Trump's recent conversations with Erdogan, resulting in an abrupt reversal of U.S. policy in Syria and apparent intention to fully withdraw our forces (estimated 2,000 special forces), have a troubled history. Here's a brief refresher:
1. Erdogan has been nothing if not consistent in urging USG to stop co-operating with, and arming, Kurdish YPG forces in Syria. Obama administration deflected those requests, which was one reason for the cooling of the Obama-Erdogan relationship.
2. In April 2017, Erdogan made his first visit to Washington, D.C. after Trump's inauguration. A primary agenda item, from Turkish pov, was U.S. assistance to YPG (as well as the perennial issue of Gulen's extradition and the then pending prosecution of Reza Zarrab).
3. The April WH visit, short as it was, didn't go well. Trump gave Erdogan an 11 minute photo op in the Oval (no chance to talk), and then a relatively small lunch at which key U.S. officials (e.g., Sessions, w/ whom the Turks wanted to discuss Gulen and Zarrab) were no shows.
If there was talk of the then pending USG decision to give new arms to the YPG, it didn't go the Turks' way. Erdogan left the WH in a foul mood. Minutes later, his bodyguards attacked Kurdish protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence.
.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/…
.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/…
4. This was the second occasion on which Erdogan's bodyguards attacked Kurdish protesters in Washington, D.C. On his previous visit, they roughed up protesters and journalists outside Brookings Institute.
theguardian.com/world/2016/mar…
theguardian.com/world/2016/mar…
5. Following Erdogan's departure from D.C., high level Turkish representatives (Fidan and Kalin) arrived on May 5, 2017 to intensively lobby against the impending USG decision to arm the YPG. They got nowhere. On May 9, 2017, the decision was announced.
csis.org/analysis/trump…
csis.org/analysis/trump…
Summary: USG has, throughout its involvement in Syria, opted to work with Kurdish forces, not b/c we support Kurdish autonomy or independence but b/c the YPG were the best fighters willing to work with us against Isis. U.S. military strongly backed that 'transactional' alliance,
and succeeded, until now, in persuading policy makers to resist Turkish entreaties. Mattis' resignation clearly demonstrates the military's continued belief in that approach. Why did Trump break with his own previous support for that policy, and accede to Turkish demands ? End.
