Al Jazeera: How would a battle between Turkey and the SDF play out?
Ankara expected to send its forces across the border in northeast Syria following US move to withdraw troops from area.
Ankara, Turkey - The withdrawal of US troops from the area around Syria's northeast border with Turkey has set the stage for a military confrontation between Washington's long-time Kurdish allies and fellow NATO member Ankara.
Following President Donald Trump's announcement on Sunday that US troops would stand aside to allow a long-threatened Turkish military operation, Turkey is expected to send its forces across the frontier within days.
While the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been extensively armed by Washington to lead the ground fight against ISIL, it lacks the armour, artillery and air power of a modern military force.
Turkey, which boasts the second-largest army in NATO, has all the attributes of such a power and its troops have gained experience through two previous operations in northern Syria, as well as decades of fighting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) within its own borders.
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WNU Editor: The Kurds may know the terrain, but the Turkish military has the armour and firepower to exploit the terrain to its advantage.
3 comments:
Now we'll find out just what weapons Obama and Trump transferred to the Kurds.
Also Turkey is using US supplied weapons. The US might decide to embargo maintainers, spare parts and munitions.
I think it's a given that the US will embargo spare parts, munitions, etc. At least Trump will. He's already voiced his displeasure at the actions currently being undertaken by Turkey. Perhaps Congress will override Trump on this. Also, the Kurds can/will call in US airstrikes where abd when they see fit.
Additionally very meticulous negotians were conducted late last year. WNU Editor blogged on this. Current Kurdish actions run contrary to these agreements.abd if Continued mean Turkey will likely be facing not just the Kurds. As such, I'd expect the Turkish military to get crushed by not just the Kurds but by others.
This works IF the Kurds turn out to be the capable fighting forc4 they are talked up to be. If not, then they return to their traditional areas where they've thrived for centuries. They should be able to handle their own defenses at that point.
Time to take the training wheels off. Time to find out if the Kurds really are a valuable ally or are they like the assortment of grifters, users, abusers, and parasites that comprise much of the US system of "allies?" I suppose we are about to find out
I meant "current Turkish actions run contrary to these agreements..."
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