Defense Secretary James Mattis said Monday U.S. troops are in Syria and Afghanistan for the long haul, because "you win the fight and then you win the peace," Military.com reported.
In his remarks, Mattis strongly suggested President Donald Trump had put aside his initial impulse to pull troops quickly.
In Syria, "We do not want to simply pull out before the diplomats have won the peace," Mattis said, Military.com reported. "You win the fight, and then you win the peace.”
But he also conceded the difficulty in negotiating a peace among warring factions in a nation that has been through a seven-year civil war that has killed more than 400,000 and displaced millions.
"This is the most complex security situation, fighting situation, whatever you want to call it, that I've experienced in four decades of government service," he said, Military.com reported. "So, we're still working it."
The United States also has a similar commitment to Afghanistan, he said — and remarked twin suicide bombs in Kabul that killed dozens, including nine journalists, were signs militants there are desperate.
"We anticipated they would do their best" to disrupt upcoming elections with a wave of bombings aimed at discouraging the Afghan people from voting, Mattis said, Military. com reported.
"The Taliban realize the danger of the people being allowed to vote," he added. "Their goal is to destabilize the elected government. This is the normal stuff by people who can't win at the ballot box. They turn to bombs.
"This should be completely expected," he said. "It's what they do."
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