Syrian Kurds
The Pentagon’s overhaul of how it counters the Islamic State militant group in Syria could create at least one clear winner: the Kurdish groups there who have engaged in heavy combat against the Islamic State for months.
As U.S. officials explained on Friday how they will scale back and alter the Pentagon’s maligned $500 million train-and-equip program, they cited the success, largely attributed to the Kurds, in taking back the Syrian border town of Kobane last year from militants. The Pentagon’s effort has so far focused on establishing a Syrian rebel force to counter the Islamic State, but will be adapted to instead aid existing groups like the Kurds who are already doing so.
The change in strategy will not focus exclusively on arming Kurds, but they stand to benefit from the decision in Syria. To date, Washington has hesitated to hand equipment directly to the Kurds. Instead, they send them through the central government of Iraq, in part because of concerns in Baghdad that the Kurds want to break away and start their own country.
Update: U.S. will stop training Syrian rebels and focus on arming Kurds and other groups -- L.A. Times
WNU Editor: Talk about timing with this U.S. announcement .... it only happened after this Kurdish leader said the following .... Syrian Kurdish Leader: Moscow Wants to Work With Us (Al-Monitor). On a side note .... Turkey is not going to be happy.
1 comment:
Erdogan has himself to blame.
He armed ISIS. He let ISIS attack Syrian army and Kurdish forces by transversing Turkish territory.
There is not much Erdogan can do.
He could try to fly straight which is difficult to do after his various machinations. He'll get tossed aside by the monster he created. Or eaten.
He could cede power to another elected official. He has too much avarice and hubris to do so.
Erdogan could persevere and possibly turn Turkey into a rump state.
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