Turkey says will launch Syria attack if US delays troop pullout

1/10/19
Turkey will go ahead with an offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters in Syria if the United States delays the withdrawal of its troops from the war-torn country, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said. "If the [withdrawal] is put off with ridiculous excuses like Turks are massacring Kurds, which do not reflect the reality, we will implement this decision," he told NTV channel on Thursday. Cavusoglu said a military operation against the US-allied Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which it has pledged to carry out in northeastern Syria, is not dependent on the pullout of US troops. "We are determined on the field and at the table ... We will decide on its timing and we will not receive permission from anyone." On Sunday, US National Security Adviser John Bolton had set pre-conditions for the US pullout from Syria that included Turkey guaranteeing the safety of the YPG. Turkey has long condemned the US for its military relationship with the Kurdish fighters.

Ankara has rejected US demands for assurances that it will not attack its Kurdish allies in Syria before the US troops withdraw from the war-torn region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the call for the protection of Kurdish fighters as "seriously mistaken". On Wednesday, Cavusoglu said the US is facing difficulties in parting ways with the Kurdish fighters it allied with to fight the ISIL. "It is hard to break up with a terrorist organisation after being involved with it at this level," Cavusoglu said.

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DaveFagan said:

The USA has illegally armed an insurgency that is a threat to both Syria and Turkey. The USA illegally occupies Syria soveriegn territory. Erdogan is a scumbag among scumbags, but he is correct that the Kurds are likely in league witn Turkeys internal terrorists that are also Kurds. The USA helps Syrians by killing and terrorizing thousands of them. Is that good diplomacy? The NeoCons are driving the policy to the detriment of the USA. Hegemony and domination are the order of the day and not camoflaged as much as needed. We are obviously an illegal murdering occupier. Facts on the ground, don't ya' know? We even promote the lunacy that if we pull out Saudi Arabia will fight ISIS. Keeerissst, Saudi Arabia is the main supporter of ISIS. The worst part is that you believe all the gubmint crap.
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Rogue Valley said:

My sources tell me a small element of US forces has pulled out of the town of Rmelan, Syria. They are being permanently withdrawn from Syria. They'll probably relocate to Iraq.

Rmelan is in extreme northeast Syria. East of Derika/Hemko, Cizire Canton, Rojava. (Homelands of the Syrian Kurds).

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