Sending Centcom Commander Gen. Joseph Votel to meet with secretly with Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF], Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis wanted to deliver a message of change in U.S. policy. For six years, former President Barack Obama supplied cash-and-arms to various Syrian rebel groups to topple the Shiite government of President Basshar al-Assad. Since Trump took office Jan. 20, the White House seeks to improve U.S.-Russian relations, something that hit rock bottom during Obama’s eight years in office. Russian President Vladimir Putin decided Sept. 30, 2015 to back al-Assad’s war against Saudi-U.S.-Turkey funded rebel groups with air strikes, tilting the war to al-Assad. Meeting in Geneva for another round of peace talks Feb. 23, the Saudi High Negotiation Commission still won’t stop its proxy war against al-Assad unless he leaves Damascus.
Meeting for four hours with SDF officials, Votel greeted SDF spokesman Talal Sello to “discussed the increase of coordination [to the SDF] in the era of Donald Trump.” Trump stated during the 2016 campaign that he doesn’t back regime change in Syria or elsewhere. Trump’s focus in Syria is not, like Saudi-backed opposition forces, to topple al-Assad but to go after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS]. Pentagon officials made it official that it was dropping the ISIL designation used by Obama officials, designating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant {ISIL],” the caliphate covering the entire region. Confining the name to ISIS more specifically designates where ISIS currently operates in Iraq and Syria. Talking about the “levant,” gives ISIS too much credit for its failing caliphate declared June 20, 2014 by 45-year-old self-declared caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Formerly known as Gen. Idris Salim’s Free Syrian Army, SDF operates with various Arab militias to complete the Saudi Arab Spring’s mission of toppling Mideast dictators, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad started March 15, 2011. Trump stated emphatically during the campaign he opposes attempts by rebel groups to topple Mideast dictators, including al-Assad. When Trump talks of partnering with Russia, he’s talking about no longer arming Saudi-backed Syrian opposition groups still trying to take over Syria. With ISIS creating chaos in Iraq, Syria, Libya and the Sinai Peninsula, Trump wants Mattis to focus U.S. efforts defeating ISIS. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) wants Trump to continue Obama’s policy backing the Saudi proxy war. Facing Saudi-backed rebels face-to-face, Gen. Votel couldn’t tell SDF that Trump has pulled the plug on their six-year-old war.
Trump faces some tough choices standing up to war hawks led by McCain on Capitol Hill. There were promises of heavy weapons in future stages,” said SDF spokesman Talal Sello. Signaling a change, Votel spokesman Col. John Thomas insisted Votel promised the rebels nothing. “During the conversation [with SDF], Gen. Votel understood their need for logistical support and resources that may be greater than what the have been provided up until now,” Thomas said, giving Sello no promises of cash-and-arms under Trump. McCain, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and other Senate war hawks plan to push for more cash-and-arms to Saudi-backed Syrian rebels groups, regardless of butting heads with the White House. “While assuring them that this was a need he understands, he [Votel] did not make specific promises,” said Thomas, confirming a change in U.S. policy.
Meeting in Geneva for a new round of Syrian peace talks, U.N. Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura showed no signs that anything has changed in the past year. Saudi Arabia’s High Negotiation Commission continues to insist that al-Assad must leave Damascus. Despite booted out of East Aleppo Dec. 23, 2016, Saudi-backed Syrian rebel groups continue to call the shots. “The results were positive. We discussed the developments in the Euphrates Rage campaign and shared military matters,” said Sello, reassuring SDG commanders that nothing’s changed. Sello received no commitments from Votel for more arms-and cash to continue waging the proxy war against Syria. Whatever Thomas told SDF about continued U.S. commitment, it’s clear U.S. policy no longer supports the proxy war against al-Assad. Saudi-backed Syrian rebels haven’t yet accepted Trump’s new policy.
Spending six-years backing the Saudi’s Arab Spring, former President Barack Obama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize Oct. 9, 2009, contributed to over 300,00 deaths, 12 million displace Syrians to neighboring countries and Europe. Obama’s policy to topple al-Assad by arming Saudi-backed rebel groups backfired when Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Aytollah Khamenei and Hezbollah’s Shiite Iman Hassan Nasrallah decided to join the fight to keep al-Assad in power. Obama couldn’t admit he was on the wrong side of the Syrian War, instead keeping the Saudi proxy war going for nearly six years. Instead of telling the SDF the truth about Trump’s change in policy, Votel left the situation ambiguous. When SDF figures out what’s changed, they’ll no doubt continue begging the Saudis from more cash-and-arms. SDF officials can expect only lip service from the U.S.
