A Turkish army tank stationed near the Syrian border, in Suruc, Turkey, Sept. 3, 2016. (AP Photo)
On November 24, Turkey’s Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, criticized a U.S. plan to establish observation posts along the Syrian-Turkish border and said that such measure would further complicate the situation in northeastern Syria.
“I am of the opinion that these measures will only complicate further an already complicated situation,” Akar told the Turkish Anadolu Agency.
Akar also revealed that he conveyed Turkey’s “discomfort” to the U.S. plan during a meeting with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the U.S. joint chiefs of staff chairman, last week on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada.
“We have stated that the observation points to be established by the U.S. troops on the Syrian border will have a very negative impact […] and in the course of our discussions we expressed that it could lead to a perception that ‘U.S. soldiers are somehow protecting terrorist [Kurdish People’s Protection Units] YPG members and shield them,” said Akar.
The Turkish defense minister added that he hopes that U.S. will soon cut its relations with the YPG, which is “no different from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK),” according to him.
The YPG and (some PKK members) is a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main proxy of the US-led coalition in Syria. The Kurdish-dominated group controls a large part of northeastern Syria, including a strip of the Syrian-Turkish border.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis revealed earlier this week that U.S. forces will establish several observation posts in the SDF-held part of the Syrian-Turkish border. Mattis claimed that the posts will address Turkey’s “legitimate” concerns about “terror threats” in northeastern Syria.
Akar’s statement today confirms that Mattis was not honest, and that these post are meant to protect the SDF from any attack by the Turkish military or its proxies. This will likely spark a new conflict between Washington and Ankara, which are both egger to expand their influence in the war torn country.
“Confirms Mattis was not honest”. Like confirmation was needed. The surprise would have been if he was being honest. And the only ones surprised about this revelation are… … … ok, no one on the planet is surprised.
Ankara, Damascus, Tehran and Moscow should have to come together to clean entire Mideast region from all these terrorists whether they are in US army costumes or in ISIS costumes.
yes rob, often thought the same thing. however…the yank is crazy enough & certainly desperate enough, to go nuclear, israel would make sure of it
As Gomer once put it, but in other news
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6q_Dw3zRR4
Instead GENOCIDALS are honest?
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Wait for Assad to drive them out … hahahaha . US has no forces in Syria able to withstand even Hezbollah ..
Who controls the foreign policy of the United States, President Donald Trump or the Sultan of Turkey Erdogan ?
Neither, who opposed Trump’s judgement on Khashoggi.
puppets dont have the right to judgement just do what they are told.
The CIA claims MbS is ‘guilty as charged’, You are right, they are to report to the President, but instead Publicly challenged his assessment. The CIA has been in charge of US foreign policy since JFK.
Zionists and neo cons control US foreign affairs.
israel does !
BUT……… how can they say no, to their partners?
chemical attack on aleppo by terrorists with missiles from idlib…..they used chlorine
“It could lead to the perception that ‘US soldiers are somehow protecting terrorists YPG members and shield them”, said Akar. He’s close to it, polite you might say. The US are blatantly protecting their ‘new nation’ of “Kurdistan”. Rather than a Kurdish Border Patrol, the US troops will ‘observe’ (and protect) themselves (Kurdistan). How else can the US, Saudi, et al, tear Syria and Turkey apart.
The newly finished gaspipe lays in Kurdistan territory. USA has an obligation to protect freedom for suppressed minorities and their ressources.
What pipeline?
Turkey watch your back the USA once in your country will slowly take over everything starting with your GOV’t then all your resources.
US is preparing Barbarosa Turkey but everybody refused to believe it, until the well prepared Hitler suddenly attacked the big guy´s new gaspipe under the build up disguise of securing peace.
Do you know why Germany invaded Russia? The US/UK convinced Stalin not to supply oil to Germany. Germany like Japan was a victim of Americas famous sanctions. All the wars in the last 100 years have been started by the USA. There will be no peace in the world as long as the USA exists.
While agreeing that the US plans to use the Kurds to rip Turkey apart, who is “the well prepared Hitler”, that is going to attack which “big guy’s new gas pipe” ?
One illegal foreign invader criticising another illegal foreign invader for establishing the same illegal structures in Syria that they have been establishing …. only NATO countries could be so exceptionally arrogant ………. Priceless.
Do not trust Turkey in any way. Turkey and USA are OTAN members and play in common acord.
Well, there’s nothing really to stop us from doing so in Kurdistan. We have shifted forces up there a couple of times over the last year, but formalizing the practice of “observation posts” would prevent either the Kurds or the Turks from getting any bright ideas.
“I am of the opinion that these measures will only complicate further an already complicated situation,” Akar told the Turkish Anadolu Agency. Gee Erdogan didn’t feel the same way when he put up all those OB psts in Idlib, 4 of which were illegal and not covered by the Astana agreement. Akar’s statement today confirms that Mattis was not honest, and that these post are meant to protect the SDF from any attack by the Turkish military or its proxies. Duhh, isn’t that what the Turkish OB posts in Idlib do, protect the rebels from the SAA and Russia. Since they’re on the Syrian side of the border it would only affect the Turks if they either, illegally attacked the Kurds on Kurdish territory, or were chasing them back over the Turkish border after a Kurdish incursion, which is what I think will be the most likely reason Erdogan doesn’t want them there. Everyone’s stressing that these US OB posts are exclusively for the use of US servicemen, but I don’t think so, I think they’re being purpose built for the Kurds and possibly French peacekeepers, who’ll remain there AFTER THE USA DO LEAVE. I don’t think Assad would be opposed to an international peacekeeping force stationed on his border between Turkey and Syria. If the Kurds return to Syrian sovereignty and the terms for an international peacekeeping force are acceptable to him, it would be in his best interests. I’m sure that Russian and Chinese peacekeepers would be a part of the international peacekeeping and monitoring force, so I don’t see any problems with one, to be honest, I think that would be the best outcome. The UN most likely won’t be a part of any deal due to Chinese/Russian involvement but there is still away to make them pay for it, that’s if the OB post were divided into zones of influence and manned by some UN forces and others by the Russian/Chinese, that might be a little too complicated though and cause problems in the future. French and German diplomats are already talking to Assad and Putin, don’t be surprised if they start talking about an international peacekeeping and monitoring force sometime soon.
“egger” – “eager” maybe ?!