Trump says all Islamic State territory retaken, contradicting allied commander

 

U.S. President Donald Trump introduces U.S. Army Bronze Star recipient Sgt. Sean Rogers after calling him onstage while addressing members of the military during a refueling stop at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., February 28, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told American troops on Thursday that U.S.-backed forces in Syria have retaken 100 percent of the territory once held by Islamic State militants, contradicting the commander of the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces, who said it would take another week.

 

"We just took over, you know, you kept hearing it was 90 percent, 92 percent, the caliphate in Syria. Now it's 100 percent we just took over, 100 percent caliphate," Trump told troops at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during a refuelling stop in Alaska.

 

Earlier on Thursday, the commander of Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Kobani, said in a video released to the news media that the SDF would be able to announce "the complete victory over Daesh (Islamic State) in a week."

 

Trump made his comments while talking to U.S. troops in Alaska about the progress his administration has made in Afghanistan and the Middle East over the past two years. He stopped in Alaska on his way back from talks in Vietnam with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

 

The U.S. president has been anxious to declare that Islamic State has been driven out of all its territory since announcing in December that he would withdraw American forces from Syria, claiming they had succeeded in their mission to defeat the militant group.

 

While the United States has withdrawn some troops, Trump responded to criticism of his move by deciding to leave some 400 U.S. troops in the country over the longer run: 200 to remain in the northeast as part of a multinational force and 200 to remain at an outpost in the southeast to counter Iranian influence.

 

The U.S. president said on Feb. 6 he expected a formal announcement the following week that coalition forces had recaptured all territory previously held by Islamic State in Syria. That announcement has yet to be made.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by David Alexander; Editing by Tim Ahmann and James Dalgleish)

 

 -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-01

Trump tells outrageous lie.

 

What’s new?

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The U.S. president has been anxious to declare that Islamic State has been driven out of all its territory since announcing in December that he would withdraw American forces from Syria, claiming they had succeeded in their mission to defeat the militant group.

Driven out to where?!!!

War is the health of the state. 

Nothing like a quick deflection stop, going from a summit where nothing happend to your lawyer dumping you in it.

Not a good week for the manboy, Kim and Xie laughing their socks off as well!

Huh? The Very Stable Genius said, back in 2016, that he had a secret plan to defeat ISIS in 30 days.  Why didn't he use it? Why has the misery gone on for two years longer than necessary.

Fishing to spin some trump propaganda 

15 hours ago, animalmagic said:

Driven out to where?!!!

Hell I guess?  Somewhere where they can never return, or recruit, or organize, or made weapons, or make plans...

He's really smart~he knows more than the military, CIA, FBI, NSA, professionals in every field~it's not only funny and sad, but it is a danger to everyone

14 hours ago, Oxx said:

Huh? The Very Stable Genius said, back in 2016, that he had a secret plan to defeat ISIS in 30 days.  Why didn't he use it? Why has the misery gone on for two years longer than necessary.

Because the stable genius has been busy making Mexico pay for the big, beautiful Wall! 

Give the kid a break - he's exhausted from all the winning! 

Trump tells what's just coming up in his foggy mind. Most of it is nonsense, half-truths, exaggerations and lies. As president of the USA he is and remains unfit. Soon he will tell his tax declaration is 100% ready and the mexicans pay for the wall.

6 hours ago, Redline said:

Hell I guess?  Somewhere where they can never return, or recruit, or organize, or made weapons, or make plans...

Where would that be, London?

"Nobody" knows "the military" like trump.

 

I think we should have elected this Nobody woman?

 

 

What about Idlib then ? It is controlled by Al Qaeda-affiliated thugs. And as far as I know, every state in the world agrees that they are a terror group, and that they are almost as barbaric as ISIS thugs.

 

Then, what about Afrin ? It is basically controlled by the invader Erdogan, via local semi-jihadi groups.

 

There is still work to be done.

Edited March 2, 20197 yr by JemJem

36 minutes ago, JemJem said:

There is still work to be done.

 

Is there? To what extent do these groups pose a threat to Western civilisation?

 

If none, then just leave the hell alone.

 

The West has meddled far too much in the affairs of far away countries creating turmoil and misery.  Let the Islamic world look after its own.

19 hours ago, smotherb said:

Where would that be, London?

One of the many places 

I suspect the commander knows substantially more than Trump, though no doubt Trump would question that.

3 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

I suspect the commander knows substantially more than Trump, though no doubt Trump would question that.

 

Of course Trump, as Commander in Chief of the United States, knows more than a mere Commander.

 

Had it not been for his bone spurs he'd have been one of America's greatest warriors.  Nay, America's greatest warrior.  As it is, he can but use his stable genius and his incredible military intelligence.