Turkish Invasion of Northern Syria

[DB]

Honest question: How long should U.S. troops have stayed there? Six months, one year, 25 years ...? If Trump had not just ordered them out, what would have to happen before it was a good time to withdraw?

I really don't know - interested in everyone's comments.

How well did it go when Obama pulled the troops out of Iraq. How many hundreds of thousands of people died in very gruesome fashion as a result of the birth of ISIS?

Our troops in Syria were a very small number. But it was a red line Turkey couldn't cross.

[Sanguine]

BKMK

[TomSea]

Fine article, BTTT. We'll see but this is what we need, a more complete view of this conflict.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Count me among the (apparent) few who doesn't think this decision by Trump is the end of the world that people say it is.

We can support the Kurds by proxy.

[sneakypete]

Count me among the (apparent) few who doesn't think this decision by Trump is the end of the world that people say it is.

We can support the Kurds by proxy.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

Me,too. The Soviet Union is no more,and Red China is no longer Red. Both are set on conquering the world financially by dominating trade,and in China's case,production of cheap crap.

The Cold War no longer exists,and we need to quit using it's tactics and mindset to "fight" the new economic/production wars of today.

As for Syria,not our zoo,not our monkeys. The UN was created to control situations like this,demand they either do it,or get the hell out of our nation because we are cutting off their funding. The US military going into Syria as a PART of a UN peacekeeping mission is one thing,but going in to take sides in a multi-generational civil war without any allies makes no sense at all.

Unless of course you are a politician looking for kickbacks and bribes.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

Me,too. The Soviet Union is no more,and Red China is no longer Red. Both are set on conquering the world financially by dominating trade,and in China's case,production of cheap crap.

The Cold War no longer exists,and we need to quit using it's tactics and mindset to "fight" the new economic/production wars of today.

As for Syria,not our zoo,not our monkeys.

What's funny is that people on the left have all the sudden become neocon warmongers. Imagine if the Democrat party of 2004 could see this.

[sneakypete]

What's funny is that people on the left have all the sudden become neocon warmongers. Imagine if the Democrat party of 2004 could see this.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

No kidding.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Benjamin Netanyahu
@netanyahu
 Â· 3h
Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies.
Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people.

When one understands that the Kurds for Turkey are the equivalent of the Palestinians for Israel these are mighty interesting comments from Netanyahu.   

[sneakypete]

WOW! You mean we were fighting an enemy,and they came to our aid when we were in trouble?

What that you say? WE came to THEIR aid?

Hmmm,doesn't that mean WE fought alongside THEM to help THEM?

Ifn ah dident no betta,ah might spect da reportir fella had wunna dem "agenda thangs" go-in on!

[sneakypete]

The best solution for us is to GET OUT OF THERE -- get out of all the muslim countries -- and let them "have at it" against each other.

The more force they use against one another, the more dead, the better.

Seal off the entire muslim world just as the Soviets encased Chernobyl in a "sarcophagus" by which to burn itself out.

Let islam do the same.

@Fishrrman

I have been saying that about Africa for decades.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I believe removing our troops that protect the Kurds is designed to force Europe's hand in dealing with the vacuum.  Turkey is in their backyard and historically has been the threat to the European continent for centuries.

Now that Edrogan has stated he will release millions of illegals into Europe, he has upped the stakes being played.

I do not like seeing Kurds being used as pawns inasmuch as some will be killed; however, the responsibility toward them and controlling Turkey falls much more on the Europeans than to the US.

And that is the statement Trump is making.

[libertybele]

You notice that...among some people here...what's happening to the Kurds is now dumbed down to "drama".   

Anything to justify betrayal of an ally I guess.

They may just change their tune when the "drama" is in our own backyard.

[Sanguine]

Count me among the (apparent) few who doesn't think this decision by Trump is the end of the world that people say it is.

We can support the Kurds by proxy.

The media is hysterical about this.  It's easy to get caught up and actually believe them.

[sneakypete]

Then the Bushies and Obama-ites shouldn't have fan the flames of sectarianism in the first place

@TomSea

Ya think???

and I sure don't believe in abandoning Christians that have been there since New Testament times.

Are they infants that we need to raise,or are they adults who can make their own damn decisions? WHEN did American taxpayers adopt and take them to raise?

If they can't stay there and live safely,they need to move. If they can't figure this out on their own,they don't deserve to survive. I just don't want them coming here because they will bring their "Holy War" with them when they come.

 

[sneakypete]

You notice that...among some people here...what's happening to the Kurds is now dumbed down to "drama".   

@txradioguy

Are you saying it is a comedy?

Anything to justify betrayal of an ally I guess.

They are not and have never been "our" ally. WE have been THEIR ally,and not for noble reasons. We helped them purely because we were fighting the same enemy.

There are only two possible positive outcomes to this. Either the UN gets behind them and forces Turkey to allow them to set up a separate state within the Turkish state,or they leave and go somewhere else.

Their 3rd option is to continue to fight and die until they no longer exist as a people.
 

[txradioguy]

I believe removing our troops that protect the Kurds is designed to force Europe's hand in dealing with the vacuum.  Turkey is in their backyard and historically has been the threat to the European continent for centuries.

Now that Edrogan has stated he will release millions of illegals into Europe, he has upped the stakes being played.

I do not like seeing Kurds being used as pawns inasmuch as some will be killed; however, the responsibility toward them and controlling Turkey falls much more on the Europeans than to the US.

And that is the statement Trump is making.

The problem is the EU won’t do anything.

[txradioguy]

They may just change their tune when the "drama" is in our own backyard.

They’ll just find someone else to blame and/or forget what the said previously.

[TomSea]

A number of soldiers and they probably should not discuss this publicly are also discussing this though:

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/10/kurds-syrian-democratic-forces-us-donald-trump/

So, it certainly is not just the liberal media or neo-cons.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

The problem is the EU won’t do anything.

Likely you are correct.

Could the threat of a new invasion of illegals perhaps change their minds, particularly with the new Austrian Chancellor's attitude toward them?

[TomSea]

Norway, Nato member, has said they are not going to sell weapons to Turkey.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-syria-norway-nato-erdogan-arms-sales

Also again, Wladimir Van Wilgenberg Dutchman who has been over in the Kurd region for some time now has a lot of good updates.

Rojava Information Center
@RojavaIC
·
2h
"The SDF took back all the villages from the Turkish proxy forces east of Tel Abyad, but the Turkish proxy forces are still holding two villages in the west of the city.

Reports of US patrols in Tel Abyad are fake. They have withdrawn and are not moving."

- Source in Tel Abyad

Some of this I heard last night sounded alarming that the Turks and Free Syrian Army/or Rebels surrounded two SDF held villages.

Wladimir is actually pretty objective reading his tweets, yes, per others, there is quite a bit of hysteria out there, too, even twitter has pulled some videos that can't be substantiated....

Don't fall for everything one sees, there is a big propaganda war going on too.. find "reliable sources" as they say.

Here's an example as that UN meeting of the Security Council points out:

Joyce Karam
@Joyce_Karam
Lot of misguided reporting of UNSC meeting on #Syria & #Turkey

1- There was NO Veto from anyone
2- There was no Resolution to Veto
3- Russia rejected US Statement
4- Russia opposed to meaningful action beyond a statement
5- EU issued statement; US another
6- Talks continue
9:59 PM · Oct 10, 2019·Twitter for iPhone

So, just a lot of information out there we can not always be sure about.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Norway, Nato member, has said they are not going to sell weapons to Turkey.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-syria-norway-nato-erdogan-arms-sales

Also again, Wladimir Van Wilgenberg Dutchman who has been over in the Kurd region for some time now has a lot of good updates.
Some of this I heard last night sounded alarming that the Turks and Free Syrian Army/or Rebels surrounded two SDF held villages.

Wladimir is actually pretty objective reading his tweets, yes, per others, there is quite a bit of hysteria out there, too, even twitter has pulled some videos that can't be substantiated....

Don't fall for everything one sees, there is a big propaganda war going on too.. find "reliable sources" as they say.

Here's an example as that UN meeting of the Security Council points out:
So, just a lot of information out there we can not always be sure about.

Norway cannot be in NATO and deny another member arms sales.

It has abrogated its commitment in the organization.

Either it needs to leave NATO or to help vote Turkey out.

[sneakypete]

When one understands that the Kurds for Turkey are the equivalent of the Palestinians for Israel these are mighty interesting comments from Netanyahu.

@Right_in_Virginia

Somebody comment on the possibility of Israel offering land/living space to the Kurds. Good idea,or throwing gasoline on a fire?

Assuming of course that the Kurds would even be willing to go to Israel.

I am asking because I have no idea if this would be possible or not.

[sneakypete]

The problem is the EU won’t do anything.

@txradioguy

Why would they when the US is willing to spend our money and the lives and health of our young soldiers to babysit Europe?

We have been babysitting and paying the bills for Europe ever since 1945,and it's time for them to put on their Big Boy Panties and take care of themselves.

They may soon be faced with the reality that it is THEIR problem and nobody but them is going to deal with it.

[txradioguy]

Likely you are correct.

Could the threat of a new invasion of illegals perhaps change their minds, particularly with the new Austrian Chancellor's attitude toward them?

Possibly.  But it seems like the countries that tried to put up barriers to block the illegals last time caught a metric ton of sh*t for their effort.  Most of the EU nations just bent over and took it.  Some like Germany...welcomed them with open arms and are now paying a price for their stupidity.

It was refreshing reading Kurz's desire to put an axis together to combat the illegals from getting in...especially considering his age (31).  Most Europeans his age are the ones in favor of letting them in.  He gives me hope.

And it looks like the first real test of what he wants to do is gonna come sooner than later thanks to Erdogan.

[txradioguy]

@txradioguy

Why would they when the US is willing to spend our money and the lives and health of our young soldiers to babysit Europe?

We have been babysitting and paying the bills for Europe ever since 1945,and it's time for them to put on their Big Boy Panties and take care of themselves.

They may soon be faced with the reality that it is THEIR problem and nobody but them is going to deal with it.

Pete what I'm referring to has nothing to do with your hyperbolic crap.