President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly attempting to recruit Arab nations to commit funding and troops so eventually they will replace the U.S. military presence in Syria.
According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials have reached out to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates about contributing billions of dollars and military resources to help secure Syria after ISIS is defeated. National Security Adviser John Bolton has also reportedly reached out to Egyptian officials about the initiative.
Several military officials told the Journal that it wouldn’t be easy to convince Arab nations to send troops if the U.S. withdraws its forces completely.
The new policy comes just days after President Trump authorized a coordinated missile attack with U.S. allies and English targeting Syria as a result of the chemical weapons attack on civilians in the town of Douma.
However, President Trump in recent times shows uncertainty over the future of the U.S. role in Syria. Although he has pledged to defeat ISIS, he has said on several occasions that he would like to bring American troops home from Syria soon.
“America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria,” he said in an address to announce the missile strikes. “It’s a troubled place. We will try to make it better. But it’s a troubled place,” Trump added.
Meanwhile, at a press conference with Baltic leaders, Trump said that the U.S. could extend its military presence in Syria if other Arab states, like Saudi Arabia, paid for it.
Several military advisers and lawmakers have pushed back on Trump’s comments, saying that pulling troops out of Syria would be a mistake that could destabilize the region. Earlier this month, Trump emphasized his desire to end U.S. involvement in Syria quickly.
“I want to get out. I want to bring our troops back home,” the President said.
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