Senate defense spending bill would restrict US troop drawdown from Syria
Washington plans to zero out stipends for Iraqi Kurdistan’s peshmerga forces but will continue funding Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces via its counter-ISIS authorities at least through 2026.
WASHINGTON — A provision submitted for inclusion in the US Senate’s draft version of next year’s defense spending bill would prohibit the Pentagon from further reducing the US troop presence in Syria without first reporting to lawmakers.
The measure, which was cleared by the Senate’s Armed Services Committee last month, prohibits the Pentagon from consolidating or reducing its troop bases in Syria until the defense secretary certifies to relevant committees that the planned moves will “continue to sufficiently meet objectives” of the mission to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS).
Under the provision, the US Defense Secretary would be required to report on “any gaps” that such a reduction would generate, “including in assistance, training or enabling authorized for Syrian groups and individuals.”
Why it matters: The proposed legislative restriction aims to curb any potential moves by the Trump administration to order a US military withdrawal from Syria during the country's increasingly volatile transition period following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December.
