US-Turkey Relations in the Trump Era: A Turkish Perspective
siding with the PKK affiliated PYD and its military wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG) throughout the Syrian crisis.
Military Escalation in North Hama: A Deal or a Dilemma?
However, this analysis is hasty and inaccurate due to the following reasons:
The withdrawal of the Euphrates Shield forces from the three locations controlled which they captured from PYD less than 3 hours.
The Syrian Regime’s Strategy of Forced Migration
-backed PYD/SDF has marginalized the opposition, forced and limited its territorial control to non-connected separated pockets.
Turkish Foreign and Security Policy at the Crossroad
administration since 2013 has been repeatedly undermining Turkey’s national security interests by supporting the PYD-YPG in Syria and currently is threatening in retaliation for Ankara’s decision to move ahead with the purchase of a Russian air missile system.
The Fate of Syria’s Constitutional Committee
The third portion of Syria’s civil society organizations operate in YPG controlled areas east of the Euphrates River and are directly affiliated with the Marxist Leninist PYD political wing of the YPG.
What’s Behind Turkey and Iran’s Joint Operation on the PKK?
with its support to the PYD and FETO, Iran can turn its own security and economic crisis into an opportunity with cooperation with Turkey.
Turkey’s S-400 Deal: The Last Straw that Breaks the Camel’s Back in US-Turkey Relations?
is providing weapons, training, and active surveillance for the PKK’s Syrian branch, the PYD.
US Policy Towards Syria: A Tangled Mess of Bilateral Negotiations
wants to establish a mechanism to ensure that the PYD-YPG is protected by a small international protection force by creating other safe areas where the PYD can survive.
Anti-Refugee Sentiment Ahead of Turkey’s Local Elections
in regards to the territory held by the YPG-PYD in the west of the Euphrates, as well as the presence of the terrorist organization in the regions east of the Euphrates.
Hunger Strikes for the PKK’s Imprisoned Leader Ocalan
They called for resistance in Turkey to support the Kobani battle between the PYD and Daesh in Syria.
Turkey Charts an Independent Foreign Policy
Turkey’s assumption of control over the rest of its border with Syria is not only extremely logical, it is a vital aspect of finally eliminating the PKK/PYD’s ability to operate from Syria soil.
What was Offered to Ankara in Moscow?
The most important part of the plan for Russia was to facilitate an agreement between the Syrian regime and the PYD to take over the YPG-led areas and to hand them over to the regime by restructuring the YPG element as an integral part of the Syrian military.
Turkey’s Options for a Safe Zone in Syria
It is clear that a full Turkish military control over the entire YPG-held areas will ruin what the PYD and YPG have accomplished so far.
How Cheap Drones Became Assets for Terrorist Organizations
However, in due course, the PKK/PYD has continued to enhance its abilities in drone use and completed its adaptation to using drones.
Turkey’s Fight Against Terrorism: PKK, not Kurds
, Turkey is preparing for a strike against the PKK’s Syria branch, known as the PYD/YPG.
Pompeo’s Long Tour: How Incoherence Creates Challenges for the US in the Middle East
While being hesitant to take steps against the Assad regime, Washington has alienated Turkey by supporting PYD, the terrorist organization that operates mainly in Northern Syria.
Turkey Can Help the US Exit from Syria
From a strategic perspective, while Turkey wants to reduce the YPG presence wherever it is located, the US, including Trump’s himself, seems to protect YPG against Turkey’s upcoming military operation and to assure the long-term presence of PYD/YPG’s in Syria.
Erdogan in the NYT: Turkey is the only Viable Partner for the US
Turkey has been into a very extensive rebuilding program in places that it saved from Daesh and the PYD/PKK.
Turkey’s Counter-Terrorism Efforts in 2018
While Deash was cleaned off from Turkey’s border with the Euphrates Shield operation in 2016, the PYD pocket in Afrin was also cleaned this past year (a deeper evaluation of the Afrin operation and its aftermath can be found here and here).
How will the Legacy of 2018 shape Politics in the Middle East in 2019?
As a first step, the Trump administration reconsidered his country’s ill-mannered support for the terrorist organization PYD in Northern Syria.
