Sen Tim Kaine(D-VA) to Amb Jeffrey: "had a recently retired general who commanded troops in office, he was distraught, the word our soldiers are using as they move out of position is betrayal...
Sen Kaine: "they've been embedded and they feel they have been part of a betrayal of forces that they have been supportive and fighting alongside, specific grievances is to convince Kurds to dismantle defenses in anticipation of working out joint patrols...
Sen Kaine: "left Kurds much more susceptible to inevitable attack. In retrospect, was it a good idea to US press the Kurds into dismantling defenses?"
Amb Jeffrey: "After having agreed to a way forward with us, Turkey would do these joint patrols, then suddenly inexplicably from my standpoint, Turkey decided to launch in and do it all themselves....
Amb Jeffrey: "The requirements of the August agreement were for YPG to dismantle fortifications in safe zone. The truth is that was one thing they didn't do a good job of doing so. They could see what was coming and this was a major bone of contention between the US, Kurds, SDF."
