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ByLolitaC.Baldor and Robert Burns The Associated Press WASHINGTON The U.S. campaign against the Is- lamic State in Syria has evolved in the past couple years from airstrikes and training of local forces to an increasingly compli- cated mission, which now includes hundreds of Amer- ican troops on the ground and coordination with a hodgepodge of allies, part- ners and even rivals en- gaged in the fight. Under President Donald Trump, the United States' role is likely to expand fur- ther. While Trump has an- nounced no changes to the U.S. approach, the Penta- gon in recent months has incrementally increased its footprint in the north- ern reaches of the war-rav- aged, Middle East country, where it is backing a co- alition of Syrian Arab and Kurdish fighters closing in on the Islamic States' self- declared capital at Raqqa. Trump is reviewing op- tions for accelerating the recapture of Raqqa. These include proposals for more U.S. troops, greater fire- power and tweaks in the existing strategy. Here is a look at how the U.S. mission has evolved, howitstandstodayandchal- lenges facing the Trump ad- ministration it contemplates speeding up the fight. Howitbegan Former President Barack Obama ordered the start of a U.S.-led air campaign against IS in Syria in Sep- tember 2014, weeks after a parallel bombing effort be- gan in neighboring Iraq. IS militants that year had swept across Syria's border into northern and western Iraq, capturing the city of Mosul and de- claring an Islamic caliph- ate. Its rapid progress cre- ated alarm in Washing- ton and around the world about the prospect of Bagh- dad potentially falling. Almost 1,000 days later, the Pentagon says it has spent $11.5 billion. That in- cludes money for training and advising local forces. Obama initially ruled out putting U.S. ground troops in Syria, but sent small numbers of military advis- ers to Iraq to develop a plan for retraining an Iraqi army that had all but collapsed. Gradually the U.S. role in Iraq widened and deep- ened. There are now well more than 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, largely focused on helping the government re- capture Mosul. Later, Obama autho- rized an initial contingent of about 200 U.S. special op- erations troops into Syria. Their task was to recruit and organize local fighters who were opposed to the Syrian government of Presi- dent Bashar Assad, but will- ing to prioritize the battle against IS in its strongholds in the country's north. Last December, Obama boosted the U.S. troop total in Syria to as many as 503. In recent weeks, under Trump, U.S. forces in the country climbed to roughly 1,000. The current mission The mission in Syria is being carried out by U.S. special operations troops as well as several hundred conventional forces such as a Marine artillery unit. The Americans aren't leading the fight against IS but are involved in an in- creasing number of ways. The Marine artillery is a re- cent addition, for example, and about two weeks ago a few dozen Army Rang- ers began acting as a "de- terrence and reassurance" force on the outskirts of the city of Manbij. The Rangers are showing the U.S. flag in hopes of dissuading Turk- ish, Russian, Syrian and U.S.-based opposition forces from fighting each other, deliberately or accidentally. The air war contin- ues. The U.S. is conduct- ing strikes on IS daily from bases in Jordan, Turkey and elsewhere in the region. The Marines in Syria ar- rived from the USS Makin Island and two other ships that moved into the region last November. The ships carry the 11th Marine Ex- peditionary Unit of about 2,400 Marines. They're ex- pected to leave and eventu- ally be replaced by the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit that left Norfolk, Virginia, in early March with the USS Bataan, USS Mesa Verde and USS Carter Hall. Commanders have raised the prospect of sending ad- ditional forces into the re- gion to be ready to assist in accelerating the fight. They could head to either Syria or Iraq. But decisions have largely stalled. Discussions continue within the Trump administration on possibly ending strict limits on troop numbers set by Obama. The new approach would give commanders more flexi- bility in determining how many forces they need. The way ahead Military commanders, frustrated by what they considered micromanage- ment under the previous administration, have ar- gued for greater freedom to make daily decisions on how to fight the enemy. And Trump says the threat must be extinguished quickly. Still, America is having some success at the mo- ment. U.S.-trained Iraqi forces have pushed IS to the brink of a major loss in Mosul, following the group's defeats in the west- ern Iraqi cities of Ramadi and Fallujah. But the elimination of IS in Iraq appears far from over, and U.S. commanders may determine they need more troops there. MIDDLE EAST How the US mission in Syrian civil war has evolved and could expand By Matthew Pennington The Associated Press SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA The United States signaled a tougher strategy toward North Korea on Friday that leaves open the possibility of pre-emptive military ac- tion and rejects talks with the communist nation un- til it gives up its weapons of mass destruction. "Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "We are exploring a new range of diplomatic, security and economic measures. All op- tions are on the table." Tillerson was speak- ing after visiting the heav- ily militarized border be- tween the rival Koreas. His comments are likely to displease Beijing, where he travels this weekend. China has been advocating diplo- macy to avoid a conflict on the divided peninsula. Also Friday, President Donald Trump tweeted: "North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been 'playing' the United States for years. China has done little to help!" Past U.S. administra- tions have considered mili- tary options against North Korea and have publicly said that an attack on the U.S. or its allies would prompt a devastating re- sponse. Tillerson's comments were unusual, however, as he appeared to be im- plying, in public, that the U.S. would consider mili- tary force as a way of pre- venting an attack by Pyong- yang, and not just as a means of retaliation. It also comes amid a greater sense of urgency about the threat because of North Ko- rea's rapid progress toward developing the means to strike the U.S. with a nu- clear-tipped missile. Risks of military action are high as North Korea could un- leash a massive artillery barrage on Seoul in retal- iation. The Trump administra- tion says it is conducting a review of North Korea pol- icy. At a news conference in Seoul, along- side his South Ko- rean coun- terpart Yun By ung-se, T i l l e r s o n said U.S was exploringthe new range of diplomatic, security and economic mea- sures and emphasized that Obamaadministration'spol- icy of "strategic patience"— that saw tightening of sanc- tions to try and get North Korea back to negotiations aimed at denuclearization — had ended. Asked about the possibil- ity of using military force against North Korea, he said, "all of the options are on the table." Tillerson said the U.S. does not want a military conflict, "but obviously if North Korea takes actions that threaten South Korean forces or our own forces that would be met with (an) appropriate response. If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe re- quires action that option is on the table." Former members of the Clinton administration have said that the U.S. con- sidered a strike on a North Korean nuclear facility in 1994 when it appeared on the brink of producing weapons-grade fissile ma- terial and refused U.N. in- spections. A diplomatic deal was struck to avert conflict. Since then, North Ko- rea has violated multiple U.N. Security Council res- olutions and has been un- deterred by tough inter- national sanctions. The North conducted two nu- clear test explosions and 24 ballistic missile tests last year. Last week, after the U.S. and South Korea be- gan annual military drills that the North views as re- hearsal for invasion, it test- fired four missiles into seas off Japan. Central to the U.S. review is China and its role in any bid to persuade Pyongyang to change course. China re- mains North Korea's most powerful ally and dom- inant trading partner. China recently announced it was suspending coal im- ports that are an impor- tant source of revenue for North Korea for the rest of the year in adherence with U.N. sanctions. Tillerson urged China and other countries to fully implement the sanc- tions. He criticized Chi- na's opposition to a U.S. missile defense system be- ing deployed in South Ko- rea and accused it of wag- ing "inappropriate and troubling" economic retal- iation against the South. China sees the system as a threat to its own security although the U.S. says it is only targeted against North Korea. Tillerson said China should focus on the North Korean threat that makes the deployment necessary. Tillerson also rejected Beijing's proposal of halt- ing the U.S.-South Ko- rean military drills in ex- change for a nuclear freeze by North Korea. He said the allies had no intention to stand down the exercises that are defensive in na- ture and conducted trans- parently, unlike North Ko- rean missile launches. He further sounded skeptical about the idea of negoti- ating a freeze that would leave the North with "sig- nificant capabilities" that could threaten the region and U.S. forces. The U.S. retains nearly 30,000 troops in South Ko- rea, and nearly 50,000 in neighboring Japan. SECRETARY OF STATE Tillerson: Pre-emptive force an option with North Korea Tillerson 6,470fans+23 this week Facebook Page YOU'LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ..andgrowing,everyweek! Daily News Facebook fans receive special posts of breaking news, sports, weather and road closures, clicking right to full stories and photos published on redbluffdailynews.com ... Tehama County's most-visited local website ... things that fans want to know about, sooner rather than later! 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