This post is also available in:
العربية
On Friday, September 18, 2020, the United States (US) Central Command issued a statement about reinforcing the International Coalition forces in Northeastern Syria. The Central Command said that the reinforcement is a clear proof that the US is determined to defend the International Coalition forces by deploying increasing US patrols and providing Bradley armored vehicles. On the same day, Col. Wayne Marotto, the International Coalition spokesman for the Inherent Resolve Operation, issued a statement about deploying Bradley M2 /I2 armored vehicles to Syria. The statement said:”The Operation Inherent Resolve Task Force plans to deploy mechanized infantry assets, including Bradley vehicles in Syria to preserve Coalition forces’ freedom of movement to continue to defeat Daesh operations safely.”
Endless Daesh:
On March 22,2019, the US President Donald Trump stated to journalists that the US-backed forces expelled Daesh from its last stronghold in Syria, hecne defeating the organization 100 percent. On October 7, 2019, Trump repeated his statements by saying :”We defeated Daesh 100 percent and arrested thousands of members rapidly.” The difference in Trump’s second statement is that he announced by a thread of tweets, withdrawing the US forces. That thread was a green light for Turkey to invade the Ras al-Ayn and Tall-Abyad areas; however, Daesh was not defeated 100 percent like what Trump said. Trump statements meant his renunciation of protecting his allies in the area. Given that, later, Trump agreed to keep low-numbered forces in Syria under pressure by the US Administration, Trump’s advisors and military commanders.
Daesh has lost activeness indeed because it no longer controls areas as well as it was defeated militarily; however, extremist Daesh nature and its members’ hiding in remote areas in Syrian al-badiya helped the organization to launch limited attacks and stir tention by bombings and assassinations. The International Coalition and local partners launched security campaigns that devastated the scattered Daesh.
Despite Daesh is still able to conduct assassinations and stir tension in Deir Ezzor, it lost capability to rearrange ranks, especially as many active commanders or members were either killed in military operations or arrested in local prisons that the International Coalition- backed Syrian Democratic Forces run.
Col. Marotto’s statement contributes to total elimination of Daesh and to indicate that the latter has not been defeated yet, and that the International Coalition works on the strategy of preventing Daesh from re-emerging by eliminating its groups.
Protecting International Coalition forces from whom?
Col. Marotto’s statements said: “The Operation Inherent Resolve Task Force plans to deploy mechanized infantry assets, including Bradley vehicles in Syria to preserve Coalition forces’ freedom of movement to continue to defeat Daesh operations safely.”However, it seems that the International Coalition forces cannot move freely, especially after incidents with the Russian forces over the last three months. Those incidents increased, including military chases, altercations, fistfights, confrontations, and blocking roads. It seems that the International Coalition desires to move freely in its-controlled areas, especially those in which there is intersection between Russian forces and their local partners. The International Coalition’s deploying Bradley armored vehicles would not only allow the Coalition to move freely, but also it would prevent Russia and its allies from the same purpose.
Marotto’s statement implies a further message that is the commitment to the US local allies, as the statement said:”The Task Force Inherent Resolve Operation will continue to work by, with and through partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh. It seems that this mission will not be short-termed, especially if “eventuality” in the statement was analyzed to mean drying up terrorism springs that increase the time the International Coalition will need in Syria, hence a guarantee for the Coalition’s partners on the military and political levels.
Many people think that the US’ promises and commitment to options related to the US forces existence are useless, especially that the US takes fluctuated decisions about the Syrian file, which Trump and his administration thinks is a result of the Democrats who work to implement an agenda that they did not participate in planning. The reality of the situation indicates that the area is strategically important for the US far beyond Trump’s considerations. Upt to the moment, Trump and his team do not know whether they will win another term of office. The area is important for the US, especially Washington does not desire to let the Russians and Iranians control the area and build bases that could threaten the US and their allies.
