{"id":69388,"date":"2018-09-07T01:23:05","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T01:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/07\/us-plays-down-talk-of-imminent-pullout-of-forces-from-syria\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:57:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:57:31","slug":"us-plays-down-talk-of-imminent-pullout-of-forces-from-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/09\/07\/us-plays-down-talk-of-imminent-pullout-of-forces-from-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"US plays down talk of imminent pullout of forces from Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The Trump administration is now pledging the U.S. will remain in Syria until the \u201cenduring defeat\u201d of the Islamic State group<\/a>, a move that could signal open-ended American involvement in the war-torn country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement “means we’re not in a hurry to pull out,” the U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, told journalists in Washington Thursday, although he added that didn’t necessarily mean a long-term American military presence in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Donald Trump has previously expressed a desire to get the U.S. out of Syria<\/a>. There are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops deployed there, according to the Pentagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re no longer pulling out by the end of the year<\/a>, we\u2019re going to stay in until we have an enduring defeat of (the Islamic State group),\u201d Jeffrey said. The other pillar of U.S. policy was the complete withdrawal of all Iranian-commanded forces from Syrian territory, said the veteran diplomat, who was appointed last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\t