In Ankara has returned after the brief euphoria over the announcement of the American troops withdrawal from Syria’s long disillusionment. 19. In December, the us President, Donald Trump had announced the withdrawal, and with one of his usual Twitter Cannonades. The terrorist gang of “Islamic state” (IS) in Syria was defeated and the only reason for American troops to account for the presence in the country, stated Trump. On Christmas eve, he afterwards sent his joyful message, the message, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told him that Turkey will exterminate the last remnants of the IS in Syria””. And Erdogan is a man who could afford it actually, Trump.
Michael Martens
a correspondent for Southeast European countries, with its headquarters in Athens.
F. A. Z. Twitter
In Ankara, the calculus, however, was a different story: When the Americans withdrew, finally, from your area in the North-East of Syria, would be in Washington’s previous Partner in the Region, dominated by Syrian Kurdish “people’s protection units” (YPG), without their powerful Partner. Then would have come for the Turkey of the time, according to the more to the West, held operations to “shield the Euphrates” and “Operation olive branch” in a third-Syria-destroy campaign in the North-East of the neighbouring country, the power structures of the Kurds. Turkey to plan such an attack, says Erdogan for two years.
In August 2016, it was one of the Americans from the air-supported and free on the ground by the YPG-dominated Alliance managed to Manbij IS. However, the Kurdish control over this town on the West Bank of the Euphrates, miss Ankara from the beginning. Originally, Turkey demanded the withdrawal of YPG from Manbij to the East Bank of the Euphrates. To the West of it you will not accept any armed Kurdish presence. But then the goals in the Turkish presidential Palace have been taken even further. Now it was said that the YPG was also to the East of the Euphrates acceptable. Quamischli, located in the North-East of the country, the largest Syrian city with a Kurdish majority population, was also included in the plans of Turkey. However, there is a military thrust in the North-Eastern parts of the country, inevitably the danger of a military confrontation with the United States conjured up, would have left it there, the Turkish President at constant sabre-rattling.
