Pompeo: The Withdrawal of US Forces from Syria Does Not Mean the End of the War with ISIS

On Wednesday, February 6, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during a meeting of foreign ministers from countries in the international coalition against ISIS, labeled the militant group as still a "threat" and emphasized that Washington's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria does not signify the end of the war against ISIS. Pompeo, who opened the one-day meeting in Washington with his speech, identified one of the main objectives of the international coalition against ISIS as countering the group's propaganda and "brainwashing," stating that they should not be allowed to spread their message. According to him, the nature of the fight against ISIS is now changing, and this struggle will no longer necessarily be under military oversight, but rather focus on dismantling their individual networks. Pompeo then referred to President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, stating that this is merely a tactical change, but the core mission remains unchanged. According to statements from officials in the international coalition against ISIS, the withdrawal of US forces from Syria began about a month ago. Trump announced that this decision was made to save the lives of American soldiers and reduce costs. This decision has raised concerns in the US Congress that in the absence of US forces, jihadist groups or Russia and Iran will gain more power in Syria. However, in his remarks on Wednesday, Pompeo stressed the necessity of new plans to counter ISIS and the growing power of Iran in Syria. He once again called for the withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria and described the solution to the Syrian crisis as a "political solution in line with UN resolutions." Iran claims that it has sent its forces to Syria at the request of the Syrian government. However, the US considers the withdrawal of its forces from Syria as one of the conditions for reaching a new agreement with Iran, an agreement that would replace the JCPOA. Supporting the Iraqi government in combating ISIS is another goal that Pompeo has set for the international coalition against ISIS. According to him, although "Iraqi forces have shown good capabilities in combating ISIS," the group still has a significant presence in Iraq, making the support of the international coalition for Baghdad essential. At the height of its power, ISIS captured large areas of Iraq, including the city of Mosul, one of the largest cities in the country, and the operation to liberate it took months. During the period when ISIS controlled cities in Iraq and Syria, numerous reports of mass executions, sexual assaults on women and girls, enslavement of citizens, and their sale in markets emerged, provoking global outrage. Therefore, the US Secretary of State described the enforcement of justice as another important goal of the international coalition against ISIS. This coalition began in the summer of 2014 under US leadership and has defined its ultimate goal as a permanent victory over this militant group.