8) Syrian opposition forces against themselves.

China’s new entry into the region by purchasing Middle Eastern oil and gas that our forces are protecting in the northeast contributes to the instability in the region and higher risk for our troops. The proof of this growing alliance is in Assad's visit to China just last month, where they announced an established strategic partnership. This signifies China’s growing influence in the Middle East, which strengthens its geostrategic ambitions and further endangers our local troops. 

Failure to acknowledge that rising regional tensions and growing American hard power involvement in Syria are creating a hazardous situation will likely result in another large-scale loss of military troops and equipment in the Middle East. This is shown in the most recent hard power exchange between the United States and Iran in Iraq and Syria. The United States launched airstrikes on two of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps locations in eastern Syria in retaliation to previous missile attacks from Iran on American forces and a diplomatic support center near Baghdad International Airport.   

American involvement in Syria does not serve U.S. security interests. America should withdraw its forces and discharge resources to local allies who are more than capable of continuing the counter-ISIS efforts in the region.

Lora Karch Dulgarian is an independent analyst focusing on national security, social, political, and economic issues in the Middle East and Europe. She is passionate about human rights, religious minorities, and safeguarding the legacies of forgotten civilizations. Fluent in Arabic and French, she lives in Washington, D.C.

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