The U.S. Role In The Syrian War Has Just Expanded Significantly

Dan Lamonthe, Washington Post: The many complications of the U.S. establishing a military ‘safe zone’ in Syria with Turkey

The scope of the war against the Islamic State is expanding. As outlined by the Washington Post on Sunday night, Turkey and the United States have reached an agreement that calls for a de facto “safe zone” along the Turkey-Syria border after militants are driven out of 40-mile wide, 68-mile-long area west of the Euphrates River.

The agreement appears to be a compromise between implementing a full no-fly zone that would protect Syrian refugees from airstrikes by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, as Turkey has demanded, and making a greater commitment that could pull the United States into war with the Syrian government. It puts rebels with the Free Syrian Army and other groups in a leading role on the ground to provide security against militants, without explicitly stating that there will be repercussions for Assad’s regime if it launches airstrikes in the zone.

WNU Editor: This phrase explains what is happening right now .... "mission creep".