'No friends but the mountains': History repeats itself with latest US betrayal of Kurds

Middle East Eye ^ | 7 October 2019 | Alex MacDonald

[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.

[WashingtonFire]

If the Kurds bend the kneee to Trump he will be wise and gracious !

[robowombat]

DJT in tandem with direction to remove US forces from northern Syria directly threatened Turkey with crippling economic sanctions if that country invades Syrian Kurdistan, The Turks well know from what is being done to Iran what will happen in their case. Trump is a lot more sophisticated operator than DC will ever admit because he doesn't speak in gravitas tone and commit himself to endless non-productive beltway operations.

[Destroyer Sailor]

Good point. Americans are tolerant and have patience. But there comes a point where they say no more. The Turks have more at stake here than the United States does. I to feel for the Kurds, but there is only so much we can do. They must make accommodations with the regional powers like they have done for hundreds of years.

[af_vet_rr]

Get out of the ME. We have are own oil and gas now. Let the euroweenies help them.

That's a very naive take on things. Putting aside Kushner's love affair with the Saudis, all those oil and gas companies you are talking about, all have interests in the ME.

There is, unfortunately, a reason why we prop the Saudi royals up, kiss their butts, and look the other way when they do horrendous things. And the same with the Turks.

[af_vet_rr]

Don’t want to have to fight another protracted war against Turkey.

So you think Turkey is going to attack US forces? Really? Do you honestly believe that?

That would mean that Turkey does not respect us, that they think they are stronger than us.

Putting aside Trump's financial interests with his Trump Towers in Istanbul or whatever, that would run counter to what he has proclaimed, that we are a great country that nobody would ever mess with.

But you think Turkey is going to attack US forces.

How far we have fallen on the world stage if you think Turkey, flipping Turkey, is going to attack us.

[af_vet_rr]

I thought initially in Iraq following the toppling of Hussein that, while the Kurds didn’t get to declare independence from Iraq, they had autonomy in northern Iraq. Where does that stand today?

Judging by today's announcement, it means it's only a matter of time until Turkey invades Iraq to wipe out those Kurds. And we will stand aside while they do.

It's cute how all of the idiots think Turkey is just after ISIS or just trying to stabilize an already stabilized area.

Turkey is getting the green-light to commit genocide against a group of people that it's wanted eliminated for decades, even centuries. Guess trying to wipe out the Armenians wasn't enough for the Ottomans.

[JPJones]

I don’t think Turkey is just like Britain or France. For one thing: Turkey is muslim.

So are the Kurds. We’ve helped them more than anyone.

For them to complain now is absurd.

They should be thanking us.

Profusely.

[Gen.Blather]

“What is our night worth, if we are unwilling to do the right things with it.”

As I understand it we had about 150 people there. That’s not enough to stop anything. We would have to commit to attacking an “ally.” It would be a major effort with hundreds of us servicemen in Turkey at bases like Incirlik. How, when we attack Turkey, are we going to get our people out of Turkey? Now, on the other hand, if we give the Kurds hundreds of TOW missiles and tell Turkey they have them, this whole thing may become a tempest in a teapot.

The politics in the region make the Byzantine Empire look like a kindergarten class. I think Trump is making the only call he can in a situation where there is no “right” thing to do.

[kjam22]

The problem in the middle east is that you have to kill about 750 million people to end the fighting over there. And our country is not going to do that.

[60Gunner]

Question: If the Turks are our supposed NATO "allies," and if according to the treaty an attack on an ally is an attack on all NATO participants, then why aren't we attacking the Kurds?

Another question: the Turks and Kurds have been fighting for centuries. Why should we give a rat's ass? IT'S NOT OUR WAR. I'm tired of us sending our blood and treasure off to fight SOMEONE ELSE'S WAR.

See? GOP Neocons and Globalists are stupid little military-industrial complex whores who want to get us killed, and the world would be better served if they all fornicated themselves and died in a fiery bus crash.

[MrEdd]

As I recall, none of the Hmong were communists.
Therefore, obviously not.

[MrEdd]

No, fighting Turkey would be a return to sanity.
Turkey should have been booted from NATO in 1973, or the United States should have left.

[60Gunner]

"'Let Israel do it.'

And with four words, you get to the core of this. Israel is our sane country in the middle east. This is their baby."

Horseshit. This is not Israel's problem. They didn't start it. This is EUROPE'S problem. The inbred Euro-trash royal dynasties have ignored this massacre for centuries, and certainly long before Israel was established as a nation in 1948.

What the US needs to do is reinforce the hell out of Israel and let the savages around her kill each other to their hearts' content.

[DoodleDawg]

Like it or not we are the Policemen of the World!

Not anymore. Time to find a new policeman.

[DoodleDawg]

DJT in tandem with direction to remove US forces from northern Syria directly threatened Turkey with crippling economic sanctions if that country invades Syrian Kurdistan

I don't think the Turks are shaking in their boots at that prospect. A lot of difference between them and Iran.

[MrEdd]

Like it or not, sometimes we are better served if people determined to slaughter one another are allowed to do so.

You seem to think that there is some “we” who is obligated to be the world's policemen. Well, get your ass over there and fight those Turks until you grow old and die.. If you don't get your butt over there then you never meant “we.”
You meant someone else go die for a lost cause because it makes you feel good.

Man up.

[Political Junkie Too]

With all due respect to the Kurds, I've been hearing this since the 1990s.

At what point is it up to the Kurds to right themselves, or find other strategic partners to help defend them?

How did this become an American obligation in perpetuity?

-PJ

[Mr Rogers]

The Kurds are not our friends. They are less bad than ISIS, but they are not our friends.

[Manly Warrior]

The first question in any foreign policy needs to be “what does it do for US?”

Since WWI we have spilled our blood and emptied our doffers for everyone else. All of our friends around the world are our friends until we ask something of them. The Kurds too.

They too, love us until they don’t.

All of “youse guys” who think we ought to get all up in the Turks faces- the enlistment age for the Army is 42. If of age, go to it. If over, then send your sons. Otherwise you are full of crap.

And yes, I have children in uniform. I used to swear them in at re-enlistment/commissioning,, no longer. I ain’t like that no more.

[Mariner]

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.