Former US Ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford confirmed that the US mission in Syria will continue for an “indefinite period” and stressed that there is no “clear end” to it.
Ford told the Turkish “Anadolu” agency that since the last “ISIS” stronghold in Syria’s Baghouz fell, they still had no clear idea of what the Americans should withdraw from forces in eastern Syria.
Ford expressed his belief that US forces in Syria “should return home,” but said there was no decisive majority in Washington supporting this move.
Regarding the tension between Iran and the United States in Syria, the former US ambassador suggested that Iran will launch more attacks and that “when there are deaths, the Americans will probably respond strongly,” and said, “I don’t see an end.” this.”
Ford, on the other hand, saw that US cooperation with Kurdish “SDF” forces between 2015 and 2019 was “immediate and short-term” and ruled out the “SDF”’s ability to “prevent unfortunate youth”. Men who joined ISIS in places like Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah refer to the “resentment” towards the “SDF” among local Arab communities.
