Damascus: The United States' top-ranking general made a surprise visit to US troops occupying a petroleum-rich region of northeastern Syria and expressed his support for their illegal deployment to protect American citizens.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley made an unannounced stop at a US base in Syria on Saturday, reportedly to review defenses against terrorist attacks and the resurgence of the terrorist organization known as (formerly) Islamic State. ISIS/ISIL) to assess attempts to sabotage.

After the trip, he informed the reporters accompanying him that US forces and their local allies were making progress in stopping the rise of IS.

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When asked whether the risks of the Syrian occupation were worth them, Milley responded that doing so would compromise the security of the US and its allies. The answer is "yes," if you consider it important, he said.

In my opinion, this is important. Therefore, I believe that the long-term defeat of ISIS and continued assistance to our friends and allies in the region are important tasks that can be accomplished.

The US has not set a deadline for withdrawing nearly 900 troops from Syria. The commander of the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria, US Army General Matthew McFarlane, has said that Washington hopes to help its allies develop "enduring capabilities and capabilities to keep ISIS under control", but that it will take "time" will be with

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A bill to halt US military deployment to Syria was introduced last month by Republican Senator Matt Gaetz, who argued that lawmakers never authorized the mission.

Why are we conducting risky military operations in Syria when the United States is not at war with or against it, he asked. By "putting America first," Gaetz continued, he meant "really putting the people of our country first not the interests of the military industrial complex."

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In 2019, then-President Donald Trump issued an order to remove all remaining troops from Syria, but later that year, he changed his mind, saying: "We're keeping oil ... just for oil, we're keeping oil." to sacrifice." soldiers.