US Defense Secretary James Mattis disagrees with President Donald Trump’s decision to immediately withdraw all US military forces from Syria, Senator Lindsey Graham said during a press conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday.
“He [Mattis] thought that the time was not right to leave,” Graham said. “He told me without any hesitation that ISIL has been hurt badly, that the change in strategy to be more aggressive has paid off. But they are not defeated, and that a replay of Iraq is very likely.”
Graham said he also talked to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who he said understands that the conditions on the ground in Syria are not right for the United States to withdraw its troops.
The senator argued that leaving Syria could lead to a reemergence of ISIL, put Kurdish fighters there in danger and benefit the national interests of Russia, Iran and the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
On Wednesday, Trump announced his decision to withdraw all US military troops from Syria, saying the move was motivated by the fact that the ISIL in that country has been defeated.
Source: Sputnik
