Thread by @TimInHonolulu

1. Can Syria be fixed? Spoiler alert. Yes. Syria can be fixed.

First, the involvement of Islamists like Turkey, Iran and certain Gulf states is a major factor preventing the UN mandated political processes advancing to a successful completion. That has to stop.

2. Second, we have to cease treating Assad as a permanent dictator. Under the UN ordered process, it is not likely Assad will retain power. Third, the Alawi, who make up Assad's base, rightfully fear a bloodbath if the Sunni Jihadists take over. Similarly, Idlib and other Sunni

3. areas must be protected and demilitarized under a peace keeping or interim security force. Fourth, absent UN peacekeeping #SDF and its allied force components are the only force capable of establishing security in the north and in Idlib while the Constitution

4. is addressed and free, fair, democratic elections occur to create new Syrian national government. The end of authoritarianism and Iranian and Russian control are important precursors to a free and democratic Syria.

Turkey does not want peace in Syria. Erdogan uses

5. false-flag claims of SDF terrorisms to advance his AKP party and his own personal agenda to create a terrorist mini-state in northern and western Syria.

We are at war with Al-Qaeda under the 2001AUMF. Our military has authorization to eliminate all of

6. Turkey's Al-Qaeda & ISIS affiliated mercenary gangs. But when they are gone Assad and Putin will rush into the void and begin another genocide of Sunni Syrians that has been one of the great crimes against humanity the world has seen since the Holocaust

7. So to fix Syria, Turkey's gangs must be targeted through drones and bombing and if Turkey choses to remain embedded with Al-Qaeda and ISIS then they have assumed the risk that their forces will be exposed to attack. Turkey claims a right to fight terrorism but so do we.

8. Liberation of the north from the Syrian terrorist gangs will allow the SDF to impose security and once Afrin is fully liberated the door to Idlib can be opened with US air cover that can move the remaining terrorist gangs out and prevent the Assad regime from filling the void.