Posted on 12/25/2018 9:38:43 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey said Tuesday it is working with the United States to coordinate the withdrawal of American forces but remains “determined” to clear U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters from northeastern Syria.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that “if Turkey says it will enter, it will,” in comments carried by private DHA news agency.
For weeks, Turkey has been threatening to launch a new offensive against the Kurdish fighters, who partnered with the U.S. to drive the Islamic State group out of much of northern and eastern Syria. Ankara views the Kurdish forces as terrorists because of their links to an insurgent group inside Turkey.
President Donald Trump announced the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month.
The minister also said Ankara and Washington have agreed to complete a roadmap on the northern Syrian town of Manbij until the U.S. withdraws. Under the June deal, Kurdish forces would leave Manbij, in the western Euphrates valley, but delays have infuriated Turkey.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Remove the Kurds, but DON’T remove the whey.
We need to protect the Kurds if out of self interest if nothing else. They have been good allies. Provide them air cover? Or am I wrong?
The Islamist Turks ARE NOT our friends...the Kurds ARE. Hopefully, Trump will be wise enough to provide the Syrian Kurds with MANY effective anti-tank, anti-vehicular weapons, anti-aircraft weapons and other military aid...both financial and material.
The Kurds fought and are still fighting ISIS. The Turks cooperated and continue to cooperate with ISIS and other Islamist groups in Syria.
Two main paths are open:
Syria lets the Kurds and Turks kill each other off in the NE, and Syria fights off Turks in the Aleppo corridor.
Or
Syria helps Kurds defend NE and use Kurds to fight off Turks in the corridor and in Afrin.
The second is the wiser choice, but- it’s the Middle East.
...Turkey and Iran to fill the void, wiping out America’s allies.
What can go wrong with that other than smouldering Damascus?
The Kurds would crush a same-sized force of Turks.
100% correct.
“Provide them air cover?”
If Syria allies with the Kurds it will be ... Russia (and Syria) providing them air cover!
We do have bases across the border, but think our only defending of the Kurds would be diplomatic though.
Relations between Turkey, Russia deepening, Putin says after meeting with top Turkish officials
https://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2018/08/24/relations-between-turkey-russia-deepening-putin-says-after-meeting-with-top-turkish-officials
Relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
http://www.mfa.gov.tr/relations-between-turkey-and-the-russian-federation.en.mfa
Turkey, Russia deepen ties amid troubled relations with West
April 2, 2018
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-russia-ties-20180402-story.html
There’s also a chance that the Kurds will join them to have a chance to survive (rumored meetings).
Russia and China are both tightening control on religions in their countries again while using radical Islamist countries as international military tools (Iran, Pakistan, etc.).
Sounds like an invasion of another country to me.
Do the Turks outnumber the Kurds?
“The Islamist Turks ARE NOT our friends...the Kurds ARE.”
I don’t know enough about the Kurds either way. I do know that they hate the Turkish government, and we hate that government too. But then they’ve hated EVERY Turkish government, to the point of having small-scale civil wars against the prior governments - and yet most of those governments were very close to us. So, are they actually our friends, or are they simply fighting to stay alive now, and were fighting to take territory (inside Turkey) in the past?
I do know that the media tells us that the Kurds are good guys, but then that fits very nicely with their Trump hatred. I also know that the media tells us that Assad is a horrible person, but I know, for sure, that is total BS, at least compared to those he’s fighting.
My only point is that we might, again, be getting played by our media...and it wouldn’t be the first time.
Determined to conquer and occupy a part of the state of Syria.
Yes. By about 30%, worldwide.
” Provide them air cover? Or am I wrong?”
Our air base, Incirlik, is in Turkey. We rent it from the Turks. Our policy and actions in the area are constrained by this fact.
Frankly, I think we should abandon Turkey and kick them out of NATO. But, then, I am, apparently, a radical extremist.
I agree - Turkey is not an ally and has no place in NATO.
Are the Kurds Christian, or non-Muslim, or a breakaway Muslim sect?
I know their next door neighbors, the Armenians, are Christian.
Trump shouldn’t pull troops out if the Kurds will get hurt.
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