagon could put several US brigade-sized combat teams on the ground, each team perhaps as many as 4,000 troops,” the CNN’s report noted.
According to CNN, US troops would not enter the city, but would just operate outside Raqqa, carrying out airstrikes and controlling roads and towns around it. However, the decisions to deploy additional US troops in Syria or to directly arm Kurdish fighters to control areas around Raqqa will depend only by the Trump administration.
Pentagon officials understand that such a move would evoke anger of Turkey, which considers the SDF as a part of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization in the country. However, the US Defense Department believes that the SDF are the only one local force, which is capable to recapture the ground around Raqqa city.
“Arab elements of the SDF are the ones who would eventually enter Raqqa, a predominantly Arab town,” CNN quoted the Pentagon.
Last week, new US Defense Secretary General James Mattis said that the incoming administration will try to accelerate the Raqqa campaign.
“I believe that strategy needs to be reviewed and perhaps energized on a more aggressive timeline,” Mattis said.
At the same time, Assistant Secretary of Defense Elissa Slotkin added that the ultimate goal of the campaign is to isolate Raqqa city.
“Our commanders have a plan. You know that we’re in the beginning – or we’re in the middle actually of isolating Raqqa, and that’s going well,” Slotkin noted.
On Monday, the SDF announced that since the start of the so-called Euphrates Wrath operation, they have liberated 3,200 square kilometers of the Syrian territory, including 236 villages, killed more than 620 IS members and liberated thousands of civilians in the western Raqqa’s countryside.
Did the Syrian government invite them? I guess not. The arrogance is never ending.
The kurds invited them.
So ……. if the KKK invited China to come bomb the US – you’d be fine with that?
What a x shit. You might upgrade and go to Lego.
Assad was gone, if kurds & US havnt taken some of the pressure. Assads were also gone with no help from Russia, Iran & Hisbollah.
Assads was also gone, if kurds had joined the uprise. So the americans are hand to mouth for Assads – until they might be stronger. I cant see Assad regime are stronger. Look more and more like a top on an iceberg.
Perhaps you’d like to try that in English?
Something went wrong for You. This is not an autistic site for intollerant autistcs. Some even write in SMS and kill autists here. Be aware.
You’re not in a position to denigrate Other Peoples’ Autism.
Oh, Yes. I have worked with them up til they were 12 years old both in school, at home and in institutions, so I know most of them are fine people.
So if the spell and comma level dont fit, go to a site, where You can relax.
Many here are not born with an english spoon and talent for using it in our asses.
and I rest my case.
Don’t be silly.
If the government could protect the kurdish population, this wouldn’t have happened. But since the kurds had to get help and arm themselves to avoid genocide, this is what happened.
If the govt could protect the Syrian population, none of this would have happened!
VGA you government is supporting Turkey to kill theKurdsh.Now were to we draw the line.
You must crazy if you think I am an american.
I think what VGA means, the syrian arab army which calls itself protector of all of syrian people, they left the kurds to be slaughtered by jihadist. when Kobane and other kurdish area was attacked, where was the syrian army to protect them? So they have now created their own state weather you like it or not. They have invited the united states, russia and other western countries to provide for refuge camps and other ways to help. The norhern syria have little SAA, the kurds are the only group protecting minorities there.
Same question applies.
I get what VGA means – but people are very quick to invite bombs —- when they’re falling on Other Peoples’ Heads and the Kurds have been screwed so many times since Sunday – that bit’s almost a done deal.
As other Syrian Opposition groups are in – the Kurds should be too. I’m guessing they’re left out to keep Turkey … compliant.
That’s all the excuse that Washington needs.
**Pentagon
No, its not. How can You say that being not retarded ????
Obama politics gave that low level. US need no excuse to fright ISIS as well as Al Kaida and its terrorattacs. Nato is mainly like that too.
Russians are the same too. There are muslim terror attacs in Russia too.
Well, there was 400.000 kurds in Kobane and they had to choose between being killed or refugees in Turkey.
So yes, the possibilty to get help was obvios.
They have no authority to invite foreign force.
You are years behind in that .. Too ?
Rojava invited them to the party.
Trump’s ‘drain the swamp’ motto would be best set into concrete action by being applied over at the uncontrollable Neo-Con run Pentagon.
Finally! our government would do something right!
Currently Nato member Turkey is slaughtering Kurdsh under the watchfull eye of USA.
I would love to read TSK within Syria under heavy artillery fire from SDF arms and Turkish airforce fighters being shot out of Syria airspace.