The Daily Is the U.S. Betraying Its Kurdish Allies?
Oct 8, 2019
Eric Schmitt, a terrorism and national security expert from The New York Times, discusses the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria and its implications for Kurdish allies. He highlights how this decision could destabilize the region, allowing Turkey to act against the Kurds, who significantly helped combat ISIS. Schmitt examines the complex dynamics between the U.S., Turkey, and Kurdish forces, emphasizing how the pullback could lead to chaos and renewed threats from ISIS. The conversation uncovers critical geopolitical shifts and the potential fallout from these actions.
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The Kurds and U.S. Policy
- The Kurds are a stateless people, some of whom are important U.S. allies in Syria in the fight against ISIS.
- However, Turkey views the Kurds as a terrorist group, putting the U.S. in a difficult position.
Initial Withdrawal Attempt
- In December 2018, Trump ordered a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, prompting outrage and Mattis's resignation.
- This was due to concerns about abandoning the Kurds and jeopardizing counterterrorism efforts.
U.S. Troop Roles
- The remaining U.S. troops in Syria had three main goals: acting as a buffer, assisting Kurdish counterterrorism operations, and guarding ISIS prisoners.
- These were crucial to maintaining stability and preventing ISIS resurgence.