Facing uncertainty in Syria after the rapid overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Washington bombed sites controlled by Islamic State, a group on the terrorist list, as President Joe Biden’s administration tried to recalibrate its policy for that country.
The US is in a dilemma because the rebels that have taken Damascus and exiled al-Assad to Russia are commanded by an entity that is itself listed as terrorist, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), for its al-Qaeda affiliation.
While basking in the triumph of al-Assad, Biden spoke to the "risk and uncertainty" in Syria to Washington and the region and the first US reaction.
"Just today, US forces conducted a dozen precision strikes, airstrikes, within Syria targeting ISIS camps and ISIS operatives", he said.
"We're clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of the vacuum. We will not let that happen," he said.
Reflecting the US' dilemma, however, he said, "Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses."
The end of al-Assad's 14-year rule is "a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country," he said.
"It's also a moment of risk and uncertainty," he added.
The risks are both internal and international as Syria shares borders with Iraq, Turkiye, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel in a volatile region.
Approximately 200 Indian peacekeepers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) are stationed on the Syria-Israel border.
The US has sent around 1,000 troops to areas outside al-Assad's control, mostly to train Kurdish rebels fighting ISIS, an acronym for the full name of the Islamic State, that has been terrorizing large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Biden said that US troops will stay there and the detention facilities for ISIS terrorists will stay.
According to a statement issued by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), more than 75 "strikes against the ISIS leaders, operatives, and camps were conducted as part of the ongoing mission to disrupt, degrade, and defeat ISIS".
The CENTCOM commander General Erik Kurilla put other organizations there on notice: "All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way".
Taking credit for weakening Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah that led to the rout of al-Assad, was Biden. His strategic leadership was under question after the debacle of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.
"Over the last week, their support collapsed, all three of them, because all three of them are far weaker today than they were when I took office", he said.
He credited the "blows" inflicted by Ukraine on Russia and Israel on Hezbollah with US help.
"Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East", he said.
Russia, bogged down in Ukraine and Iran that has taken a pounding from Israel could not help al-Assad.
Biden said al-Assad's "regime brutalised and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians" and he should be brought to justice.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani is also on the US terror list, but he has declared that he has ended his ties to al-Qaeda from which Nusrah Front it evolved.
Questions remain on how far the Sunni HTS will go in enforcing extreme Islamic rules and how it will treat non-Sunni Muslims like the Shias and the Alwaites, and other religious minorities like Christians.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "We have taken note of statements made by rebel leaders in recent days, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions".
There is also the risk of the upheaval spilling into neighboring countries.
Biden said that the US would help them "should any threat arise from Syria during this period of transition".
Although NATO member Turkiye shares the US view of seeing al-Assad gone, its motives are in opposition to those of the US.
Whereas Washington supports the Kurdish minority in Syria, Ankara is against them because of its own issues with Kurds in Turkey who are seeking independence.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Turkey's Defense Minister Yasar Guler to discuss Syrian developments.
Austin "recognized Turkiye's legitimate security concerns", according to the Pentagon as discussing dangers from ISIS.
He, alongside the two militaries reaffirmed the importance of coordination "to avoid any risk to US forces and partners, and the Defeat-ISIS Mission", it said.
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