US sticking with Syrian fighters, banking on Geneva peace process

THE WAY AHEAD IN SYRIA: With the defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq almost complete, and the caliphate collapsing in Syria, the U.S. says it will continue to back a coalition of Syrian fighters as it pursues ISIS remnants in the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria. “We continue to work by, with and through our partners to militarily defeat Daesh [ISIS], and we will continue our efforts until the Daesh threat is permanently removed,” Army Maj. Gen. James Jarrard, commander of the U.S.-led special operations task force, told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday. Jarrard praised what he called the phenomenal success of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a loose coalition that includes Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Yezidis, Armenians and Turkmen. “The coalition will continue our support to the SDF as they liberate the remainder of areas along the Euphrates River to the border with Iraq,” Jarrard said, indicating the U.S. plans to stay in Syria after the shooting stops. “Once we have successfully defeated Daesh, the coalition will continue to have a key role for enduring counter-VEO [violent extremist organization] efforts,” he said.

WHAT NEXT? The United States, unlike Russia, was not invited into Syria, which is still a sovereign nation with a functioning government headed by Bashar Assad. When ISIS is defeated, the U.S. will lack a legal basis to stay, so maneuvering is underway to ensure the Assad regime doesn’t turn its guns on the Syrian fighters who did the heavy lifting on the ground on America’s behalf.

In Senate testimony this week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said diplomatic efforts are underway to create more “de-escalation zones” in areas that have been liberated by the SDF. The idea is to make sure Syrian civil war “does not rear up” again. “In order for that to happen that means that the regime holds its positions and not try to overrun or retake areas that were liberated by others,” Tillerson told the Senate Armed Service Committee Monday night.

“These are not demarcations zones. It is not intended to divide the country,” Tillerson said. “They are merely intended to de-escalate, deconflict and in effect get cease-fires in place so that we then can get representatives to the Geneva process pursuant to the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, which has a very prescribed process for how Syria will work its way towards new elections over the next few years.”

UH, HOW MANY TROOPS? There was a moment in yesterday’s Pentagon briefing when it appeared Jarrard was making some big news, announcing a major increase in the number of U.S. ground forces in Syria. “I think it's a little over 4,000 U.S. troops in Syria right now,” he said when asked for the latest troop levels. WHAAAT? The official number, which is thought to be an undercount, was just over 500. When Idrees Ali of Reuters followed up, Jarrard quicky backtracked. “I'm sorry. I misspoke there. There are approximately 500 troops in Syria,” Jarrard said.