Mattis signs order withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



DECEMBER 24, 2018 / 8:28 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has signed an order withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria, a Defense Department spokesman said on Monday, following through on a decision by President Donald Trump that helped trigger Mattis’ resignation last week.

The signing, which had been expected, occurred after Trump announced on Sunday that he would replace Mattis two months earlier than expected, a move officials said was driven by the president’s anger at a rebuke of his foreign policy contained in Mattis’ resignation letter.

“The execute order for Syria has been signed,” a Defense Department spokesman said in an email to Reuters that provided no operational details.

Officials have cautioned against a timeline but the withdrawal could begin in weeks. A senior official said a specific plan was being worked on.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-mattis-withdrawal/mattis-signs-order-withdrawing-u-s-troops-from-syria-idUSKCN1ON0QX?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reuters+Politics+News%29

[catbyte]

1. I'm a little surprised he didn't hold off & let the new POtuS stooge sign it.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

2. I'm not...

...I'm sure he wrapped the signing up with a speech filled with words like, "honor", "integrity", and "liberty", and all those kinds of words. He probably did a salute to the flag with a stiff jaw. I would be surprised if there is not a picture of it.

These guys really believe in this stuff, but they also like the optics of it, too.

[catbyte]

3. He resigned over a policy he disagreed with so much yet he attached his name to it.

It does not compute.

[JI7]

6. the reason for resigning was more than just disagreement over policy

he disagreed with obama also but I don't think he questioned Obama's motives.

[procon]

4. Apparently his principled stance is quite flexible.nt

[Farmer-Rick]

5. A merry Xmas present for little Putin.

[End Of The Road]

7. I wonder if these troops will just be moved across the border into Iraq

Withdrawn from Syria, but not out of the area?

[EX500rider]

9. Yes, I believe so.

Strategy Page, which covers military events says:

"......while the Americans are withdrawing their 2,000 troops from Syria they are apparently planning on stationing many of them in Iraq, along the Syrian border to protect Iraq from continued ISIL attack."

https://strategypage.com/qnd/iraq/articles/20181224.aspx

[hostalover]

8. I don't understand why he did this.

[Paladin]

10. If the Republicans were smart, they would replace trump with Mattis in the 2020 race.

Fortunately for us, Republicans aren't smart.