Saudi Arabia Announces Readiness to Deploy Ground Forces to Syria
Saudi Arabia has so far only fought ISIS through airstrikes. Now, however, Riyadh is considering sending its special forces units to Syria for joint operations alongside the United States. Saudi Arabia remains concerned about the expansion of Iranian influence in Syria.
Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, has announced his country’s readiness to deploy military units to Syria for joint operations alongside the United States against the “Islamic State” (ISIS).
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister stated in an interview with the German newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung” published in the newspaper’s Tuesday edition (February 21 / Esfand 3), “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries have announced their readiness to deploy their special forces alongside the United States; some countries in the Islamic Coalition against Terrorism and Extremism are also prepared to send forces.”
Saudi Arabia has so far been the only member of the U.S.-led military coalition conducting airstrikes against the positions of the terrorist group “Islamic State” in Syria. However, a year ago, Riyadh expressed its willingness to participate in ground operations in Syria, should such operations be launched by the U.S.-led coalition.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama, however, had consistently stated that deploying ground forces to Syria was out of the question. In contrast, Trump made defeating the “Islamic State” one of his main campaign slogans during his presidential election campaign.
Pentagon Reviewing Ground Force Deployment
Last week, the television network “CNN” reported that the U.S. Department of Defense is reviewing the deployment of conventional military forces to Syria for the first time. The American television network stated that this plan is one of several ideas currently being discussed at the Pentagon to combat the terrorist group “Islamic State.”
James Mattis, U.S. Secretary of Defense, had previously also raised the idea of sending more forces to Syria. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, also supported this idea and said that the United States cannot allow the “Islamic State” to continue using Syria as a safe place for recruitment. He emphasized that “the destruction of the Islamic State is in the interest of American national security.”
Of course, according to CNN’s report, the idea of deploying American ground forces to Syria is not fully developed, and the Pentagon has not yet presented a specific proposal to Donald Trump.
Source: DW
