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Confirming that another chapter of war on terror continues—and disputing claims made by the president as recent as yesterday—the White House on Wednesday issued a statement suggesting there is no end date for U.S. troops to have a presence in Syria.
The new from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders follows comments President Donald Trump made in recent days about U.S. forces in the country, including: “I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home.” He also said troops would be out “like very soon,” and “We’re knocking the hell out of ISIS”— an assessment at odds with that of Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the U.S. Central Command chief, who said Tuesday: “The hard part is in front of us.”
“The military mission to eradicate ISIS in Syria is coming to a rapid end, with ISIS being almost completely destroyed,” Huckabee Sanders said, without offering a timeline. “The United States and our partners remain committed to eliminating the small ISIS presence in Syria that our forces have not already eradicated. We will continue to consult with our allies and friends regarding future plans. We expect countries in the region and beyond, plus the United Nations, to work toward peace and ensure that ISIS never re-emerges.”
Media critic Adam Johnson responded to observers framing a troop withdrawal as benefiting Russia, Iran, or Syria by calling such an assessment a recipe for endless war:
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