Missing the Bigger Picture in Kurdish Syria: Misunderstanding our military withdrawal

American Thinker ^ | 10/12/2019 | By Lt. Col. Robert L. Maginnis, US Army Ret.

[SeekAndFind]

President Trump’s decision to withdraw our few troops from the Syria-Turkey border area earned him considerable criticism from allies. Senator Lindsey Graham said the decision is “a catastrophe in the making.” Representative Lin Cheney said it’s “a catastrophic mistake.” Former UN Secretary Nikki Haley said, “We must always have the backs of our allies.”

President Trump has answered these critics. The Kurds were engaged in a contractual relationship fighting the Islamic State (ISIS). They were well paid and equipped for their fighting, much like any mercenary group. Further, they were given three years to consolidate eastern Syria to feed their long-held desire to form an independent Kurdistan with other Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. They failed.

The Kurds’ problem, and by association that of the U.S., is that regional powers like Turkey and to a lesser extent Iran and Syria have long held the Kurds in disdain. In fact, Turkey considers the Syrian Kurds to be allies of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or (PKK), which are Turkish Kurds and terrorists fighting for independence for the last 35 years.

Basically, the Kurds hijacked our fight with ISIS to feed their regional civil war to earn independence.

President Trump is aware of that agenda and is also trying to constrain American hawks who want to use our military willy-nilly across the world. Remember that Trump frequently said during his 2016 campaign that he wants to escape from endless wars and bring our fighters home.

Also, we need to ask ourselves whether the withdrawal of few American troops really matters in the conflict either against ISIS, and did it really grant the Turkish government the “green light” to attack “terrorist” Kurds? Perhaps. The Syrian civil war which led to the rise of ISIS is over and the bloody dictator in Damascus won,

[Candor7]

I dont see Russia or Iran “ arming” the Kurds esp vs Turkey,>>>>>>>>>>>>

Why not? It would prevent Pass through Turey oil from reaching the European market, increase European dependence on Russian oil and gas.

The Kurds would welcome the chance to repeatedly disrupt Turkey’s oil supply line from the South, which is why Turkey has invaded the area of Northern Syria to secure that pipeline.

The Iranians have no love for Turkey either, watch the Kurds
switch their loyalty from the USA to the Russians very shortly, unless the USA starts arming the Kurds heavily via Christians in Action.

[silverleaf]

Remind me again why the Russians want to arm the Kurds against Turkey

https://www.gazprom.com/projects/turk-stream/

[Valin]

“President Trump has answered these critics.”

He Has? Could have fooled me.