Meet These Brave Americans in Syria by David Ignatius - Washington Post
For this Independence Day, at a moment when the tone of our political life would probably shame our Founders, here are snapshots of some brave American soldiers and civilians I met inside Syria last week who should make us all proud.
Let’s start with a bearded sergeant major from Oklahoma. He’s driving an armored SUV down a dusty road toward Tabqa. He’s got a radio headset on to talk to the other vehicles in the convoy, but he’s playing country music from a speaker up front, too.
The sergeant major weaves the vehicle around ruts and potholes. Islamic State fighters who controlled the town until six weeks ago like to pack the potholes with explosives. Most mines have been cleared, but still, it’s not a ride in the park…
Sometimes these roads are crowded with desperate refugees fleeing the battle with their families, carrying furniture and, occasionally, herding livestock. The sergeant major calls it “goatlock,” with so many sheep and goats blocking the road,
The Syria mission is usually secret, little seen or understood by the American public. But these anonymous warriors are some of the best soldiers I’ve encountered anywhere. They’re living rough, in forward outposts in the towns and in a few simple bases in the countryside. Working alongside their Syrian partners, they’re accomplishing something U.S. forces haven’t experienced enough over the past two decades: They’re winning…