by Stephen Lendman, Stephen Lendman:

Trump escalated Obama’s war on Syria. It wasn’t waged to quit. Numbers of US combat troops illegally occupying northern and southern parts of the country aren’t leaving.

Their numbers are likely much larger than officially claimed, including elite special forces – deployed in around three-fourths of world nations.

Earlier, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) head General Raymond Thomas boasted about “operat(ing) in every corner of the world,” adding:

“Rather than a mere ‘break-glass-in-case-of-war’ force, we are now proactively engaged across the ‘battle space’ of the Geographic Combatant Commands… providing key integrating and enabling capabilities to support their campaigns and operations.”

According to Center for International Policy Arms and Security Project director William Hartung, “(m)ost Americans would be amazed to learn that US Special Operations Forces have been deployed to three quarters of the nations on the planet,” adding:

“There is little or no transparency as to what they are doing in these countries and whether their efforts are promoting security or provoking further tension and conflict.”

There mission is very clear in Syria and other US combat theaters, involved in trying to topple sitting governments. Washington wants pro-Western puppet regimes replacing them.

It’s unclear how many US special forces are in Syria – aiding ISIS and other terrorist groups, not combating them.

Assad rightfully calls US forces “invaders,” operating illegally, aiming to advance America’s imperium – operating from multiple Pentagon bases in northern and southern parts of the country.

The “lesson” from Iraq, Libya and Syria is “(p)eople will not accept (uninvited) foreigners in this region anymore,” Assad stressed.

Weeks earlier, US war secretary James Mattis said Pentagon forces in Syria and Afghanistan are there for the long haul, intending permanent occupation, he failed to explain.

Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday, he said leaving Syria before Washington’s objectives are achieved “would be a strategic blunder…giving the terrorists the opportunity to recover” – failing to explain the US supports the scourge if claims to oppose, adding:

“Our military campaign in Syria continues. As the operations ultimately draw to a close, we must avoid leaving a vacuum in Syria that can be exploited” – by its legitimate government and allied forces against US-supported terrorists and Washington’s illegal presence he didn’t explain.

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