Mattis Says US Military in Syria and Afghanistan for Long Haul

United States troops in Syria and Afghanistan will remain in those countries for the long haul, according to Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Mattis told CBN News during an off-camera gaggle inside the Pentagon that the troops will remain there to leverage a diplomatic solution.

In Syria, "We do not want to simply pull out before the diplomats have won the peace," Mattis explained. "You win the fight, and then you win the peace."

Mattis added there are a number of difficulties in negotiating peace among the factions in Syria.

"This is the most complex security situation, fighting situation, whatever you want to call it, that I've experienced in four decades of government service," he said. "So we're still working it.

Mattis said after leaving the briefing he was meeting with Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, about possibly reviving Geneva peace talks to end the seven-year-old Syrian civil war, which has displaced millions.

Mattis also talked about the high-profile attacks that have taken place in Afghanistan. 

The latest took place on Monday when twin suicide bombings killed at least 25, including nine journalists who rushed to the area after the first bomb went off.

"But ISIS also takes advantage of these – it's not, you can break them apart in terms of what organization they're part of. But their goal is to destabilize the elected government and open the door – and they're not all ISIS, by the way," said Mattis. "Some of the attacks have been Taliban."

Mattis said the bombings show the desperation of militants, adding that the new strategy of increasing airpower and intensified training for local forces are having success.

"We anticipated they would do their best" to disrupt upcoming elections with a wave of bombings aimed at discouraging the Afghan people from voting, Mattis said.