Turkey opens ground assault on Syria’s Kurds; U.S. Republicans turn on Trump
October 9, 2019
Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies attacked Kurdish militia in northeast Syria on Wednesday, pounding them with air strikes and artillery before starting a cross-border ground operation that could transform an eight-year-old war.
The assault began days after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled American troops out of the way, prompting denunciations from senior members of his own Republican Party who say he abandoned the Syrian Kurds, loyal allies of Washington.
Read more at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-turkey-usa/turkish-and-syrian-rebel-forces-to-start-syria-offensive-shortly-erdogans-aide-idUSKBN1WO05Z
Trump Agrees on Need For Sanctions Against Turkey, Wants Something ‘Tougher Than Sanctions’
09.10.2019
On Wednesday, Turkey launched a military operation in Northern Syria against PKK/YPG and Daesh, claiming that the offensive is aimed at clearing the border area of terrorists and creating a security zone to accommodate Syrian refugees.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that he does “agree on sanctions, but I actually think much tougher than sanctions“, referring to possible consequences for Turkey after Ankara kicked off a military offensive in Syria’s north.
Read more at https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201910091077001981-trump-agrees-on-need-for-sanctions-against-turkey-wants-something-tougher-than-sanctions/
Syrian Kurds outgunned but vow to inflict toll on Turkish army
October 10, 2019
Kurdish fighters who defeated Islamic State across much of Syria with U.S. help will struggle to fend off the Turkish army and its Syrian rebel allies who thrust across the border on Wednesday in a long-threatened offensive.
Under Turkish attack after their U.S. allies withdrew from part of the border, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – which the Kurdish YPG militia spearheads – is heavily outgunned by NATO’s second-largest military.
Read more at https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Syrian-Kurds-outgunned-but-vow-to-inflict-toll-on-Turkish-army-604133
World reacts to Turkey’s military operation in northeast Syria
Oct. 10, 2019
Turkey has launched a military operation against Kurdish positions in northeast Syria, just days after US troops pulled out of the area.
Ankara says it is targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and Kurdish-led forces who hold territory in the border area, and wants to create a so-called “safe zone” where Syrian refugees can be resettled.
Here are some statements from around the world regarding Turkey’s military operation
Read more at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/world-reacts-turkey-military-operation-northeast-syria-191009181335266.html
Turks should show sympathy to Trump and tolerate his tweets – columnist
Oct 09 2019
Turks should be understanding over a tweet U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Monday warning he could destroy the Turkish economy since his words are directed at opponents in the United States, Mehmet Barlas, a columnist for the pro-government daily Sabah said on Wednesday.
Following a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday, Trump announced that he would pull out American troops in northern Syria to allow Ankara to launch a military operation against Kurdish-controlled territories along its border.
Read more at https://ahvalnews.com/us-turkey/turks-should-show-sympathy-trump-and-tolerate-his-tweets-columnist
Trump critics fail to grasp Turkish dissatisfaction with U.S. policies
Oct 09 2019
Those criticising U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to pave the way for a Turkish military incursion into northern Syria disregard the dissatisfaction among Turks against U.S. policies, said analysts Michael Doran and Michael A. Reynolds in the Wall Street Journal.
Trump announced the United States would withdraw U.S. troops from the border in northeast Syria after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday. Turkey says it is ready to launch a military operation against territory controlled by the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its affiliate the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey sees as offshoots of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Read more at https://ahvalnews.com/us-turkey/trump-critics-fail-grasp-turkish-dissatisfaction-us-policies
Russia has 3 messages for Turkey over operation in Syria
October 8, 2019
Hours after Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Turkey’s economy should Ankara do anything that he considers “off limits,” Moscow struck a different tone. On Oct. 7, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, following the drawdown of US troops and the launch of the Turkish operation, reiterated Russia’s recognition of “Turkey’s right to ensure its security,” but conditioned it with several important don’ts.
Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/10/russia-turkey-operation-syria-us-kurds.html#ixzz61w8zPx1b
Iran Holds Unannounced Drill near Turkey Border
October 9, 2019
The Iranian Army Ground Force staged a war game in the country’s northwestern regions near the common border with Turkey on Wednesday.
The unannounced military exercise has been held in regions near Oroumiyeh, capital of the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, with Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi in attendance.
The military drill involves rapid reaction units, mobile and offense brigades, and helicopters from the Army Ground Force’s Airborne Unit, Tasnim news agency reported.
Read more at http://english.almanar.com.lb/843746
Putin, Erdoğan, Rouhani summit on Syria in two photos
17 September 2019
There are two photos that I want to bring to your attention from the Astana Process meeting on Syria in Ankara on September 16 where Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani were hosted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan. Please take a good look at the faces of the three leaders in those photos posted on the Turkish Presidency’s official website.
Read more at https://yetkinreport.com/en/2019/09/17/putin-erdogan-rouhani-summit-on-syria-in-two-photos/
Is Trump At Last Ending Our ‘Endless Wars’?
The backstage struggle between the Bush interventionists and the America-firsters who first backed Donald Trump for president just exploded into open warfare, which could sunder the Republican Party.
At issue is Trump’s decision to let the Turkish army enter Northern Syria, to create a corridor between Syrian Kurds and the Turkish Kurds of the PKK, which the U.S. and Turkey regard as a terrorist organization.
Read more at https://original.antiwar.com/buchanan/2019/10/07/is-trump-at-last-ending-our-endless-wars/
