Posted on 02/07/2018 11:11:59 AM PST by huldah1776
MANBIJ, Syria – On the ground in Syria, the top U.S. general in the coalition fighting the Islamic State group pledged on Wednesday that American troops would remain in the northern Syrian Kurdish town of Manbij despite Ankara's demands for a U.S. pullout.
"We're here to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS is maintained in this area," Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk said during a visit to U.S. forces in Manbij. ISIS is an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group.
Funk's visit comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and the United States — NATO allies that have ended up on opposing sides in some aspects of the multi-layered war in Syria.
While fighting IS in Syria, the U.S. has backed the Syrian Kurdish militia, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG — a group that Ankara considers "terrorists" and allied with Kurdish insurgents within Turkey, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. The YPG makes up the backbone of a force that fought IS in Syria.
After ousting IS from Manbij in 2016, the United States has maintained a military presence there.
Funk told reporters in Manbij that the U.S. would continue to support the Syrian fighters despite tensions with Turkey and that a continued U.S. presence in Syria's north is aimed at deescalating tensions.
"I don't worry," Funk said when asked about recent Turkish threats, "It's not in my job description to worry, my job is to fight."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Not "stand down".
Good, given what the Kurds have done for us, as well we should support them.
Oo-rah! General Paul Funk! Stick it to ‘em until the lose the will to fight. Interdict every damn thing they need or want!
"Turkish threats? Hell, my guys could use the artillery practice...."
I don’t think the Turkish military would last 48 hours against the United States. Their airforce would be gone within hours and then their tanks would become target practice for the American squadrons.
NATO and Turkey must soon part ways. They are the sick man of the organization and clearly not interested in western democracy anymore, but reverting to living like 7th century ax murderers. Arm the Kurds and let them kick the Turks behinds. Evacuate American bases of equipment and personnel in Turkey quickly.
Pretty authoritative statement from the US Military:
“(Lieutenant General) Funk told reporters in Manbij that the U.S. would continue to support the Syrian fighters despite tensions with Turkey”
Looks like the US will bar Turkey (and their jihadi militias) from capturing Manbij.
“American and Syrian Kurdish commanders at the Manbij outpost said that low-level clashes between Turkish-backed forces and the U.S.-backed fighters were a regular occurrence.
But Funk downplayed the significance of the attacks, describing them as just “harassing.””
The attack into Afrin has bogged down, and Turkish casualties are returning home in a steady drip.
Conquest may turn out to not be as easy as Erdogan imagined, in his hubris.
It is either 11 or 12 Turkish tanks that have been destroyed. One of them was captured not destroyed.
They have barely entered into Efrin. Hitting many fronts they are consistently repelled.
“YPG Commander Hemo: Turkish army has made no advance in Afrin”
Why? Kurds are extremely motivated and determined. Turk militias have been bloodied and outsmarted by Kurds many times. The ISIS and al Qaeda components are there, but not in large numbers. I suspect even the FSA hates, fears and wants nothing to do with either of them.
Turkey’s foreign relations are going directly into the crapper lately. Today Swedish FM canceled Turkey visit over attack against Afrin. Netherlands has totally severed ties with Turkey. Neither has an ambassador for the other country. And they are no longer talking about repairing that. The EU has written off Turkey for any consideration of membership. Not Good.
“Swedish FM cancels Turkey visit over attack against Afrin”
https://anfenglish.com/news/swedish-fm-cancels-turkey-visit-over-attack-against-afrin-24770
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Turkey & mercenaries killed sofar 30,000 sheep in Efrîn & destroyed 5 chicken farms. And killed at least 150 cows & destroyed 8,000 hectare crops on farms. Destroying livelihood is part of their genocide. Destroy homes, infrastructure, kill cattle so people have nothing left to survive on.
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Destroying water and food supply of civilians is a war crime, by international law>
https://twitter.com/AzadiRojava/status/960513490552283136
While #EU govts & @NATO repeat the lies of Turkey ‘protecting its borders’
I show you reality: footage of the Efrîn Meydanki dam. And the destruction his warplanes caused there.
This dam is vital for water supplies to the people & agriculture
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And like you said, the US military in Manbij is resolute to stay and prevent Turkey doing the same thing to it.
Turkey is poised to commit Genocide, they MUST be stopped. Preferably by Multi National pressure on them. But it is clear that Erdogan is not listening to anybody. Eventually that will hit the fan.
I think they know that we are not going to blink on Manbij. If not? Well he will find out we are not bluffing.
Is that what he wants? He’s crazy, but is he really that stupid?
We’re being invade here, not in Syria where we are illegally.
“Destroying water and food supply of civilians is a war crime, by international law”
It is also a war crime under sharia (even though Muhammad did it, when it suited him).
It seems that Turkey wants to pursue such an ethnic cleansing approach to support a permanent annexation, but such tactics (especially against muslim populations) conflicts with their islamist ideology.
This is an effective message against Erdogan, that could be targeted at big parts of his political base. He spurns the word of God to pursue his own grandeur - the very definition of hubris.
I appreciate the addition to understanding the importance of this.
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