Now that Islamic State fighters have been all but defeated in Syria and Turkey’s ventures against Kurdish rebels have proved successful, Iran appears to have directed its proxy militants in Syria to turn their attention to US troops there. The militants have also stepped up their attacks against Israel. The Baqer Brigade, one such group, announced on social media recently that it would begin attacking US forces in Syria. If true, this could have a major impact on the various fighting groups in Syria. The US forces have shown that they are willing and able to use extraordinary force and firepower to defeat any attacks against them, as Mike Pompeo, the candidate nominated by President Trump for the position of Secretary of State, confirmed.
As another report notes, up to three hundred pro-Assad fighters, backed by Russian military contractors, were killed in bombing and helicopter attacks when they attempted to launch an attack on US troops. The Kremlin, which at first denied any involvement, later announced that ‘several dozen’ of its citizens, but not its regular troops, had been killed in the encounter. The Trump doctrine of enabling field commanders to make autonomous decisions appears to be paying dividends. Simultaneously, it sends a signal to all concerned that if American troops are attacked, Washington is prepared to retaliate against all forces, irrespective of their origin or backers.
Read the article by Lindsay Hughes, Research Analyst, Indian Ocean Research Programme in Future Directions International.