I think this recent news is related. Times are changng. Pentagon audit completed. Truth inbound. Was not the case in 2016.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/05/27/pentagon-denies-us-special-forces-on-front-lines-in-syria.html
https://www.theburningplatform.com/2018/12/18/the-pentagons-massive-accounting-fraud-exposed/
https://ekurd.net/us-pull-forces-syria-2018-12-19
https://gachiyellow.wordpress.com/2018/12/19/pentagon-ready-to-admit-problem-of-rampant-special-forces-crimes-report/