America finally reveals its purpose of intervening in Syria?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has just announced the expansion of the country's operations in Syria, where Washington has long claimed to only intervene to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).
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| US soldiers during an operation in Syria. Photo: Reuters |
Speaking at the JINSA think tank in Washington, DC, Pompeo recently stressed that “defeating ISIS remains our top priority,” but Washington will simultaneously pursue two other mutually supportive goals: “a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Syria and the removal of all Iranian and Iranian-backed forces from Syria,” according to the magazine.Newsweek.
The US and Israel have long accused Tehran of expanding its influence in Syria by supporting Shiite Muslim militias fighting IS and rebel groups opposing President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran and Russia.
Secretary Pompeo also warned that the US would not provide reconstruction funds to Syria until Tehran withdrew its troops from the country. “We have made it clear: If Syria does not ensure the complete withdrawal of Iranian-backed troops, it will not receive a single dollar from the United States for reconstruction,” he said.
While the Trump administration has been ambiguous about regime change in Damascus, it has been consistent in its opposition to Iranian influence in Syria. Last month, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said: “As long as there are Iranian troops outside the borders of Iran, we are not leaving.” Later, US Central Command Commander Joseph Votel told reporters that his mission was focused on defeating IS, but stressed: “I think we are playing an indirect role in supporting the larger campaign against Iran.”
Meanwhile, Iran has joined Syria and Russia in calling for the US to withdraw its troops completely from Syria. Damascus views Moscow and Tehran as legitimate international partners but accuses the US-led coalition and Turkish troops of illegally occupying parts of Syria, according toNewsweek.
