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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 9 February 2018
For US in Syria, end game gets murkier as IS shrinks

By ROBERT BURNS stumbling into a broader producing Deir el-Zour re- also has a stake in stabiliz- lution, though there are no
AP National Security Writer conflict, without a vote of gion along the Euphrates ing swaths of Syria. In that indications one could be
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Congress or clear objec- River. A stronghold of Islam- endeavor it is encountering achieved anytime soon.
closer the U.S. gets to its tives," said Sen. Tim Kaine, ic State militants until late friction with Turkey, a NATO Keeping U.S. forces on the
original goal in Syria of de- ground in areas that Presi-
feating the Islamic State dent Bashar Assad's gov-
group, the murkier its end ernment hopes to reclaim
game. New layers of com- inherently increases the
plexity are descending on probability of more clash-
a shifting battlefield, as es. But the United States
demonstrated by a deadly argues that if it were to pull
barrage of American air out, a fight for control over
and artillery strikes on a these areas would ensue.
shadowy attacker. Whatever group wins out—
The Pentagon insists it is the government, rebels
keeping its focus on de- or extremists such as IS —
feating IS, but Defense Sec- would be far less equipped
retary Jim Mattis said Thurs- than the U.S. to maintain
day U.S.-backed fighters in stability, the American ar-
eastern Syria faced a "per- gument goes. It was in this
plexing" overnight assault complex military and po-
by about 300 pro-Syrian litical environment that the
government fighters whose pro-Assad fighters shelled a
nationalities, motives and Syrian Democratic Forces
makeup he could not iden- This photo shows civil defense workers and civilians inspecting a damaged building after airstrikes headquarters about five
tify. A number of U.S. mili- hit a rebel-held suburb near Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. Syrian rescue workers and miles east of the Euphra-
tary advisers were present activists say the death toll from ongoing government strikes on the opposition-held region near tes in Khusham, Syria, late
alongside local allied forc- the capital Damascus has risen to at least 35. Wednesday. By crossing
es, and the Americans led (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) the river, the fighters would
a punishing response that have violated a “deconflic-
other officials said killed a Virginia Democrat, who last year, the area was the ally that opposes any co- tion” agreement between
about 100 of the assailants. has challenged the legal group's main source of oil operation with Syrian Kurd- Washington and Moscow,
Mattis asserted the episode grounds on which Ameri- revenue. U.S.-backed Kurd- ish fighters. It sees them as approaching U.S.-backed
was an aberration that can troops can operate in ish-led forces have been an existential threat to Tur- forces based near an oil
should not be seen as an Syria for post-IS operations. competing for control of key. field. The motive for the
expansion of the U.S. war Mattis rejected Kaine's sug- Deir el-Zour with Russian- Beyond fighting IS in its few attack remains a mystery,
effort. But Trump admin- gestion the U.S. is being backed Syrian troops that remaining pockets of influ- Mattis said, as is the make-
istration critics disagreed. drawn into a broader war. are reinforced by Iranian- ence, the U.S. has been up of the attackers. “For
The Pentagon boss also dis- "It was self-defense," he supported militias. working in areas of Syria some reason, pro-regime
missed any suggestion that said. "We're not getting This is essentially the Islamic liberated from IS to restore forces — and I cannot give
Russia, the Syrian govern- engaged in the Syrian civil State's last stand in Syria, basic services and set up you any explanation for
ment's most powerful mili- war." having ceded most of its interim governing structures why they would do this —
tary ally, had any control The Pentagon says there Syrian and Iraqi territory until the war between Syr- moved against SDF posi-
over the mysterious attack- are about 2,000 U.S. troops over the past couple of ia's government and rebel tions,” he said. Mattis said
ing force. in Syria. Many are operat- years. groups can be quelled. U.S. special operations
"I am gravely concerned ing with local allies, known While Washington's mission Mattis said Thursday the troops were present as ad-
that the Trump admin- as the Syrian Democratic is to finish off IS and ensure goal is to create conditions visers at the headquarters.
istration is purposefully Forces, in the eastern oil- it does not return, the U.S. for a U.N.-led political reso- No Americans were hurt.q

Mattis: Immigrant service members won't face deportation

By LOLITA C. BALDOR all veterans who were hon- tis said flatly it's not a prob- tional Interest, that seeks once again accepting and
Associated Press orably discharged will be lem. people with particularly processing DACA renew-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The safe unless they have com- "They will not be subject to critical skills. Many of them als.
nearly 850 immigrants cur- mitted a serious felony or a any kind of deportation," are fluent in key languages, That case leaves open the
rently serving in the military judge had issued a specific he told reporters. "In terms including various Afghan question as to whether
or waiting to start basic deportation order for them. of the DACA situation ... it's and Iraqi dialects or per- someone could enlist in
training won't face depor- President Donald Trump clarified they are not in any haps Russian or Chinese. the military and then seek
tation despite the ongoing said in September that he kind of jeopardy." Last September, the ad- protection from any subse-
federal wrangling over the was terminating the De- Mattis added that Home- ministration said people quent deportation move.
fate of people who came ferred Action for Childhood land Security has been al- whose DACA status ex- Congress continues to
to America illegally as chil- Arrivals program, or DACA, ways willing to work with pired before March 5 could struggle to find a legisla-
dren, Defense Secretary which provided protection the Pentagon on DACA apply for renewal, which tive solution. House Minor-
Jim Mattis said Thursday. from deportation for peo- issues, and he said, "we essentially gave Congress ity Leader Nancy Pelosi
Mattis said he spoke with ple brought to America as would always stand by one six months to come up with staged a record-breaking,
Homeland Security Sec- children who are now living of our people." a legislative fix. A federal eight-hour speech in hopes
retary Kirstjen Nielsen ear- here illegally. All of those DACA service court ruling, meanwhile, of pressuring Republicans
lier Thursday in what he Previously, U.S. officials members came in under blocked Trump's move, to allow a vote on protect-
described as a "confirm- have said the military mem- a small, special recruiting prompting the U.S. ing the hundreds of thou-
ing call" and was told that bers' DACA status wasn't program called Military Citizenship and Immigra- sands of so-called "Dream-
those military members and clear. But on Thursday Mat- Accessions Vital to the Na- tion Services to say it was er" immigrants.q