America's Former Allies in Syria Team Up With Damascus Government

[applegrove]

America’s Former Allies in Syria Team Up With Damascus Government


The deal is a major turning point in the war as the U.S. abruptly abandons years of policy built on collaboration with a Kurdish-led militia to fight the Islamic State and on limiting the influence of Syrian government backers Iran and Russia.

By Ben Hubbard, Charlie Savage, Eric Schmitt and Patrick Kingsley at the New York Times


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/world/middleeast/syria-turkey-invasion-isis.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

"SNIP.....

DOHUK, Iraq — America’s former Kurdish allies in Syria on Sunday announced a new deal with the government in Damascus — a sworn enemy of Washington that is backed by Russia — after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of American forces from northern Syria.

The deal marked a major turning point in Syria’s long war.

For five years, United States policy relied on collaborating with a Kurdish-led militia both to fight the Islamic State and to limit the influence of Iran and Russia, which support the Syrian government, with a goal of maintaining some leverage over any future settlement of the conflict.

On Sunday, after Mr. Trump abruptly abandoned that approach, American leverage appeared all but gone. That threatened to give President Bashar al-Assad and his Iranian and Russian backers a free hand. It also jeopardized hard-won gains against the Islamic State — and potentially opened the door for its return.

......SNIP"

[kimbutgar]

1. I wonder what Dick Cheney thinks about these new developments in the region he destabilized

During his bush years.

[applegrove]

2. Probably waiting to cash in more Haliburton stock options when the WWIII

starts in the middle east.

[roamer65]

3. Turkish army versus a Syrian/Iranian army.

That smells like ME war to me.

[tirebiter]

4. What about Jordan?

They were taking in a lot of refugees and not getting much help.

[roamer65]

6. As the region destabilizes further, I think the King will be overthrown.

[Blue_true]

7. I agree. Jordan is on borrowed time.

Israel will try to help, but Jordan is majority Palestinian, Israel coming in will set off a powderkeg.

I think we have lost the Middleeast except for Israel and the Gulf states (though each of those with the exception of Israel is now ripe for civil war, now the Islamists see that we cut and run under republican Presidents, or start stupid wars that we end up leaving from).

[roamer65]

9. American hegemony is dying. Faster than we thought it would.

The quick vacuum created will release regional ambitions that were pent up. Prime example is Turkish ambitions for northeastern Syria and its oil.

There will be a regional war that will redraw boundaries.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. So -- Russia 'coordinated' with Turkey, but 'backs' Assad ? Who are about to clash with each other ?

How does Russia get away with backing both sides ? I see one possible outcome is to end up with Russia brokering a peace deal "guaranteed" by the presence of Sov ... uh, Russian troops in Syria on a "temporary" basis. Thanks a lot, Obama !

[Blue_true]

8. Russia wins either way.

My guess? Assad use the Kurds to help him drive remaining Islamists out of Syria and back into Iraq to cause trouble there. Assad protects the Kurds on his side of the border and prevent them from attacking over the border into Turkey. An uneasy peace ensues, the Kurds populate northern Syria and they prosper under Assad's protection, he gives them limited regional autonomy as long as they avoid provoking Turkey and he gets some of the gravy $$$$$$$. Russia plays both sides as the benevolent sugar-daddy overlord. Everyone, including the once USA loving Kurds chant "death to America", Putin smiles as he downs a shot of vodka.