Erdogan says Turkey to launch 'air and ground' operation in Syria

[Berke2]

There seems to be an attempt to keep Sunni Muslim states divided into tiny countries & trying to further divide them through the creation of groups like YPG. And also to have them ruled by minority groups who absolutely despise them. They strengthen Iran's hand so it can fight against us successfully whilst at the same time they feed on gulf arab fears and open up 100s of billions worth of weapon deals with them.

Living in the west, I have seen much love (for the statues) and sadness expressed when ISIS destroyed some statues. But I saw very little long lasting solidarity for sunni arabs who have been butchered in the 100,000s and their women raped in the 10,000s. And again in these past few days, the support for these ypg communists has been overwhelming. Of course Kurds are mostly sunni too but this particular ypg group is not really religious and based more on kurdish nationalism and communism.

Iran expanding into syria,, iraq, lebanon & yemen > No problem

Sunni Muslim state tries to protect it's southern border > Big problem

 

[Falcon29]

 

[Khafee]

Pence, Pompeo meet with Erdogan to discuss Turkish invasion of Syria
Oct. 17, 2019
By Nicholas Sakelaris

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday. Photo courtesy D. Myles Cullen/White House/Pool

Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Turkey Thursday hoping to persuade Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop his military's deadly offensive in Syria.

Erdogan's forces began Operation Peace Spring a week ago in northeast Syria, to clear border territories of Kurdish fighters so Ankara can send back Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey.

Pence met with Erdogan for nearly 90 minutes Thursday in a bilateral meeting that was only scheduled for 10 minutes. It was followed by an expanded bilateral session.

"Our mission set is to see if we can get a cease-fire, see if we can get this brokered," Pompeo said Wednesday before leaving for Ankara.

Erdogan has rejected calls for a cease-fire and initially said he would only deal diplomatically with U.S. President Donald Trump. Late Wednesday, he relented and said he'd meet with the U.S. delegation.

In posting photos online of his arrival in Turkey, Pompeo called Thursday's discussions "critical." Trump, meanwhile, tweeted that the Turkish incursion is "not our problem."

"I am the only person who can fight for the safety of our troops & bring them home from the ridiculous and costly endless wars, and be scorned[?]" Trump asked Thursday. "Democrats always liked that position, until I took it. Democrats always liked walls, until I built them. Do you see what's happening here?"

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution Wednesday condemning Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The resolution passed with bipartisan support, including backing from Trump supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham.

"I don't agree with his construct that Turkey's invasion of Syria is of no concern," the South Carolina senator said.

BBC News reported Thursday that Trump urged Erdogan, in a letter dated Oct. 9, against the military offensive in Syria.

"You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people" the letter said. "And I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy -- and I will.

"History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen. Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!"

The report said Erdogan "thoroughly rejected" the letter and "put it in the [trash] bin."

 

[Falcon29]

^^

Some reports saying the operation will end and Kurdish militants will withdraw out of safe zone area and Turkey supported rebels along with Turkish forces will enforce the safe zone.

 

[Falcon29]

Seems to be official now:

 

[TsAr]

Turkey to suspend Syria offensive, Mike Pence announces

Turkey has agreed to a ceasefire in northern Syria to let Kurdish-led forces withdraw, US Vice-President Mike Pence has announced.

All military operations will be paused for five days, and the US will help facilitate an "orderly withdrawal" of Kurdish-led troops from what Turkey has termed a "safe zone" on the border.

Turkey launched its assault last week.

It aimed to repel a Kurdish militia that it views as a terrorist group, and resettle Syrian refugees in the area.

Critics fear this could lead to ethnic cleansing of the local Kurdish population.

The cross-border offensive came after US President Donald Trump pulled US forces out of the border region.

His decision prompted a raft of criticism at home and abroad, with some accusing him of giving Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "green light" for the operation.

Mr Trump tweeted about the ceasefire before Mr Pence announced it, writing that "millions of lives will be saved!"


Mr Pence thanked Donald Trump's "strong leadership" during the announcement.

"He wanted a ceasefire. He wanted to stop the violence," the vice-president said.

 

[Falcon29]

Doesn't seem like SDF will withdraw.



..
..

Yeah, this won't work.

 

[Falcon29]

 

[Khafee]

Pence: Turkey agrees to cease-fire in Syria, future 'safe zone'
17 Oct 2019

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday. Photo courtesy D. Myles Cullen/White House/Pool

Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. officials said Thursday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to stop his offensive in Syria, signaling an end to a military campaign that has so far killed dozens of Kurdish fighters and drawn international condemnation.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced the agreement for a five-day cease-fire after hours of bilateral meetings in Ankara among U.S. and Turkish officials -- which included Erdogan and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The situation will be re-evaluated at the end of the five-day deal.

Erdogan's forces began Operation Peace Spring a week ago in northeast Syria, to clear border territories of Kurdish fighters so Ankara can send back Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey. The Turkish leader has previously insisted he would accept no cease-fire.

"The United States and Turkey have both mutually committed to a peaceful resolution and future for the safe zone, working on an international basis to ensure that peace and security defines this border region with Syria," Pence said.

Erdogan's offensive was designed to create a "safe zone" for the return of thousands of Syrian refugees who'd fled to Turkey. It targeted Kurdish fighters in the border region, whom Ankara considers terrorist, to make way for the refugees' repatriation. Turkish officials have said hundreds of Kurdish fighters have been "neutralized" since the incursion began a week ago.

U.S. President Donald Trump applauded the resolution, saying "millions of lives will be saved." Earlier, he'd said the Turkish invasion is "not our problem."

"I am the only person who can fight for the safety of our troops & bring them home from the ridiculous and costly endless wars, and be scorned[?]" he tweeted previously. "Democrats always liked that position, until I took it. Democrats always liked walls, until I built them. Do you see what's happening here?"

Erdogan initially refused to meet with Pence and Pompeo Thursday, saying he would only deal diplomatically with Trump. He relented late Wednesday.

The House had also passed a resolution Wednesday condemning Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The measure passed with bipartisan support, including backing from Trump supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham.

"I don't agree with his construct that Turkey's invasion of Syria is of no concern," the South Carolina senator said.
RELATED Turkey's Erdogan changes course, will meet with Pence

BBC News reported Thursday that Trump urged Erdogan, in a letter dated Oct. 9, against the military offensive in Syria.

"You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people," the letter said. "And I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy -- and I will.

"History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen. Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool!"

The report said Erdogan "thoroughly rejected" the letter at the time and "put it in the [trash] bin."

 

[Berke2]

Man I pray that the gulf arabs and the Turks can sit down together and sort out their problems. So much damage could've been avoided if they were all on the same page.

 

[Khafee]

Man I pray that the gulf arabs and the Turks can sit down together and sort out their problems. So much damage could've been avoided if they were all on the same page.

Turkey is in bed with Iran, and covertly works to undermine Arabs.

Iranian Affairs

Turkish state bank funneled billions to Iran, U.S. charges say OCT. 16, 2019 The charges say Halkbank was involved in a multi-layered scheme to cover up transactions that violate U.S. sanctions against Iran. File Photo by Sedat Suna/EPA-EFE Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a...

world-defense.com

 

[Berke2]

Turkey is in bed with Iran, and covertly works to undermine Arabs.

Iranian Affairs

Turkish state bank funneled billions to Iran, U.S. charges say OCT. 16, 2019 The charges say Halkbank was involved in a multi-layered scheme to cover up transactions that violate U.S. sanctions against Iran. File Photo by Sedat Suna/EPA-EFE Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors have charged a...

world-defense.com

Yeh I know bro. But it's not like gulf arabs don't work against Turkey either. The animosity comes from both sides. It's same scenario with Qatar. Whilst it will be hard to do, each side needs to suck up their pride & stop working against each other.

 

[Scorpion]

Erdogan has been humiliated by Trump.

 

[TomCat]

 

[Khafee]

Yeh I know bro. But it's not like gulf arabs don't work against Turkey either. The animosity comes from both sides. It's same scenario with Qatar. Whilst it will be hard to do, each side needs to suck up their pride & stop working against each other.

You need to keep in mind, that GCC was actually on very good terms with Turkey, just look at the arms purchases from Turkey. It was and is Erdogan's illusions of grandeur, that drove a wedge which seems to be only hurting them.

Its very easy to say to sit on the wall, but very difficult to call the guilty party out. If Turkey is going to be driven by "illusions of grandeur," the world is not going to sit idle.

Turkey was ISIS's biggest oil coustomer, then the the Kashoggi incident, why did Turkey run to the US? They actually exposed themselves, by proving that they dont have the ability to handle small incidents like these.