WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States has decided to phase out a Central Intelligence Agency program to covertly arm and train Syrians rebelling against the government of Bashar al-Assad, according to US media — a move not expected to directly impact the US’s fight against ISIS.
“This is a momentous decision,” an unnamed current official told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a covert program. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin won in Syria.”
Senior U.S. officials said that the covert program would be phased out over a period of months, according to WaPo.
Along with the anti-Assad program, the United States leads a global anti-ISIS coalition primarily focused on defeating ISIS in northern Syria.
Russia, the Syrian regime, the United States and its Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) maintain a de-confliction line in northern Syria, as to not interfere in counter-ISIS operations.
Spokesmen for the National Security Council and the CIA declined to comment, WaPo reported.
Washington has long supported regime change in Syria — a remnant policy of former President Barack Obama. Moscow has been one of Assad’s primary backers.
“People began thinking about ending the program, but it was not something you’d do for free,” an unnamed former White House official told WaPo. “To give [the program] away without getting anything in return would be foolish.”
In April, Trump unilaterally ordered cruise missile attacks against a Syrian air base after a chemical weapons attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun.
Prior to his election, Trump remarked, “Syria is not our problem.”
Both intra-Syrian peace talks brokered by the United Nations in Geneva and Russia-Turkey-Iran talks in Astana have failed to end the six-year-long civil war.
The US Treasury has issued economic sanctions against a number of Baathist leaders and entities in Syria.
Reuters reported the CIA was freezing military support for Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels in northwest Syria in February in order “to prevent arms and cash falling into Islamist militant hands.”
“This is a momentous decision,” an unnamed current official told The Washington Post, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a covert program. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin won in Syria.”
The decision to end the program reportedly was made after an Oval Office meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and national security adviser H.R. McMaster ahead of US President Donald Trump’s July 7 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Senior U.S. officials said that the covert program would be phased out over a period of months, according to WaPo.
Along with the anti-Assad program, the United States leads a global anti-ISIS coalition primarily focused on defeating ISIS in northern Syria.
Russia, the Syrian regime, the United States and its Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) maintain a de-confliction line in northern Syria, as to not interfere in counter-ISIS operations.
Spokesmen for the National Security Council and the CIA declined to comment, WaPo reported.
Washington has long supported regime change in Syria — a remnant policy of former President Barack Obama. Moscow has been one of Assad’s primary backers.
“People began thinking about ending the program, but it was not something you’d do for free,” an unnamed former White House official told WaPo. “To give [the program] away without getting anything in return would be foolish.”
In April, Trump unilaterally ordered cruise missile attacks against a Syrian air base after a chemical weapons attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun.
Prior to his election, Trump remarked, “Syria is not our problem.”
Both intra-Syrian peace talks brokered by the United Nations in Geneva and Russia-Turkey-Iran talks in Astana have failed to end the six-year-long civil war.
The US Treasury has issued economic sanctions against a number of Baathist leaders and entities in Syria.
Reuters reported the CIA was freezing military support for Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels in northwest Syria in February in order “to prevent arms and cash falling into Islamist militant hands.”
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