President Trump’s proposal to establish a 20-mile wide “safe zone” in northern Syria was seemingly meant to limit the ability of Turkey to invade the country and fight the Kurdish YPG. Surprisingly, however, the plan has been endorsed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan described his Monday call with Trump as “quite positive,” and said the security zone will not only be established, but might by expanded deeper into Syria in the future. Erdogan termed this an “historic understanding” with President Trump.
Kurdish YPG officials, however, rejected the plan. They said that a safe zone would only be permissible if under the auspices of the UN, and if defended by an international force. They said letting Turkey set one up was “tantamount to occupation.”
Bedran Ciya Kurd, a Kurdish official, said that it might also be possible for a safe zone to be established with Syrian government troops present. The zone may serve as a place to house massive numbers of Kurdish refugees who are currently in Turkey, or who will be displaced by the Turkish invasion.
Appealing to Erdogans neo-ottoman ambitions has a tendency to bring out the most primitive, shortsighted backstabber in him and immediately get him off course. This is a dangling carrot he just can’t resist. Whether Russia and Iran will be able to talk some sense to him remains to be seen. The next Astana format meeting is in Moscow at the end of the month.
The USA is doing everything for there jihadi allies. Erdogan is the Chief jihadi and trumps best friend. The Joke of fighting terrorism.
I wonder how the Syrian government feels about this. As if it matters.
>>>”The zone may serve as a place to house massive numbers of Kurdish refugees who are currently in Turkey”
are these Kurdish refugees from Syria who fled Syria and went into Turkey, or Kurdish refugees from Turkey that are refugees in Turkey as a result of Erdogan’s aggression against them?
FINALLY! The Kurds stand up to their American abusers. Take another swing, Tina. Knock Ike the f**k out.
The Syrian government and Russia reject the idea.
US Hubris….. Imagine if a country together with Mexico or Canada planned to establish a 20-mile wide “safe zone on the US side of the border with Mexico or Canada.