Posted on 12/29/2018 1:03:08 PM PST by Texas Fossil
U.S. President Donald Trump reshaped U.S. policy in the Middle East by handing Ankara the job of finishing off Islamic State, in Syria in a move that poses both a risk/opportunity for Turkey, Israeli Haaretz newspaper wrote.
Trump was expected to warn the Turkish president over his plan to launch a third crossborder attack targeting U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, namely the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria, during a phone call 2-weeks ago. However, something unexpected happened, Haaretz said.
Trump is reported to have asked if Ankara can ‘’clean up ISIS?’’ if the U.S. withdraws, with Turkey’s strongman responding Turkish forces were up to the task.
The decision was a shock to both Turkey/Washington.
In Washington, senior administration officials, including Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, tried for days to change the president's mind, Haaretz wrote; however, Trump made clear he would not back down. Mattis and a senior official coordinating the fight against Islamic State, Brett McGurk, both resigned within days.
For Ankara, Trump's decision offers both an opportunity and a risk, Haaretz wrote, noting that the withdrawal ‘’potentially frees Turkey's military to push the YPG back from 500 km of border without risking a confrontation with American forces. It also removes a main cause of this year's diplomatic crisis between the two countries.’’
However, it also opens up an area of Syria far larger than what Ankara had expected to fill, ‘’potentially pitting it against not just Kurdish forces but also the Damascus government - which is committed to regaining control of all of Syria - and its Russian and Iranian backers.
(Excerpt) Read more at ahvalnews.com ...
I've read several article about the situation in Manbij, but this seems closer to reality than most of the others.
Trump often surprises opponents. In this case, I hope he is right.
I'm pro N. Syrian Kurds. They did remove ISIS from vast portions of Syria, and no one wants to have them at the peace table. They should not be excluded.
“as the U.S. is drafts plans that could see a withdrawal over the course of several months.”
Time for others to step up, time for negotiations - just not forever.
This puts pressure on the parties to come to a deal.
It is promptly on cue with the fall of Hajin - no dilly dallying.
Erdogan the Ottoman wishes to flex his nation’s muscle, since NATO is having none of his shenanigans.
Like it or not, Trump is decisive and direct. He wastes not time when he thinks actions are appropriate.
He has been right before when others painted him in a bad light, only to deliver results that many thought impossible. I hope that is the situation now.
Yes, Erdogan the Neo Ottoman Islamist dictator of Turkey likes to demand.
He recognizes no law above him. That is a fatal error.
Feeling betrayed by the United States, its Kurdish allies in Syria asked the Syrian government on Friday to protect them from possible attack by Turkey.
The request surprised some American officials and could help open the way for the forces of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, backed by Russia and Iran, to start retaking the Kurdish-held part of the country near Turkey’s border.
That would be a big step toward Mr. Assad’s goal of reclaiming all of Syria, upended by almost eight years of war.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/world/middleeast/syria-kurds-turkey-manbij.html
Nobody gave us permission to occupy land in Syria. We are there illegally. No matter how much killing goes on we have no right to be there. Trump realized that. If it is a war we want then it is up to congress to declare it. Get us out of this mess and let them kill each other if that is what they want.
We were not “invited” in, but Assad said if we helped it would be OK.
We did, now ISIS is almost ended. (except for those who Turkey used to take “Efrin, Syria” and kill several thousand civilians and displace 400,000 civilians.)
I think Trump knows what he is doing, he has a sense for this.
Over a number of years, I’ve made some good Syrian friends in the North. I like and trust them. I want the best for them. ISIS is not the Best. Nor is Assad. But he may well be the best available right now.
The Kurds never fought against Assad’s forces. They both tried not to engage. It was dumb to do so. Except for the Quds and IRGC, who did pick several fights with the SDF and the YPG.
Nobody ever mentions the Saudi’s who have assured the US they will take over protection of the Kurds along with the UAE. We are NOT leaving the Kurds at the mercy of Turkey.
I was told that SA did not show up. And that that was Fake News.
There are things going on between a number of nation related to this, that are in the deep background right now.
I suspect what you said it true. But the Turk Jihadi’s are not in on the game. They are evil and nutty as can be.
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