snips//

WASHINGTON — The United States is sending an additional 400 troops to Syria to help prepare for the looming fight for Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic State’s self-proclaimed caliphate, American officials said on Thursday.

The increase, which includes a team of Army Rangers and a Marine artillery unit that have already arrived in Syria, represents a near-doubling of the number of American troops there.

The United States military has declined to say how many troops it has deployed in Syria. The formal troop cap is 503, but commanders have the authority to temporarily exceed that limit.

The Rangers’ presence became apparent last weekend when they were seen driving around the northern Syrian town of Manbij in Stryker vehicles and armored Humvees. The Washington Post earlier reported the deployment of the Marine artillery battery.

“We are preparing logistical and fire support to enable a successful assault on Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of ISIS,” said Col. John L. Dorrian, a spokesman for the American-led command that is fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Solly Mack

(90,779 posts)

2. I saw one earlier about troops from Bragg going

Reply to BainsBane (Original post)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:07 AM

Mar 2017

Last edited Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:47 AM - Edit history (1)

and the Marines that were sent.

Can't recall who posted it though. Sorry.

About the Marines from the 8th & the 9th

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028768862
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028770729
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028768987
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141724100

and this one from today was about the troops from Bragg who will mostly be in Kuwait and help in Iraq but will also be used in Syria, or so the article states.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141724173

democrank

(11,098 posts)

4. K & R

Reply to BainsBane (Original post)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:12 AM

Mar 2017

pat_k

(9,313 posts)

6. On Edit: Removed NYTimes quote from title.

Reply to BainsBane (Original post)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:17 AM

Mar 2017

Last edited Sat Mar 11, 2017, 05:24 AM - Edit history (1)

From NY Times "U.S. Is Sending 400 More Troops to Syria"

----------------------
On Edit: Removed the following quote from title because some reacted to the quote and appear not to have bothered to read what I posted. To be clear, as I say in post 14, what I am asking is this: Why aren't they reporting what Does Not "reflect assumptions..."? (i.e., What the hell is DT fucking up this time?).

"largely reflects the assumptions that guided the planning during the Obama administration"

"Largely reflects"?

Begs the question of what parts are a departure.

Somehow, I would guess that the following would not be "up in the air" at this point under Obama.

One big hole in the strategy concerns which fighters will actually seize Raqqa. American commanders favor a mixed force of Syrian Arabs and the Kurdish Y.P.G. militia. But Turkey objects to arming the Kurds, a group it has denounced as terrorists.

The American military hopes it can mollify the Turks by making sure that the majority of the force that takes the city is Arab, and making clear that only local fighters will occupy the city after the Islamic State is driven out.

But Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee who recently visited Syria and Turkey, questioned whether these assurances would be enough to ease the concerns of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. His role is critical because he has allowed American warplanes to operate from the Turkish airfield at Incirlik and has sent Turkish troops into Syria.

BainsBane

(53,041 posts)

7. WtF are you responding to?

Reply to pat_k (Reply #6)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:20 AM

Mar 2017

pat_k

(9,313 posts)

9. Sorry, first line inadvertently deleted. Fixed now.

Reply to BainsBane (Reply #7)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:27 AM

Mar 2017

BainsBane

(53,041 posts)

11. And your point is?

Reply to pat_k (Reply #9)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:43 AM

Mar 2017

Trump isn't to blame because it's really Obama's fault? We're just being mean to Donny?

There is no scenario in which there would be an Obama policy at this point. The constitution has a provision limiting the president to two terms. As a result, Obama didn't run for president in 2016, and Clinton made it very clear that US ground forces would be a tactical mistake. The reasons should be obvious. We are not well liked in the region. The presence of combat forces has a high possibility of backfiring.

I'll spell out the differences for you, since you are struggling to distinguish Obama from Trump: the troops numbers are DOUBLED. They are COMBAT forces rather than advisors. Trump hasn't figured out what the fuck his policy over there is. Oh, and a US base over there was recently bombed by Russia, so why not throw some more lives at the problem to make little hands feel important?

That NYT article is not the only source on the subject. You can Google.

pat_k

(9,313 posts)

14. "Begs the question of what parts are a departure"

Reply to BainsBane (Reply #11)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:55 AM

Mar 2017

What I am asking is, why aren't they reporting what Does Not "reflect assumptions..."

i.e., What the hell is DT fucking up this time.

JI7

(89,260 posts)

13. just like Obama is responsible for the Yemen Raid. i hope the Admin doesn't let

Reply to pat_k (Reply #6)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:48 AM

Mar 2017

this shit go on for years like they did before on this site.

pat_k

(9,313 posts)

15. See #14

Reply to JI7 (Reply #13)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 04:56 AM

Mar 2017

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028777857#post14

BainsBane

(53,041 posts)

16. Me too

Reply to JI7 (Reply #13)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 05:33 AM

Mar 2017

In fact I wrote them about this very issue today.

Not being a true leftist, I guess I am just unqualified to understand how apologizing for Trump is the kind of morality lacking in Democrat leadership.

pat_k

(9,313 posts)

17. "Apologizing for Trump"???

Reply to BainsBane (Reply #16)

Sat Mar 11, 2017, 05:39 AM

Mar 2017

Perhaps there is some strange filter on your computer that is altering the content of my posts? Because what you are accusing me of is so far off the mark... there are no words.