This analysis, and most supporting quotes, is a perfect example of how in-the-moment elite impressions of US military policy have no basis in actual policy, troop presence, bases, or commitments.
Micah Zenko added,
Peter BakerVerified account@peterbakernyt
"The United States is essentially missing in action": As American forces begin to pull out of Syria, the Middle East increasingly finds a void being filled by Russia, Iran and others. @NYTBen https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/world/middleeast/syria-withdraw-mideast-us.html…
Reducing or withdrawing 1,700-2,000 US troops in Syria--who are executing a "presence" mission with minimal combat or even movement--is somehow "abandoning" the entire Middle East. Puzzling
Finally. Real learning point here is how quickly low-evidence, political conventional wisdom can become featured as a geopolitical trend in a front-page NYT story.
