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Turkey presses Syrian assault as thousands flee the fighting

52 Comments
By LEFTERIS PITARAKIS and MEHMET GUZEL

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Incredible !

Erdogan also warned the European Union not to call Ankara's incursion into Syria an "invasion."

If its not an outright act of invasion into the independent Kurdish state, what is ir?

It's not a tea party.

Once again we see the UN and Free World countries unabashedly indifferent to the occupation of a foreign territory by Turkey at the cost of the ethnic peoples lives.

Shades of Rwanda or Ukraine. . .????

.

.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Trump is a downright arse for abandoning the Kurds! They have been assisting the US all along, and now because Erdogan is flexing his muscles, Trump is looking for a way out of this mess by making THIS asinine excuse!

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-abandoning-kurds-syria-didnt-help-during-wwii-allies-2019-10?fbclid=IwAR0qwlLz1lcuttiIHgDV9Jp-KGUckyxl6gYst0qq_0Ir6yL9OfkoNOK6lbA

President Donald Trump on Wednesday continued to defend his decision to withdraw US troops from northeastern Syria, abandoning Kurdish forces in the region, by saying the Kurds did not help the US during World War II.

"They didn't help us in the Second World War; they didn't help us with Normandy," Trump said of the Kurds, who played a vital role in the US-led campaign against ISIS.

Another sign of plain, outright, stupidity!

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Turkey, like Iran and Russia, is trying to reform its empire as the US, rapidly declining in all ways because of Trump's corruption and bumbling, and various European nation's fade. No empire has ever had much regard if any for the peoples affected by its 'invasions'. Even when it was 'invited' to invade.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I am so ashamed of my country for abandoning our ally, the Kurds. Trump had his usual not well thought out impulsive move which will cost the Kurds dearly, and will hurt us as time goes by. Remember when Trump criticized Obama for getting out of Iraq too quickly, leading to the ability of ISIS to form a caliphate? Well, ISIS hasn't "been completely defeated" and we are setting them up for a comeback. And despite Trump's ignorant statement that we can get new allies, who would trust him, and us, now?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

@ Yubaru.

Agreed.

Japan should take note ( as well as other nations that think US will have their back).

Abandoning nations is a kind of MO for the US.

When it gets too drawn out, or too costly, or too tenuous for an outright win, " Managment" closes shop.

It's terrible .

Hundreds of thousands of peoples lives will be snuffed out - mosty Yazidis, Syriac Christians and Kurds. ( so what a few less ???)

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Maybe Trump can offer asylum to the 10,000 ISIS members. He can put them up in Mar-a-Lago.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

@burningbushYou’re not getting the whole story here.

What are your sources in the Internet Research Agency saying their story is? Do you have links, or just more rabble rabble.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I'm still waiting for the obliteration of Turkey!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Trump may have washed his tiny hands of the Kurds, but the bloodstains will not wash away and will remain on the history's pages of perfidy. Tump's pathetic attempts to justify his treachery by giving us a potted history of the Kurds won't wash, either "they didn't help us in the Second World War; they didn't help us with Normandy..." (well, come to think of it, neither did our now staunch allies, the Germans).

Forget impeachment; this latter outburst of Trump's logorrhea should be grounds enough to invoke the 25th and remove this mental case to a safe institution for the sake of the country and the world.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Military Leaders Fear They've Seen This Before. It Ended in the Iraq War.

https://news.yahoo.com/military-leaders-fear-theyve-seen-185048509.html

“In the course of American history, when we have stuck with our allies in troubling circumstances, from the U.K. and Australia under attack in WWII to South Korea in the Korean War, things tend to work out to our benefit,” said James G. Stavridis, a retired admiral and former supreme allied commander for Europe. “When we walk away from loyal allies, as we did in Vietnam and are now threatening to do in Afghanistan and Syria, the wheels come off.”

At the end of the Persian Gulf War, the United States’ refusal to aid a rebellion it encouraged in Iraq allowed Saddam Hussein to brutally crush the insurgents, leaving him in power and U.S. allies on the ground alienated and slaughtered by the thousands.

Those deaths are on the current US president. He owns it now.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Recently, Lindsey Graham was just caught who has been criticizing Turkey publicly in the US media capitulating to a person that he believed work in the Turkish government.

Lindsey Graham dishes on Trump in hoax calls with Russian pranksters

https://news.yahoo.com/lindsey-graham-dishes-trump-hoax-223711985.html

It is no wonder why many intelligent people believe that the current president and other GOP members are working with foreign powers to win elections. Wasn't Giuliani associates just caught doing the same thing? Isn't the NRA also under investigation too?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Lindsey Graham dishes on Trump in hoax calls with Russian pranksters

https://news.yahoo.com/lindsey-graham-dishes-trump-hoax-223711985.html

Lindsey quote:

Graham labeled the Kurds a "threat" to Turkey in the call, seemingly contradicting what he has said publicly in recent days.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Were there even negotiations to try and relocate Syrian refugees there before the Turks started murdering people?

I am so ashamed of my country for abandoning our ally, the Kurds.

America did not abandon the Kurds. The U.S. government did. Stop taking shame for our government. They never called us even once for our opinion. Most of them would be in jail if I had my say. Their actions are nothing on you or me. Even if we vote for them we don't know what they will do.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Imagined phone call.

Erdogan: "We want to build a wall along our southern border to keep out the terrorists."

Trump: "Ah, why didn't you say so earlier? I'll move my guys out of the way."

3 ( +3 / -0 )

America did not abandon the Kurds. The U.S. government did.

Actually the US president abandoned the Kurds because many more knowledgeable government officials disagree with him.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Putin's Poodle doing the Kremlin's bidding....and The Repub GOP (Guardians of Putin) cower in humiliation...

Repubs in Congress have less spine than a boatload of sea urchins...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Turkey sees the Kurds as her enemy.

As long as IS is wanting to live in Syria and fighting the Kurds, Turkey will support IS every day of the week.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The Kurds have always been treated with contempt over the years. Don't forget - the first person to suggest gassing the Kurds was Churchill.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

President Donald Trump on Wednesday continued to defend his decision to withdraw US troops from northeastern Syria, abandoning Kurdish forces in the region, by saying the Kurds did not help the US during World War II.

"They didn't help us in the Second World War; they didn't help us with Normandy," Trump said of the Kurds, who played a vital role in the US-led campaign against ISIS.

Sadly this is the type of bs that still resonates with Trump supporters (and uneducated anglos around the world). Bag/insult euros (even Kurds lol!), remind them that 'they'd be speaking german if it wasn't for us', that 'WE've won 2ww' etc and millions of morons who know very little about ww1 & 2 let alone europe history, the ME etc will support you. 90% of the time... it works every time, that's why they keep doing it.

If you've got to bring the Normandy landings, ww2 etc into a 2019 discussion about the ME, Turks vs Kurds vs IS vs Syrians vs etc you probably haven't done your homework & understand F all about the situation & what's at stake.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

It just gets crazier and crazier; What the heck does Normandy have to do with this at all?!?!?!

Trump has lost his mind.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

It just gets crazier and crazier; What the heck does Normandy have to do with this at all?!?!?!

The Kurds didn't fight in the War for Independence, either. Just remember that.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

When Russia invaded Crimea and Ukraine heavy sanctions were imposed by western countries. Now that Turkey is invading Syria will we see a similar response, or will double standards prevail?

I hope the Turks suffer heavy casualties as a result of their invasion / attempted genocide.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Under Trump's reign, despite its power, the US is quickly losing its influence, credibility, and moral values on world stage.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Trump has lost his mind.

The evidence says he never had ut in tge first place. Let's see what he promised, and what has been delivered:

Withdrawal from TPP, he can do much better deal - boang, he barely got a deal with Japan, and it's still better for Japan than USA. Let's not talk about China...

Leave Paris agreement - and? Nothing....

Move US embassy to Jerusalem - and look what happened to Benji...bad move. Same with backing Golan Heights, politically suicidal for both him and Benji.

Tax cuts for high income earners - ok, he did it, but the next election will decide whether America wanted it.

Make the supreme court more conservative - ok, he did that, but still can't get the courts to back him up anywhere.

Slash red tape - yes, but has it delivered any more efficiency or productivity? Nope.

Now to the finale - get troops out of middle east, yes, but is America or the world safer.

All he has proven is, he hasn't got it, stable or genius.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@Hung Nguyen - This is a very true statement. We will look back on this time as the time when the global balance of power has shifted to China.

Yes, part of it is Trump's very poor or non existent foreign policy.

The other part is exhibited with what is going on with the NBA and China. The money is more important to the U.S. elites (regardless of political affiliation) than the value of freedom.

I am older and I do remember when the U.S. had some credibility. Over the past couple of decades this has eroded at an exponential pace.

Quite sad actually.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Use and disposal! This is what you got when you know you are volunteering be a puppet when your golden days are gone! Don't work for USA, if you want your children has a better future! Ask Donald Trump's former employees, they will tell you who he is!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Repubs in Congress have less spine than a boatload of sea urchins...

In fairness, that would be difficult as that would be a lot of spines.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Maybe this is a planned tactic by the US to SAFELY withdraw from Syria ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Abandoning your allies - that's never going to come back to bite you....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm still waiting for the obliteration of Turkey!

He is just a bully without any ba??s, Nothing is gonna happen.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Abandoning your allies - that's never going to come back to bite you....

Which nations benefit the most from the Trump's alienating historical allies?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Which nations benefit the most from the Trump's alienating historical allies?

Historical allies like, say, Turkey?

Plenty of useful idiots in this thread suddenly caring about the Kurds. Keep toeing that neoliberal line, I'm sure the US can afford to stay in Syria for another two decades. It's worked out so well in Afghanistan and Iraq, after all.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Semperfi:

If its not an outright act of invasion into the independent Kurdish state, what is ir?

There was never an independent Kurdish state. If you think so, tell us when it was founded, what its borders and constitution are, and when it was internationally recognized.

You are correct in that Turkey is worried about the creation of an independent Kurdish state next to its borders, which would then predictably want to merge with the Kurdish areas inside Turkey.

But to claim that such a state exists, is simply factually wrong.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Trump is weak.

And compromised.

Screw Turkey...

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I am so ashamed of my country for abandoning our ally, the Kurds. 

Guess you don't care about our troops being in harm's way in endless Middle East wars then.

If the situation there is so bad, ask the Chinese to contribute some troops from the world's biggest army to protect the Kurds. Even if you do, they won't, as they're too smart to do that.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Trump is weak.

Nooooo, he cares about our troops.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Which nations benefit the most from the Trump's alienating historical allies?

America. It's America First now. Probably the single biggest reason Trump was elected.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Abandoning your allies - that's never going to come back to bite you...

Pfffft! The U.S. has spent billions and have had boots on the ground supporting the Kurds over the years while the Chinese have done nothing. Go complain to the Chinese.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Disgraceful!!!!

The Kurds are an effective fighting force and fought the ISIS when no-one had the courage to do so. Now we abandon them to the Turks, who tolerated the ISIS as long it didn't hurt them?????

America has lost it balls under Captain Bonespurs....

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Which nations benefit the most from the Trump's alienating historical allies?

America. It's America First now. Probably the single biggest reason Trump was elected.Abandoning your allies - that's never going to come back to bite you...

Pfffft! Trump's done more for Russia than he's ever done for America - abandoning the Kurds being one of many.... Vlad says Thanks Donnie!

Pfffft! The U.S. has spent billions and have had boots on the ground supporting the Kurds over the years while the Chinese have done nothing. Go complain to the Chinese.

When you have no reply, just post nonsense....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Pfffft! The U.S. has spent billions and have had boots on the ground supporting the Kurds over the years while the Chinese have done nothing. Go complain to the Chinese.

When you have no reply, just post nonsense....

When you can't refute someone with facts, just call what they say nonsense.

But you never have any facts.....

Explain how China fits into the US abandoning the Kurds...facts please...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Well done, Trump! Now that his announcements have IMMEDIATELY led to the Turks attacking Syria, let's see Trump live up to his promise to "destroy their economy". He won't... he'll pretend he didn't say he'd do that, and even say he sides with Erdogan that it is not an "attack" or "invasion". I mean, he's gotta keep that hotel in Istanbul going, right?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The Kurds are an effective fighting force and fought the ISIS when no-one had the courage to do so. Now we abandon them to the Turks, who tolerated the ISIS as long it didn't hurt them?????

To a certain point I agree, but you’ll have to ask yourself this serious question, all the last 20 years would have even gotten out of all these wars? It’s a legitimate question. Most Americans are tired of these wars and why are you surprised, he campaigned on this.

America has lost it balls under Captain Bonespurs....

Oh, you got him with that.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Serrano: Nooooo, he cares about our troops.

It was pretty funny when he lied to them about a 10% pay raise. And it's pretty funny how he's currently raiding their budgets for his wall. Or when he mocked a Gold Star family. And McCain.

But yeah, he cares about our troops.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

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