Posted on 10/07/2019 10:38:34 AM PDT by huldah1776
The US decision to withdraw forces from northern Syria in anticipation of Turkish assault is only the most recent betrayal Kurds have faced
A popular saying goes that Kurds have "no friends but the mountains".
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The decision on Monday by US President Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from northern Syria in anticipation of a Turkish invasion is only the latest in a long line of betrayals.
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In 2016, the Turkish military and allied Syrian forces launched Operation Euphrates Shield and entered northern Syria with the express aim of defeating the so-called Islamic State (IS) group that still controlled chunks of the country. However, the PYD argued that they were the ultimate target of the Turkish forces.
Since 2015, the US had supported the PYD's armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), in the fight against IS, viewing them as the most effective fighting force on the ground. As the main component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the YPG managed to wipe out much of the group's territorial control in the north, including capturing their "capital" Raqqa.
However, anyone who has hoped that the US government's backing would include protection from Turkey was disappointed - then US Vice President Joe Biden warned the YPG against expanding west of the Euphrates River if they wanted to keep Washington's support, effectively preventing the creation of a contiguous entity linking the Kurdish "cantons" in the northeast and northwest of the country.
Operation Olive Branch in 2018 saw the Turkish army and its allies entering the northwestern region of Afrin and overthrowing the YPG presence there, leading to widespread lawlessness and what some said was demographic displacement of the Kurdish population.
(Excerpt) Read more at middleeasteye.net ...
I mean it’s more their baby than ours. And you are right about Europe, especially as Turkey relates to this. And I definitely agree with your last sentence.
Amen.
Turkish air strikes on Kurds at border crossing...
https://twitter.com/ELINTNews/status/1181282104308424704
Turkey is in for a much tougher fight than what they are planning for.
There are multiple external restrictions on their actions. Scorched earth and wholesale slaughter will not be tolerated, under threat of US sanctions, and Syrian/Russian military intervention.
Not to mention the Kurds are well supplied and well trained.
Turkey just grabbed the tar baby.
But by us pulling out, we will allow the region to achieve its own equilibrium, something not possible when Goliath roams the mountains.
The PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) in Turkey was a pro-Soviet communist group and gets its funds, at least partially, from the drug traffic. I don’t think they are our friends.
You think Turkey would stop bombing with Kurds encroaching on their borders when there's a few American's in the mix? As I stated, let Israel do it.
Maybe. Erdogan is not much of an ally. Turkey has their borders to worry about as do the Kurds. Since the Kurds are not NATO would you suggest we ally with Turkey versus the Kurds? It's a no win.
I think you just proved my point? Israel is a real ally. We can finance Israel to help allies. The horseshit is leaving US soldiers on the Kurdish side and having US bases in Turkey. It's a no win. Again, let Israel deal with this or Europe or both.
Next stop Minneapolis
We were never the world’s policemen — cops get paid for their services, we do it freely.
To me your suggestion makes sense.
I have no problem with that stall. Thdkurds haven’t asked us to fight their battles. They’ve been willing to mix it up. As you say, just kidding e them the means to protect themselves.
.
As for Syria being an ally, I remain unconvinced.
.
We may have a working relationship, but I don’t see them as fellow travelers.
Not any more apparently.
You poor thing.
You’re operating under the assumption a actually care what you think.
The Kurds were helpful to us, and we should be helpful to them in return.
I didn’t say we should send troops, so quit pissing on your own foot and telling yourself you’re in a pissing contest?
How do you plan to have allies in the future if we continually turn our back on people who have helped us?
Another poster suggested we arm the Kurds then let them defend themselves. That’s just fine with me.
So much of your junior’s grasp of options.
My position is that the Kurds should be helped, but that doesn’t necessarily mean troops. While I am responding to troop withdrawals, I’m plenty fine with giving the Kurds the tools to help themselves.
They have proven they are tough and willing to fight.
I just believe they deserve a fighting chance. It’s also a good thing to have the Kurds feel we support them.
E don’t know what the future holds. The Kurds may well help us in the future.
Not much information on the numbers. I found an old article from March of 2019. In that it said there were about 2,000 troops in Syria, and they were planning on drawing it down to about 200 troops.
So I’m not sure if that draw down occurred and now we are pulling out the 200 troops remaining, or if we are finally getting around to getting some of those 2,000 troops out.
Wasn’t it in Syria where hundreds of troops led by Soviet personnel were stopped by something like five of our guys? (Plus air support I suppose.) I can see us not wanting to be in the middle of that and sparking who-knows-what.
“Well, get your ass over there and fight those Turks until you grow old and die...”
I recall watching old youtube videos of the Kurdish woman leader. Lots of volunteers from the US and England as I recall helping the Kurds fight. As well as some of our weapons, radios, etc. I don’t recall if any of our air support was available to them.
America cannot be the crutch of the world, people need to stand up for themselves.
Any group that sticks their women in the front lines is not worth knowing or befriending.
I appologize for that first reply. I try to respond on my iPhone but there are times when I go back and am astonished at how fractured the post are.
Here is what I meant to say:
To me your suggestion makes sense.
I have no problem with that at all. The kurds haven’t asked us to fight their battles. They’ve been willing to mix it up. As you say, just giving them the means to protect themselves will suffice.
.
As for Syria being an ally, I remain unconvinced.
.
We may have a working relationship, but I don’t see them as fellow travelers.
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