This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
On Sunday, President Trump acknowledged the help of some governments in the operation that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, including Russia and China. He noted that while those countries are building their military, the US is depleting its military presence in the region.
Trump's comments came as he defended his decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, a move that has been widely criticized. He argued that the US should not be responsible for containing mayhem in the region and that American taxpayers should not have to pay for it for the next 50 years.
However, Trump has indicated that he is willing to keep troops in Syria's oil fields, a move that has raised concerns about the US role in the region. He noted that oil money fueled ISIS and that the Kurds, who have been fighting against the terrorist group, rely on the oil fields for their livelihood.
Trump's defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, has indicated that the president is willing to commit forces to secure the oil fields, and Trump has said that he intends to make a deal with a US company, such as Exxon-Mobil, to exploit the fields properly.
The risk of Trump's strategy is that the US will be seen as a force of exploitation, willing to enter hostile foreign lands for the purpose of extracting resources. This raises concerns about the mission of the American Century and the US role in the region.
