CENTCOM: US security cooperation with Damascus reveals
The commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Charles Bradford Cooper II, outlined the changing US policy towards Syria in the new phase of Syria, describing Syria's geography as the "center of gravity" in the international strategy to fight ISIS.
According to the text of the briefing, which he presented to the US Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, May 14, US Central Command considers that the new Syria, along with developments in Gaza and Lebanon, has constituted a major shift in the regional landscape.
The report noted that the region is going through a "pivotal moment" that may reshape the Middle East towards a model based on trade and stability rather than chaos, and revealed that the United States is expanding its "pragmatic" cooperation with the new Syrian government in the counterterrorism file, noting that Damascus officially joined the international coalition against the "Islamic State" in November 2025.
At the same time, Cooper's statement stressed that large parts of Syria are still outside the full control of the state, and that external support is still necessary to prevent the group's resurgence, noting that ISIS has lost its territorial control in Iraq and Syria since 2019, and that the number of its attacks has decreased by 70% since 2023.
Cooper warned that the group is still capable of carrying out attacks, citing an attack in Palmyra on December 13, 2025, that killed two US personnel and a civilian translator, pointing out that the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces under pressure from the Syrian government led to the dispersal of numbers of displaced people from al-Hol camp, which Washington considers a security risk that may contribute to the revitalization of the group.
Washington's Vision for a New Syria
Cooper's statement described Syria as the "center of gravity" in the fight against ISIS and argued that stabilizing Syria and preventing its return to civil war is a prerequisite for preventing the re-emergence of extremist organizations.
The United States continues to engage with the Syrian government "to support a post-Assad settlement and work to build Syrian security capabilities through regional partners.
The statement revealed that Washington is treating the new Syrian government as a fait accompli, in light of the US acknowledgment of the existence of direct or indirect security cooperation with Damascus in the fight against terrorism.
Cooper's statement also showed that the Syrian file is presented primarily from the perspective of preventing the return of the Islamic State, with a clear link between Syria's stability and regional security and U.S. internal security.
US Secretary of State Mike Rubio confirmed in a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on February 15 that the United States chose to work with the Syrian government and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, rather than let Syria slide into "disintegration and chaos."
This path, while difficult, remains the most realistic option to prevent the return of the Islamic State and avoid a protracted civil war, he said.
Previous meeting in Damascus
Admiral Cooper visited Damascus on September 12 , and met with President Al-Shara at the People's Palace, where they discussed the prospects of cooperation in the political and military fields, in what was the first visit of its kind by the commander of the US Central Command to the Syrian capital.
CENTCOM reported at the time that Cooper and the US envoy, Thomas Brock, thanked al-Sharia for its support to confront the Islamic State in Syria, and stressed that eliminating the threat of the group in Syria would reduce the risk of an attack by the group on US soil.
They also praised Syria's role in supporting efforts to repatriate U.S. citizens from Syria, and affirmed a commitment to continue efforts in support of U.S. goals in the Middle East, including negotiations on the integration of the various Syrian armed factions into the Syrian army.
The Syrian presidency said at the time that the meeting reflected the positive atmosphere and the common keenness to strengthen the strategic partnership and expand the channels of communication between Damascus and Washington at various levels.