US Policy Towards Syria: A Tangled Mess of Bilateral Negotiations
The fact that CENTCOM’s top official, Votel, has been communicating with Mazlum Kobani, one of Turkey’s red-listed PKK’s ground leaders, proves this point.
Protecting the YPG Should not be a Goal of the US Withdrawal
military officials, especially those at CENTCOM, have expressed displeasure about Turkey as they have perceived Turkish efforts in northern Syria as hindering their anti-Daesh mission despite the fact that Turkey has been part of the anti-Daesh coalition from the beginning.
Macron’s Syria Policy: Does France want to Play the Role of the US?
French President Macron didn’t explicitly state it, he was as stressful as CENTCOM Commander General Joseph Votel, who said that he felt like he was punched in the gut when he heard the news concerning the U.
Syria After the US Withdrawal
General Joseph Votel of CENTCOM has also made it clear how upset they are because of this decision.
Turkey’s Post-election Foreign Policy Agenda
The recent criticism raised by EUCOM to the Pentagon that CENTCOM should be more careful in dealing with Turkey in the region is one of the important signals that the conventional perception towards Ankara is getting more favor in the U.
The YPG’s Child Recruits: An Accustomed Human Rights Abuse?
CENTCOM’s tweets informing that the PYD and its child soldiers were ready for war, and fashion magazine Marie Claire’s article titled “These Remarkable Women Are Fighting ISIS.
Can Turkey and the US Open a New Page with the Manbij Deal?
More importantly, the possible reactions by certain American security establishments such as the Pentagon, particularly the CENTCOM, constitute the most crucial part in implementing the agreement on the ground.
Does Pentagon’s 2019 Budget Deny Trump’s Latest Syria Statement?
Pentagon, CENTCOM and SOCOM are prioritizing their partnership with the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces over U.
What does US Withdrawal from Syria Mean for Turkey?
It is also interesting to witness that President Trump’s military withdrawal incentive irrationally contradicts the claims put forth by CENTCOM in favor of furthering American military presence in Syria, especially in Manbij where Ankara and Washington are most likely to confront against each other in the near future.
Turkey in the Aftermath of the Afrin Operation
Did Trump really mean what he said? Can he really pull troops out of Syria given CENTCOM’s years-long investment in the PYD/SDF? Can Macron really send troops to Syria? Even if he does, would they be just symbolic forces or can France really take the risk of a military encounter with other forces on the ground, particularly with Russia, given the recently heated relations between Russia and NATO? Hence, such a replacement in the near future is not probable, but possible.
Is Pompeo the Right Man for a Trumpian Foreign Policy?
In the anti-Daesh coalition efforts, the administration allowed CENTCOM to take the lead and continued the policy of allying with “local partners” (YPG) to defeat Daesh, resulting in tensions with NATO ally Turkey.
Iran and the YPG: Friends or Foes?
During Operation Olive Branch, the YPG has used, visually confirmed, Iranian weapons. Among them are Iran-produced 107mm rockets, which were…
Turkey may expand operations in Syria
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While the decision has been condemned on all fronts in Turkey, and has been questioned by the Russian and Iranian administrations, Turkish FM stated that different opinions among the Pentagon and Centcom as well as different institutions and ministries in the U.
Could the US Save the Raqqa Operation Through Intense Airstrikes?
Not only DAESH propaganda videos, but also CENTCOM press releases show the huge destruction of Raqqa.
Erdoğan – Trump Meeting Signals a More Constructive Era in US-Turkish Relations
If Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the coalition against Daesh, and an Obama administration appointee who has built his own career on the an alliance with the PKK/PYD, and certain CENTCOM officials take a step back, the permanent and constructive possibilities of coordination with Turkey will become more apparent.
From Alliance to Tacit Containment: Changes in Turkey-US Relations
The competition between US CENTCOM and the US EUCOM will also influence the end result.
Rebalancing Turkey’s Foreign Policy
The CENTCOM commanders do not hide their strategic cooperation and collaboration with the PYD and the PKK in Syria.
Cooperating with Assad Could Cost the YPG
The CENTCOM Twitter account even cheered newly trained female fighters.
The US Army Special Forces in Syria
1st Group is responsible for the Pacific countries (USPACOM area), 3rd Group is active in western Africa (USARAF area), 5th Group in the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia (CENTCOM area), 7th Group in the Latin American countries (USSOUTHCOM) and 10th Group in Europe (USEUCOM area).
