Turkish officials say they will cross into northeastern Syria “shortly” with ground troops, and has carried out more strikes against the Syria-Iraq border, gearing up that operation.
After President Trump’s threat to destroy the Turkish economy over the matter, the Pentagon has
also said they will severely limit Turkish access to northeastern
Syria, preventing Turkey from conducting air support missions during the
invasion.
Turkish officials are dismissing the US threats, with Vice President Oktay saying “Turkey is not a country that will act according to threats,” and will determine their own operations.
The US and Turkey have been sparring over the future of northeastern
Syria for years. The US has wanted to ensure that the Kurdish YPG
retains control of the area, while Turkey very much prefers that the
Kurds not retain any autonomous territory.
And while that’s a driving priority for Turkey with respect to Kurds in
multiple countries, the Turkish government’s spokesman presented the
impending invasion as a “counter-ISIS effort,” and is warning the Kurds
against “disrupting” that, despite the Kurdish YPG clearly being the
primary target in a region where the only ISIS presence is in a
YPG-controlled prison camp.
Love this ISIS angle! If US can pull up and beat this dead horse anytime it needs to explain why it cannot get out of Syria, why not Turkey?
Pentagon and ALL the talking heads on TV, all the “deeply worries” politicians — daily are talking up the danger of resurgent ISIS!!
Well, here is the answer not so gentle gentlemen and very unladylike ladies of the worrying kind — Turkey can fight ISIS. Just get out of the way! It is your NATO ally, remember?
I am sure they are laughing their heads off in Damascus. And then, after taking some air, laugh some more.
The dreaded ISIS. The only real ISIS contingent now available is in the camp in Al-Tanf area. US does not allow anyone access to the camp — even though some refugees are there, and are begging to leave. Syrian Red Crescent and Red Cross have offered busses to take them out — not approved by US. Some have escaped on foot — and are talking about conditions there. Not that US media cares to know.
If US did not trust Syrian Government and Russia to clear the area from ISIS — why not Turkey?
Because US is standing by YPG, a party not really supported by Kurds themselves. Want a proof? When Turkey invaded Afrin — a Kurdish enclave in the West — it was able to rout YPG in no time. Why? YPG had no popular support. In fact, population there insisted Afrin reintegrates with Syria, and turn over border control to Damascus government. Before entering, Turkey advised them to accept Damascus/Russian offer on reintegration, and Turkey was to stay out once assured that YPG will cede border control. YPG refused — Turkey entered. Now Syrians can get back into Afrin without needing YPG visa. Many Syrians who have property in Afrin were intimidated to sell.
Today, Afrin Kurds. along with other Kurds across Syria have representatives in Constitutional Assembly, that will under UN auspices draft and approve constitution. That would be the base for elections.
So, Kobane Kurds are still waiting for US to reward YPG? Why did US accept YPG as a partner? There are other Kurdish parties. The main reason is — it is under same command as PKK in Turkey and PKK in Iraq. They want statehood. US — build us a nation!
And to neocons — it was too tempting. All they have to do is hang around in Syria, get PKK a territorial presence, and from there keep on infiltrating Iraq and destroy Peshmerga, then use Kurdish vote in Turkey in cooperation with pro-US Republican Party to undermine Erdogan. Then erase borders between Syrian and Turkish Kurds. Their hope is that PKK will become popular in Iraq — after they see success in Syria. After that — only Iran remains.
US may be mad with Turkey — but will US choose war with Turkey? Can US take Turkey on militarily Turkey in any capacity — without major backlash.
No, US cannot secure Kurds their state. They have been doing it on the sly — forever ISIS menace. But public is not in the mood for another nation building.
Witness the Incredible Shrinking US Empire. When world leaders start openly thumbing their noses at threats from Washington the gig is well and truly up.
I would have preferred we recognize the error of our ways and voluntarily stop trying to rule the rest of the globe, but after two decades of insanity this appears to be the only way it can happen.
F**king over the Kurds is a time honored American pastime, like baseball and boarding school buggery. The harsh reality that even the Kurds have yet to recognize is that they’re better off without our dying empire up their ass. I say good riddance.