Four unnamed sources in the State Department and Defense Department told Foreign Policy that, although there is not yet a final decision on the matter, the White House considers a U.S. presence in the country unnecessary. Officials within the administration are discussing internally the details of a potential withdrawal, according to the outlet.

America maintains about 900 troops in the country who, along with local Syrian partners, attempt to contain the Islamic State terror group and prevent its resurgence. Middle East Institute senior fellow Charles Lister, who authored the report for the magazine, said that taking them out of the country would “create a disaster.”

“Given the disastrous consequences of the hurried exit from Afghanistan in 2021 and the impending U.S. election later this year, it is hard to grasp why the Biden administration would be considering a withdrawal from Syria,” Lister wrote. “No matter how such a withdrawal was conducted, it would trigger chaos and a swift surge in terror threats.”

[Not only that, it would also incentivize more attacks on American positions throughout the Middle East by Iran and its proxies. It would send a message of weakness so obvious as to be unmistakable. Remember when Biden and Obama thought US forces in Iraq were “unnecessary” in 2011? And remember how well that turned out? — Ed]