US Military Deaths in Syria: What Mission Exactly?
The US Army confirmed two Iowa National Guard members, Spc. Alex J. Ram and Spc. Casey J. Frank, were killed in Syria. While media dutifully reports 'ISIS attack,' it rarely questions the underlying mission. These troops were part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a decade-long engagement in Syria and Iraq—a war not legislated by Congress, based on an AUMF from 2001 and 2002. One might wonder why,
after years of 'mission accomplished' declarations, US troops are still dying in Syria, a country whose sovereignty is routinely violated. These continuous deployments, often without clear strategic goals explained to the public, cost American lives and billions in taxpayer dollars—money that could address crises at home. The media's focus on the 'who' and 'what' of the attack, while ignoring the
foundational 'why' of the presence, is a curious omission. How many more 'operations' will send National Guard members into harm's way for undeclared objectives?