On December 13, 2025, two United States Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush near Palmyra, Syria — a brutal reminder that the jihadist threat remains real and lethal. This was no minor skirmish; American lives were taken while serving on a counter‑ISIS mission, and the nation owes those fallen heroes and their families more than solemn words.
Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the attack, and U.S. officials say the assailant — identified as a lone ISIS gunman — was engaged and killed by partner forces on the ground. The Pentagon has described the incident as an ambush during a “key leader engagement,” underscoring that our troops were doing the hard, unglamorous work of keeping ISIS from regrouping.
President Trump and senior defense officials responded forcefully, promising retaliation and a relentless pursuit of those who target Americans abroad. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s blunt warning that anyone who kills Americans will be hunted and killed reflects the toughness our country needs — firmness that Democrats for years failed to consistently show.
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall spoke about the attack on Fox News Live, rightly demanding clarity and accountability while urging strong support for the troops on the ground. Conservatives should stand with Senator Marshall: we must back policies that protect servicemembers and ensure they have the tools and rules of engagement necessary to finish the job.
This tragedy also exposes the risk of partnering with local forces in a chaotic theater where loyalties can be murky. The U.S. maintains roughly 2,000 troops in Syria to prevent an ISIS comeback, which is necessary but also dangerous when some local actors may be compromised or poorly vetted. Washington cannot pursue naïve engagement while asking brave Americans to walk into the line of fire.
Reports suggesting the attacker may have had ties to Syrian security elements should alarm every American who thought the nightmare of extremist infiltration was behind us. If true, this proves the left’s theory that soft diplomacy and endless outreach will secure us is dead wrong; strength and skepticism are the currencies of survival in the Middle East. The administration must investigate thoroughly and adjust policy so our soldiers aren’t put at unnecessary risk.
ISIS remains a resilient enemy that exploits vacuums and delays in American resolve, and this ambush shows why we cannot relent. Congress and the President should ensure our commanders have clear authority and adequate resources to strike terror networks decisively, while also making sure we aren’t lured into open‑ended nation‑building that sacrifices lives without clear objectives.
We mourn the loss of these patriots and the brave interpreter who stood with Americans against barbarism, and we demand swift justice for their deaths. Now is the time for Congress to unite behind a firm, focused strategy to finish off ISIS remnants and for every American to support the troops who put their lives on the line to keep our country safe.
