Adding 200 more troops to Syria, US deepens involvement
MANAMA- Drawing the U.S. deeper into the Syria conflict, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Saturday he is sending 200 more troops to accelerate the push on the Islamic State's self-declared capital of Raqqa.
The 200, to include special operations troops, are in addition to 300 already authorized for the effort to recruit, organize, train and advise local Syrian Arab and Kurdish forces to fight IS. Carter said the expanded U.S. involvement was approved by President Barack Obama last week.
On his final tour of the Mideast as Pentagon chief, Carter cast the new troop commitment as evidence that the U.S. backs its anti-IS words with military muscle. He offered an extensive defense of the Obama administration's efforts to defeat the extremists, and he aimed sharp jabs at the region's Arab powers, saying they need to stop complaining of U.S. shortcomings and do more to protect their own neighborhoods.
"They need to get in the game," he said.
