Washington must do one thing about Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan. And if Staff Biden gained’t, then the incoming Trump people should.
No sooner had the Assad regime collapsed than the Turkish army attacked the northern Syrian city of Manbij, which has been beneath the management of US-backed Kurdish forces.
Turkey despatched warplanes to assist insurgent fighters battling the Syrian Protection Forces, that are backed by the US. A Turkish drone exploded at a Kurdish army base.
No less than 22 SDF members have been reportedly killed, and 40 others wounded.
On Monday, after Kurdish forces withdrew from Manbij, the Turkish-backed fighters took management.
Once more, these are US allies, serving to to maintain ISIS and different terrorists from resurging. About 900 US troops work with them to regulate the world; thankfully no Individuals have been harm, this time.
But Turkey put all of them in hurt’s method — although it’s technically a US ally itself, as a member of NATO.
True, as Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin famous, Erdogan has longstanding “safety issues” about extremist Kurdish separatists, who need their very own nation.
However Erdogan is clearly aiming to capitalize on the ability vacuum created by Bashar al-Assad’s fall and lengthen his affect.
Turkey and its proxies in Syria are “trying to make the most of the present chaos to rewrite the map in Turkey’s favor,” explains the Washington Institute for Close to East Coverage’s Devorah Margolin.
“They’re utilizing the distraction of Damascus to proceed to seize energy throughout this time of chaos and to undermine the SDF, making certain its negotiating energy is weakened.”
And that’s simply the tip of the iceberg.
Bear in mind, Erdogan has lengthy been a difficult power all through the Center East, significantly in his virulent hostility towards one other US ally: Israel.
He cast nearer relations with Russia after a battle some years again, buying key army gear, such because the S-400 air protection system.
And he’s been ruthless even to his personal individuals, clamping down on journalists and dissidents.
Donald Trump will probably be taking workplace in simply six weeks, lengthy earlier than the mud in Syria settles.
He ought to let Erdogan know — in no unsure phrases — that any additional belligerence type Turkey wherever within the Center East, significantly if it poses dangers to US forces and their allies, gained’t be tolerated.
The Turkish chief higher watch his step or put together to face penalties come Jan. 20
