American planes could
strike against anyone who attacks US-trained Syrian rebels in northern Syria,
even if the enemy forces are loyal to the Assad regime—a policy change first
reported in the
Wall
Street Journal on Sunday. The report comes after the Free Syrian Army and
the New Syrian Forces repelled an attack by an unknown enemy on July 31. Navy
Capt. Jeff Davis
told
reporters Monday at the Pentagon
that the US provided “defensive support fire” in the engagement. Defense
Department spokeswoman Cmdr. Elissa Smith said the US has always viewed the
Syrian forces it trains and equips as partners in the fight against ISIS, and
that the Defense Department has “said all along that we would take the steps
necessary to ensure that those forces could successfully carry out their
mission.” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) praised the decision to provide additional
support, though he said he is concerned the policy is too incremental.
“Equivocation over such a basic and obvious question as supporting the fighters
we train is indicative of the Administration’s indecisive policy concerning
Syria, Iraq, and ISIL that has allowed security conditions to spiral into
chaos,” he said in a
written news release. US and coalition
forces conducted 11 airstrikes in Syria on Friday,
according to the Pentagon.