FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

U.S. Central Command Chief Declares U.S. Troops Could Begin Leaving Syria in Weeks

Feb. 11, 2019 (EIRNS)—Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters traveling with him in the region yesterday, that the U.S. pullout of troops from Syria could begin within weeks. Asked whether the withdrawal of the more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: “Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground.”

“In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we’re right on track with where we wanted to be,” Votel said, according to Reuters.

“Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we’re trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need.”

Votel also indicated that it’s also not simply a matter of moving troops from Syria to Iraq. “I think it’s going to remain more or less steady,” he said, referring to U.S. troop levels in Iraq. “This isn’t just wholesale ‘Everybody in Syria move over to Iraq.’ That doesn’t make sense,” he said.