US Representative in Global Coalition Against ISIS Resigns

Brett McGurk, the US representative in the global coalition against the group known as the 'Islamic Caliphate', resigned in response to Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria. This resignation follows the departure of James Mattis, the US Secretary of Defense. Fox News reported that McGurk submitted his resignation on Friday, one day after General Mattis's resignation. In his resignation letter addressed to the US Secretary of State, McGurk stated that the 'Islamic Caliphate' or ISIS has not been completely defeated and that US operations in Syria are not over. Last week, US officials announced that the Trump administration intends to withdraw approximately 2,000 American soldiers from Syria. Trump also tweeted that ISIS has been defeated and that its defeat was the only reason for the US presence in Syria. The US President then announced on Thursday that the Secretary of Defense would retire. However, General Mattis wrote in his resignation letter that the President has the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views align more closely with his own. Fox News cited informed sources stating that Mattis's resignation was a protest against Trump's policies. However, this resignation now takes on broader dimensions with Brett McGurk's departure. He was appointed as the US representative in the global coalition against ISIS in 2015 amid the Syrian civil war. Just about ten days ago, McGurk stated in a press conference that if we consider ISIS defeated, we are being careless. He emphasized that 'no one can say they [ISIS] are gone, and no one is that naive.' McGurk also assured that the US would remain in the region to ensure that stability would endure. Previously, some Republicans, such as Senator Lindsey Graham, criticized Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria. However, Trump stated that this decision was made to save the lives of American soldiers and to reduce the financial costs of this operation.