Turkey offensive in Syria: Sheepish America, Iran, and Russia but Trump consistency
Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The government of Turkey is laying bare the respective self-interests of America, Iran, and the Russian Federation. Hence, while President Donald Trump is abandoning the Kurds on the ground after the failure of the initial meddling of the Barack Obama administration. The nations of Iran and the Russian Federation are equally sheepish in abandoning the Syrian government when it comes to the territorial integrity of Syria. Therefore, just like Iraqis are fed-up with the meddling of America and Iran, the nation of Syria is equally a proxy war of self-interests and military avoidance of all major players.
NATO Turkey, already given carte blanche of occupying Northern Cyprus decade after decade without being expelled, is once more occupying a sovereign nation. Of course, Turkey being Turkey, then it is the usual Kurdish Question that must be stamped out at all costs. In this sense, Iran is being consistent because this nation also fears the Kurdish Question. Yet, for the Kurds, they feel betrayed by America after losing so many people to fighting ISIS (Islamic State – IS) and other Takfiri groups.
Likewise, for Syria, they are witnessing the betrayal of Iran and the Russian Federation to a new level. After all, despite Turkey supporting various Sunni Islamist sectarian groups and mercenaries to fight against the Syrian armed forces, the nations of Iran and the Russian Federation have strengthened ties with Turkey. Therefore, on several occasions, you have seen the leaders of Iran, the Russian Federation, and Turkey cozying up to each other despite supporting opposing sides in Syria.
Reuters reports, “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.”
Susan Collins, the senior United States Senator serving Maine for the Republicans, uttered, “Trump’s decision to abandon the Kurds, our major ally in the fight against ISIS, was terribly unwise. Today, we are seeing the consequences of that terrible decision. If the reports of Turkish strikes in Syria are accurate, I fear our allies the Kurds could be slaughtered.”
Ultimately, Barack Obama, the former president of America, opened up a can of worms in Libya and Syria – and his policies also helped to re-destabilize Iraq again because ISIS emerged in Iraq and Syria (and Libya to a lesser extent). Of course, other nations destabilized Syria alongside America during the Obama administration and this notably applies to France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Therefore, President Trump – an individual opposed to endless wars was left with the errors of past American administrations going back decades – from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama. This notably applies to Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria where conflicts are ongoing.
Trump, in fairness to his pre-election pledge, rebukes all condemnations of his betrayal of the Kurds. He states, “From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars.”
Yet, while Trump is being loyal to his election pledge – for example, he ignored hawks to bomb Iran – it is more complex, even if not based on his making. After all, while responsibility should be based on Obama’s intrigues in the region, it is irresponsible to abandon the Kurds to the armed forces of Turkey. Therefore, the Trump administration needs to rethink its options and quickly – if not, then many Kurds and others will die, while Turkey will alter the ethnic balance of the region.
Overall, the nations of Iraq and Syria need all outside meddling to cease because all major powers, irrespective if America, Iran, the Russian Federation, Turkey, or others, have only negative vested self-interests. Hence, if the international community is concerned for the Kurds in Northern Syria, then major sanctions should be put on Turkey immediately and other political repercussions should be announced.
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