Turkish officials are reacting with outrage today after a tweet from US Central Command saying that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition which is almost exclusively made up of members of the Kurdish YPG, denied any affiliation or ties with the banned PKK, a terrorist organization in Turkey.
Turkey’s government spokesman Ibrahim Kalin accused Centcom of having “lost its senses” in making the claim, while Turkey’s Ambassador to the United States speculated that Kurdish hackers had somehow hacked Centcom’s Twitter account to post the statement.
The US has long backed the YPG against ISIS, arguing that the group, the military wing of the PYD, is distinct from the PKK. Turkey has long insisted they, and virtually all Kurdish groups, are all one and the same, and are all a terrorist organization on part with ISIS.
President Erdogan went on to issue a statement warning the US that “no one has a right” to express doubt about the YPG’s affiliation with the PKK. Turkey has been complaining about US support for the Kurds virtually since the beginning of their involvement in Syria on this argument.
It is getting humorous. Let us see, the “military” wing of Kurdish forces — mostly from Kobani, as Afrin Kurds are blocked from joining in — is a match for approximately 70,000 ISIS in Raqqa and Deir Azzor areas? Not even remotely possible. Not to mentioned that Arab population of those area may prefer ISIS, as Kurds will ethnically cleanse as many towns and villages to get their enlarged state. They have been doing it all along the border, until Turkey intervened. A real army is needed there, and only Turkey can in fact provide that, Syrian army is stretched thin, making sure that various Al-Qaeda groups do not pop out of their confined spaces.
In fact, Raqqa is now so safe, that ISIS has been shifting more troups to Deir Azzor, preventing Syria from unblocking the city and send ground humanitarian aid. Then, there is going to be a mega conference on ISIS in Washington, with planetary representation of anybody who is NOT fighting ISIS.
Whatever it is that they told Trump they found while listening to his conversations, seems to be working. But Trump is not that easily defeated. He is not Obama to just capitulate upon becoming President, and turn over governing to Hillary.
DISQUALIFIED! Your support of Trump has made you crazy. Any antiwar support you have left has to be limited to batsh-t crazy southern racists and other assorted moonbats.
Don, get a grip! Don, as a PNAC man, why are you being so perturbed by your vision of US control of Iraq and Syria, and eventually Iran. I thought that was your preferred plan.
Anti-war does not mean anti-brain. And it does not mean especially being antiwar, when confronted with a challenge that is rendering region unstable and chaotic, as is ISIS, with is side-kick, Al-Qaeda.
You are doing a great imitation of the “liberal” screaming babies, seeing all racists around them, and needing a safe place to hide from reality.
AGAIN, GET A GRIP. Breathe, slowly, in, out.
You either know that I’m totally opposed to the PNAC or you’re being totally dishonest.
Or, the only other explanation for your poutish behaviour is that you’re feeling like you’re too much on the losing side of the antiwar fight.
It’s us or it’s Trump now Bianca. It’s past the point of pretending anymore. You can come with us now or you can put it off as long as you like.
Hold off. Your support is going to come soon as your country starts to celebrate Trump’s military victories.
There’s never ever been more than a few intellectuals that are capable of rising against the flood Bianca. I give you credit for being smart enough to know that. What is so disconcerting to me is, if not you on this site then who?
Is there anybody who puts their antiwar agenda ahead of their libertarian leaning?
Look,
No one wants neo-Ottomanism. Yes Blanca, the Bloodthirsty Turks have the Army to take Northern Syria. No one wants that to happen, other then the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Nusra,and IS. All your points are irrelevant.
You are making a point without making any points. You have an ideology in mind, and your sentiments give you credit. But let us not get into ideology, that leads into irrationality.
And just listing all the groups that West has midwifed to life in Middle East, and is now biting our behinds, is not advancing your argument — still trying to see which one — any further. So, read my comment carefully, and comment specifics. And you may think that everything is simple, but it is not. Now that CIA has stopped funding many of those in Idlib, we have a war of those factions tearing them apart, and they are just battling over the remnants of arms and supplies, as the funds have dried up.
Turks must be credited with cosponsoring the ceasefire, which is holding — with the exception of identified terrorists. So far so good.
But if you think that the inhabitants of Syria, those along the border with Turkey, as well as those of Raqqa governorate are looking forward to being ruled by Kurds, you are wrong. You may not know details of the region, and its inhabitants, or are passionately on the side of Kurds. Nobody is a villain there, but keep in mind that wars and opportunities to seize other people’s towns and villages have made criminals even of good people. The temptation is there, either US can curb the greed, or Turkey can do what it feels it must. It Is really up to US and up to Kurds. The fate is in their hands, not Turkey, nor any other groups you are listing.
None of our business. We didn’t want neo-Nazism in Ukraine either but that’s what the Crook and Victoria got.
The US has found only one proxy to use, after long and expensive search. It won’t give up its only proxy. It does not matter to the US what reason is given, it just won’t do it.
Turkey has a huge Kurdish problem. It does not matter to them what is promised, it just won’t trust arming and organizing Kurds for war.
The US simply does not care about Turkey’s problem, and Turkey in turn does not care much about the US problem. Neither one has made any real effort to find a compromise way to serve both needs. They are both doing their hard-guy posturing.
What compromise is possible? Several. All involve Turkey going more into Syria, and the US both encouraging that and helping it. Turkey could do that instead of Kurds, or it could do that to keep its forces between the Kurds and Turkey and keep the Kurdish zones apart.
The common denominator is that the Kurds would lose to Turkish interests, and so lose much of their motivation to be the only US proxy. It would ultimately end the Syria regime change by proxy insurgency.
The PKK aren’t even terrorists. There freedom fighters defending their people against the genocidal terrorist state of Turkey. A state the US continues to bankroll. The Kurds need to look to the Russians again. America can never be trusted.