Report: Trump admin considers sending 1,000 ‘reserve’ troops to support ISIS fight

The Trump administration is considering deploying as many as 1,000 American soldiers to Kuwait as a “reserve” force to support the U.S. offensive against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. 

The reserve force would allow U.S. commanders to be respond more quickly to threats and opportunities on the ground, U.S. officials told Reuters. 

The proposal would break with the Obama administration’s practices by giving the local U.S. commanders the decision on whether to use the reserve troops in Syria or Iraq.

{mosads}”This is about providing options,” one U.S. official told Reuters.

It is unclear whether Defense Secretary James Mattis supports the plan. 

Officials dismissed the characterization of the proposal as a major strategy shift, but said it could lead to an increased U.S. troop presence in Syria, where U.S.-backed Arab and Kurdish forces are trying to retake the city of Raqqa from ISIS. 

Trump repeatedly expressed his plans to defeat ISIS, making it a keystone promise of his presidential campaign. The larger U.S. strategy against the terror group has been under review by the Trump administration. There are an estimated 6,000 troops deployed in the battle against ISIS, largely in advisory roles. 

A Pentagon spokesman declined Reuters’ request for comment.