2,000 soldiers in Syria threatens larger war

Ask Uncle Sam why he maintains 2,000 soldiers in Syria, in spite of the nearly complete government victory in the Syrian civil war, and you'll get the one word answer ISIS. That's the magic word for our war mongering Uncle who compulsively sends over bomb dropping drones or stations actual troops in any country he deems ripe for US regime change. That is the primary reason we're in Syria. Just ask former rulers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Syria, like those three, has nothing to do with US national interests, unless you consider funneling unlimited wealth and power to the Military Complex as representing US national interests. Syria was next in line for regime change after we conquered Iraq within weeks, with Iran earmarked to become the last prize in a regime change trifecta. Though the Iraq insurgency stopped the US cold within months, the dream of knocking off Syria and Iran still burns brightly in the White House and Pentagon.

It's one thing to squander our treasure on senseless and always failed military ventures when we could be rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, combating climate change and giving decent health care to all. But this insanity could possibly draw us into war with Iran, even Russia, who maintain military forces in Syria to prevent instability in their neighborhood. We may not like their presence there, but it impacts our national security interests not a whit. Violating Syria's sovereignty is unconstitutional unless Congress declares war, which it never will. So each president pounds his chest and engages in its military adventures, the Constitution and the Congress be damned.

Trump talked military retrenchment in the campaign but was schooled by the entrenched war party upon entering the Oval Office. Hiring John 'Bonkers' Bolden, National Security Adviser, James 'Mad Dog' Mattis, Defense Secretary and military hawk MIke Pompeo, Secretary of State sets the table for continued US perpetual war. When it comes to foreign policy, practitioners of peace need not apply.