Mattis: Iran-Israel clash is close, but US military focus shifts out of Syria to Iraq
The US will relocate its military operations to Iraq and the Mediterranean, after drawing down its troops in Syria, Defense Secretary James Mattis disclosed to Congress on Thursday, April 26. His comments were enigmatic: “Right now we are not withdrawing US troops from Syria,” Mattis said. “You’ll see increased operations on the Iraqi side of the border and the French just reinforced us in Syria with special forces here in the last two weeks. This is an ongoing fight right now,” he said.
But what did he mean?
US sources explain that while Washington is committed to fighting Islamic State terrorists, a US troop presence in Syria is not essential and the war can be fought from outside, e.g., Iraq.
Russian or Syrian sources understand him to mean that the US Is going to “expand the fight in Syria.” The British understand the defense secretary to be suggesting that he expects the US to “probably regret not keeping a holding force in Syria,” The French had no comment on Mattis’ remark about their boosted presence in Syria. The truth is that their president Emmanuel Macron leaned over backwards to make his state visit with President Trump this week a success, even if it meant ramping up French military involvement in Syria as a potential replacement for the US contingent that Trump is determined to withdraw.
The Israelis have made every effort to persuade the Americans to stay put in Syria. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman traveled to Washington this week, two days after Gen. Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, visited Israel. Lieberman’s trip was found necessary since the US general declined to address the US exit plan’s military and strategic damage to Israel’s security. It was Lieberman’s task to bring home to the administration that the moment American troops leave Syria, Israel was threatened with a military confrontation with Iran and Hizballah. At his meetings with Secretary Mattis and national security adviser John Bolton, he asked the administration to consider holding off on the troop withdrawal for now.
There was no official word on the outcome of the Mattis-Lieberman interview on Thursday. But its content was reflected in comments Mattis made to the Senate Armed Forces Committee later that day. He said he believes a military confrontation between Israel and Iran in Syria is becoming increasingly likely. “I can see how it might start, but I am not sure when or where. I think it’s very likely in Syria, because Iran continues to do its proxy work there through Hizballah.” He then added: Israel “will not wait to see those missiles in the air and we hope Iran would pull back.” He flatly accused Iran of not only expanding and strengthening its presence in Syria but also “bringing advanced weapons for Hizballah through Syria.”
These comments had a sequel. On Friday, Pentagon officials disclosed that US satellites, surveillance aircraft, drones and ships had stepped up operations to monitor the movement of suspected Iranian anti-air and ballistic missiles inside Syria “due to rising concerns they could be used to strike Israel in the coming days.”
The US defense secretary had evidently bought Lieberman’s presentation, but his reaction disappointed Israel, DEBKAfile’s military sources report. He took with the utmost seriousness a possible Iranian or Hizballah attack on Israel in the coming days, but reacted by ordering the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier cruising opposite Syria to stay alert for this eventuality. The Trump administration clearly means to stay in the arena but is sticking to the decision to draw down the US troop presence in Syria, whatever may happen, while moving the center of US military operations instead to Iraq and the Mediterranean Sea.
US always were supporting Israel only when and to extend it served US interests. Israel should know better than automatically support any US movement in the region. Israel should know from the previous experience that even if US support Israel it is mostly declarations, at best diplomatic support at UN and never direct actions. To be precise Israel valuable for the US only until she is doing the US bidding, the very moment US see the necessity to send troops to help Israel out the interest is rapidly disappearing, and only empty gestures are performed
Americans don’t want to die in a nuclear war with Russia just because Israeli’s want to rule the world.
“Americans are sick and tired of supporting Israeli’s”…Where do you conduct your research matt, in your own severely twisted brain?! Most polls show Americans support has never been higher. So “winning” (I’ll ass ume youre not so stupid you dont know how to spell) whining, and money…Israel is doing just fine. But it’s ungrateful louses like you who need to perish along with the rest of evil. Enough! is right…By the way, no cell phone or healthcare for you. (Both evolved in Israel).
Is that so? Well, you obviously haven’t thought it through very well, Sue. It is in everyone’s interests for US strength to remain to hold some semblance of opposition. Once this war starts, you can bet many Americans will suffer – anyway.
And the Jew Hating Trolls speak their usual Rothchild Cabal BS…
Why the hell would we fight your wars? You messed up, you clean the mess.
Man-up!
Americans are sick and tired of supporting Israelis. And I remember the defiant and arrogant Bibi going to Congress to oppose Obama. A tiny country’s leader comes to America like they are the boss?!
Enough!
Time for Israel to achieve adulthood and autonomy. Because you are being an unpleasent brat always winning for protection or money.
Good luck, suckers!
go to hell, troll. and take your hateful racist joo-baiting with you.
what you mean to say is go and watch pathetic conspiracy theories and propaganda to malign Israel and the Jews with your nat-z anti-semitic hate so they could all get brainwashed and stet helping your agenda, right?
Listen carefully you lncest infested neanderthal, many bigger, better and mightier than you have tried to destroy the nation of Israel and vanished trying with no trace, so too will be your fate ! Stay tuned to witness Israel thrive against all odds and flourish while you decay and rot away to meet you 72 hairy male camels for your eternity of “fun”
How did Israel “mess up”? If Israel is left, once again (the US has NEVER fought for Israel, EVER), to fight the muslims and russians. Just expect there to be a massive change to your existence. Once these people get a foothold they will destroy every part of your lovely little life directly or in directly. It will not stop in the Middle East. “Good luck, sucker”.
@ Matt Andersen
Its quite nice you don’t call the shots, but if you do identify yourself! Well, just to let you know, its has been in the spiritual interest of US to support Israel. Those of us who realize this fact praise the likes of a very bold Trump and his policies.
Israel has a guardian Archangel, that’s why wars against Israel, especially now it’s once again existing as a nation, is to the detriment of the enemy. In the book of Daniel, the spiritual element responsible for Persia (Iran) was whipped by this archangel Michael. I guess this whipped Prince of Persia has a short memory, and will soon be whipped again. Persia reigned as a superior kingdom, but was decimated after Michael dealt with the Prince of Persia. I think something really bad will happen to Iran if it continues in its present course.
Oh spare us Adolf. The Only Country in the ME that the US can rely on is Israel. The only country not ruled by the Arab culture of barbarism. You choose to hate Jews and it clouds your grey matter. Why don’t you instead tell the Pentagon that the defense industries will no longer benefit from Business and Tech from Israel and that Israel can go back to produce the Lavi Jet which Israel was forced to cease. And that the US can deal with Iran alone. Maybe Intelligence from Israel should stop flowing as well. You think the US has the same Intelligence gathering capability in the ME that it used to? Think again numbnuts.
I don’t think it’s any surprise that with new leadership in America, weak Iran and weak Russia when they push to hard will be severely damaged. This is not my prediction but the word of God in the holy bible. Gog Magog war. In the end only true believers in Christ Jesus have any chance of survival. Just a friendly reminder to the cowardice Isalmist terrorists( Iranian leadership including). We the United States have not shown our true strength in combat for the last 70 years, weak polititions that can’t do what is needed. If Iran and Russia want to test the new President go ahead, in the end the terrorists from Islam and the Russian forces and mercenaries will run for their lives crying for their mommy. So be sure you want to mess with the real strength of the United States. It would be my prediction push come to shove Putin will abandon Iran the minute the we respond FOR REAL. Remember Russian air defenses did not see the missles in the last response to the chemical attacks in Syria. By the way the holy bible is the only book ever compiled that has had it prophesies fulfilled. In the end of all Isreal will find refuge on the wings of an Eagle this for the ignorant is the United States of America. We love you Isreal We stand with you.
It’s unfortunately true but Israel’s lack of support is not limited to the US’s failure to do so, that’s an international thing. Israel knows now and has always known that she is totally alone, the PM has also always known that to be a realistic truth. That’s why Netanyahu has been as aggressive on the world stage as he has been; he knows Israel can only rely on itself and its own strength with the help of God! If you don’t see the God angle yet, I believe you soon will…
zvi if your israeli read your countrys POLICY that NO FOREIGN SOLDIERS WILL BE PERMITTED
TO FIGHT ON ISRAELI SOIL . Stems from the helpless european jew history in the 2k yrs we were in exile
Yeah, america should never have acknowledged the jewish state in 1948 against the wishes of all the oil rich arabs. They never should have helped them win wars with technology and the samson option. Yeah Trump should never publicallly move the embassy to Jerusalem, which no other country would do. The muslim fanatics would love that, you too?
I think the US wants to contain Iran in iraq…
why doesnt israel threaten iran with a nuke strike if israel is attacked with missiles???
They did about 2 years ago. Israel said that if Iran or they sarigots use weapons of mass destruction on Israel, than Israel will use their weapons of MASS DEstruction on Iran. They also said that Assad and Nasrallah would be dead men. This is going to be fun to watch and I think it is going to happen sometime in May.
The middle of May is my guess.
so you think nuclear war is fun? don’t think you’re safe in America because you’re not.
Agree, none of this is going to be fun …But also you, yourself came out with absolutely stupid comment too “…because Israelis want to rule the world” ..What the hell is that? Where do you get that from? Complete and utter BS. Israel just wants to BE, and it will be lucky to BE if these true maniacs get their way.
Henry, do you mean “their surrogates?” Where did you learn English?
At the turn of the 21th century the Sharia Military Complex was the foremost religious-military power, and its doctrine stretched over +230 countries and ruled over 1.6 billion slaves.
Despite the extend of its power, its most troublesome point has always been closest to the heart of its dominion, a ridiculous small country , Israel.
For 70 years attempts to destroy Israel had been resisted, all wars ended in failure.
Then, in 2018, a war begun, to be followed by revolts and guerrillas, which will change the nature of Sharia rule forever.
The mastermaind behind that war was Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei.
His tragic life and death defined the period in its terror and tragedy – the Great Nakba Fall.
Great!
War is a big swamp, easy to get into hard to get out of…
……… tragic life and death defined the period in its terror and tragedy all over the globe– the Great Nakba Fall. Only a few vestiges of that power complex still remain, a brick from a Qom shrine and the half burned cover of a book believed to be the lost Quran.
Which lost Quran?
You must read the Quran in Aramaic.Then also it male only sense.But arabs read it in Arabic and when they didnt understand it they made some Hadiths with explanations….
Also the signs in the Quran that no arab can read(they say Allah knews it)are ARAMAIC NUMBERS!
The Koran is fiction that doesn’t come from Mohammed or Uthman. Most of it was created decades or centuries later, with the design of advancing Arab Imperialism. Islam is fiction and is false. The archeology shows that Islam’s claims about its origins are all false.
“An Historic Critique of Islam’s Beginnings”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd9lIuUjPs0
Since Islam is false, there is no sky ghost Dushara (the original name of Allah, see Koran 53:19-21) or Mahdi to save Muslims who start war.
Islam is fiction. It cannot stop the truth of its falseness from emerging, only delay. Islam’s death is inevitable. The slaves cannot yet see this.
Israel needs Syria to be balkanized for the Greater Israel Project to succeed. So long as the US Christians Zionists and the bought and paid for media stand behind Israel to cover up / protect it from its crimes it stands a good chance of succeeding.
The ultimate aim is remove the Iranian threat to this project.
The infamous “Oded Yinon Plan” better known as the Greater Israel Project which according to the founding father of Zionism Theodore Herzl, “the area of the Jewish State stretches: “From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.” According to Rabbi Fischmann, “The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates, it includes parts of Syria and Lebanon.”
The “Greater Israel” project consists in weakening and eventually fracturing neighboring Arab states as part of a US-Israeli expansionist project, with the support of NATO and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, the Saudi-Israeli rapprochement is from Netanyahu’s viewpoint a means to expanding Israel’s spheres of influence in the Middle East as well as confronting Iran. Needless to day, the “Greater Israel” project is consistent with America’s imperial design.
“Greater Israel” consists in an area extending from the Nile Valley to the Euphrates. According to Stephen Lendman, “A near-century ago, the World Zionist Organization’s plan for a Jewish state included:
• Historic Palestine;
• South Lebanon up to Sidon and the Litani River;
• Syria’s Golan Heights, Hauran Plain and Deraa; and
• control of the Hijaz Railway from Deraa to Amman, Jordan as well as the Gulf of Aqaba.
• Southern Turkey.
This will bring nothing but misery to the Middle East and the world. It time for the Western public to wake up and understand that Zionism is not Judaism.
Visit True Torah Jews and educate your selves before the Zionist lobby causes any more harm to your nations, the people of the Middle East and the Jewish people.
If “Zionism is not Judaism”, then Judaism needs to get its head right and get on board.
God makes it absolutely plain in the Bible that his heart is with Zion and that Israel will indeed consist of the land from the Nile to the Euphrates.
But I know that Judaism is indeed Zionism, the two are inseparable.
Zion will be the head of the nations, Zion will rule the earth.
the Pharisees and their satanic cabalistic lot who denied the messiah Jesus have no interest God.
go to hell, troll. and take your hateful racist joo-baiting with you.
sue, You are an agent of the anti-Christ.
You will fail and be destroyed.
Your cauliflower-theology is heard,Jesus will correct the Jewish, Zacharia 12:9, but your words are so infame one sided, that no one takes you serious.
what you mean to say is go and watch pathetic conspiracy theories and propaganda to malign Israel and the Jews with your nat-z anti-semitic hate so they could all get brainwashed and stet helping your agenda, right?
Listen carefully you lncest infested neanderthal, many bigger, better and mightier than you have tried to destroy the nation of Israel and vanished trying with no trace, so too will be your fate ! Stay tuned to witness Israel thrive against all odds and flourish while you decay and rot away to meet you 72 hairy male camels for your eternity of “fun”
Don’t expect the USA Army to destroy Iran Hezbollah and Hamas. Israel is at fault for all the governments before Netanyahu to appease the world by not destroying Hamas Hezbollah and Iran.
This is a great wake up call that Israel needs to preempt iran now and destroy Iran Lebanon and Hamas- or Israel will end up a memorial
Wait Lana Del, we will see what happens in the coming times.
I think iraq should become the 53rd state of the US since the US has been in iraq forever lol
Fascist Iran will become the worlds nuclear waste dumping ground.
Nope. The land from the Nile to the Euphrates belongs to Israel. I hope in my lifetime to see God’s chosen take it.
Amen my friend, you are speaking the language of Prophets and Jesus
It is time to destroy Hizbolla in the whole of Lebanon,
Everything else is secondary.
Arn.Sweden.
Sweden will be destroyed from within by jihadi’s and from Russian bombs.
NO – You Err !.
Sweden will be punished by God through his Tool the Jugoslavian Ustashe and,
there will ever never be any Russian Bommbs exploding in Sweden.
Sweden will by the Punishment given by Jugoslavian Ustashe,
Repen of Her Sins and as a Nation Turn to GOD.
Arn.Sweden.
Looks like the anti_Israel coalition is planning the war start on May 9 or May 10, most likely when Trump is in Israel.
I repeat: The US needs to re-locate its Middle East bases. It should mothball bases in Turkey and Qatar and open a new naval/army base in Gaza; whether the Terrorstinians like it or not.
That move would accomplish several objectives:
1) Save money on bases in hostile countries;
2) Stamp put Hamas terror infrastructure while at the same time giving Arab citizens good jobs as they are weaned off the teat of UNRWA,
3) Show Iran that the US is all in and committed to its allies from bases in Saudi and a new one in Gaza to achieve long-term balance and stability in the region.
In the short term, The Islamic State of Iran needs very badly to have its nuclear facilities neutralized and its troops given the boot from all non-Iranian countries.
Oh dear, when I see all these submissiveness-less thoughts the enemies of our dear ayatollah foment!
The other day, a door went open, he starts for saying “What if they raid Hezbollah and we are f..?” but at the last word went closed, I could not hear well.
NH: What is so “dear” about “your” Ayatollah?
Our fighters will run back whenever they want, you can’t scare us to simply rise hands and march as prisoners! The Quds brigades are the Muslim’s finest, if no halal, then no prisoners, don’t try McDonald’s on us! Also beware, each prisoner shall receive a picture of our dear ayatollah for free, to alleviate for stress and lice.
Our ayatollah is the best, not quite God, but definitely higher than simply archangels. Just imagine, archangels go with some word from God, and a sword or two, but our ayatollah makes the words and has armies, and also much plutonium!
Other than this he’s the master in chief of everything else, state, religion, law, elections, past, present, and hence has a good grip on the future.
And he is very democratic, all his decisions and fatwas are immediately accepted by 99.99% from before. What would you dream more for your president-king-high-priest?
Plus, he drinks only Coca-cola and is a virgin!
NH: Sounds like He’ll to me. I feel sorry for people who have to live under that fascist regime. No wonder they rebel in great numbers.
This is a good man!
USA can support Israel just fine outside Syria…and Israel has enormous capacity to defeat both Hezbollah and Iran proper in detail..
Israel can defeat Iran and its proxies in detail.
maybe, but with all their cities up in smoke. If you’re in a cave or underground bunker you might survive.
Israel may need to commit another 9/11 like they did last time to get the Americans back in.
you’re just too stupid to breed, troll.
Why do you retain a Jewish;/Hebrew name, in Hebrew from the biblical tubes is Shoshana i.e. Susannah.
How awful for you. A good English name like Gladys is far better for a shiksa like you. Drekk go peddle your hate on an Arabic site orstick to the far left/right. No difference there.
Israel does not need America to fight for it – they have done nicely without – and could have done much better had America not intervened on the side of Israel’s enemies – to protect their markets and what they pretend are vital foreign policy interests.
Just tell the leftists in the State Department not to get in the way this time. With Trump as part of the new paradigm, the chance of a leftist administration siding with the Terrorstinians and the Islamic State of Iran is less of a possibility.
How does it feel to be a dumb-ass conspiracy theorist sl*t for the terrorists?
it’s difficult to see how a small contingent of american troops, in the northeast corner of syria, who can barely defend the local kurds, can have any effect on iranian actions along the israeli border.
That’s true, but their presence there does complicate matters for the iranians and russians
Got any more conspiracy theories?
Don’t want none of my friends dying, to protect you SCUM
FM: You are more likely to die choking on your own vomit than defending freedom or defending your family and country.
Mattis’s words being interpreted in many ways = he’s not yet sure what the US will do…waiting for Trump to ask Fox News what he should do first?
Lol.or ask Al Bundy!!
War is coming sooner or later.It will be ugly and nasty.But sometimes you have no choice.Imagine the barrage of mi ssiles from Lebanon / Syria.Better to act in time and limited the damage/
And lost of lives.
bye bye mollahs your days are numbered.!!!!!!!!! you are fished your russia friend will not save you because of fear to destroyed in the name of anatic muslism
Learn to spell
Américain is afraid from russia. Russia is so powerfull that nato is dead .
If Israël can do something against Iran what is it waiting for ? Wait Iran becomes strong enough so that the war will look fair ?
Iran is gathering every thing it can to attack and Israël is always weeping .
God hates the ayatollah, me thinks. Who cares what Israel is doing right now. Not even relevant.
Terrible finding.I like a movie repliy…The soviet colonel to Rambo:Stiupid amiericcns!
Agnostic!, Americans are stupid to believe in Gd? My dear, you are not challenging America, only the Gd you claim does not exist. This promises to be entertaining, at your expense, but probably you will appreciate that it was worth it.
Athiest
Nothing is ever obvious when it comes to our government and their plans. Perhaps the thought of Iran making the mistake of attacking Israel would be a welcomed situation allowing the US to solve the problem with the the biggest trouble in the Middle East, Iran?
These comments are pathetic. Mankind sinks rapidly to the lowest common denominator. There is not much hope for the Middle East.
Fock Fascist Iran, Hamass, Hezbola, ISIS, Al Qada, Muslim Brotherhood, Taliban, Boko Haram, Al Nusra, Al Shabab…
Happy Nakba!
May all your Jihads turn into personal Nakbas and you get rejected by overworked 72 virgins.