US ‘slowing things down’ on troop withdrawal from Syria – top senator

31 Dec, 2018

 The US troop withdrawal from Syria needs a “pause” in order to protect the Kurds, the potential interests of Israel, and to prevent Iran from scoring a big win in Syria, a top GOP senator has said.

The withdrawal of the US military from the country is currently in a “pause situation,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R- SC) told reporters on Monday after having lunch with President Trump at the White House.

READ MORE: Retired Gen. McChrystal slams ‘immoral liar’ Trump for pulling out of Syria, says ISIS on the rise

“We talked about Syria. He told me some things I didn’t know that made me feel a lot better about where we’re headed in Syria,” said Graham, who is an outspoken critic of Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria.

I think we’re slowing things down in a smart way.

 Earlier this month, Trump announced his decision to withdraw the US contingent – believed to be some 2,000-strong – from Syria, yet again claiming victory over the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorist group in the country. Graham believes the group was not actually defeated and the president promised to destroy it again.

“He promised to destroy ISIS. He’s going to keep that promise. We’re not there yet,” said the senator.

Apart from that, Trump is “worried” about the “potential dangers to Israel,” and will work with Ankara to ensure that “we don’t have a war between the Turks and our allies the Kurds,” Graham revealed.

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Pentagon mulls allowing Kurdish militias to keep weapons after US withdrawal from Syria – report

The Pentagon is considering allowing Kurdish fighters to keep their US-supplied weapons after American forces withdraw from northern Syria, breaking a promise it had made to Turkey, a media report reveals.

US commanders preparing for the troop pullout from Syria have recommended that Kurdish militias be allowed to keep weapons and equipment provided by the US military, according to American officials who spoke with Reuters. The Pentagon is mulling the possibility as it draws up its plan for exiting Syria. A final decision on the matter will have to be approved by President Donald Trump, who ordered the withdrawal of all US forces from Syria earlier this month