off fences in northern syria the us pulled its troops from the region earlier this month but washington is now saying it may send them back to prevent the so-called islamic state from capturing crucial oil fields. it isn't easy keeping up with america's position in syria after president trump emphatically said u.s. troops are coming home his statement seemed in downstairs reports came in that the white house had set out options for leaving u.s. forces in northeast syria the new order seemed to be modifying the objective of keeping isis extremists at bay to include the safeguarding of the oil fields the region is in a state of flux after trump declared he was withdrawing u.s. troops creating a vacuum on tuesday russia and turkey struck a deal on a 30 kilometer deep safe zone to enable the withdrawal of armed kurdish units from the area the oil fields which are of interest to the u.s. and in the east of the region at a nato press conference in brussels u.s.