Turkey Makes it's Move

Reviews
President Trump is once again being criticized for his actions. This time it is for removing troops from Syria and leaving them after they helped fight ISIS. Turkey is taking advantage of this and attacking even though Trump has threatened its economy. Some are concerned that not helping the Kurds in Syria will lead to the return is ISIS or worse.
Common Facts
Content (6)
ABC New.
CBS
CNN
"U.S. troops pulled back from the [war zone], paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States."
"Mr. Trump's move has drawn harsh bipartisan opposition at home. It represents a shift in U.S. policy that essentially abandoned the Syrian Kurdish fighters who have been America's only allies inside Syria in the fight against ISIS."
"Trump's decision to pull US troops from the area…. has provoked a backlash from Republican allies."
"Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said Turkish warplanes were targeting 'civilian areas' in northern Syria, causing 'a huge panic' in the region."
" 'Turkish warplanes have started to carry out airstrikes on civilian areas. There is a huge panic among people of the region.' -Mustafa Bali."
"Before Turkey's attack, Syrian Kurdish forces that are allied with the U.S. issued a general mobilization call, warning of a 'humanitarian catastrophe.' "
Definitions (1)
SDF: Syrian Democratic Forces
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/09/2019 08:33:10 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
ABC News
Content (12)
"President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Turkey’s offensive in Syria “a bad idea” that the United States did not support [it], hours after Turkey launched a long-planned military offensive in northeastern Syria."
"The Turkish military is targeting the Syrian-Kurdish fighters that helped the United States defeat ISIS."
"Trump had for days faced harsh criticism from across the political spectrum after the White House announced Sunday night that the United States would stand aside while Turkey proceeded with an operation in northern Syria. "
"As Turkey pushed forward with their operation Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who is normally a staunch supporter of Trump, blasted Trump again. "
"Trump said in his statement Wednesday that Turkey had 'committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place.' "
"Turkey considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization and a part of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a Kurdish nationalist movement that is banned in Turkey."
"The Turkish state has been battling Kurdish separatists in its own territory for decades and has even invaded Syria to fight against Syrian Kurds several times in recent years."
" 'The border areas of northeast Syria are on the edge of a possible humanitarian catastrophe,' Bali said in a statement Tuesday. 'This attack will spill the blood of thousands of innocent civilians because our border areas are overcrowded.' "
"Turkey's president said the operation in northeastern Syria targeting the YPG/PKK will 'neutralize terror threats against Turkey and lead to the establishment of a safe zone, facilitating the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.' "
"'We will preserve Syria's territorial integrity and liberate local communities from terrorists,' Erdogan tweeted Wednesday. [10/9/19]"
"Trump also said that Turkey was no responsible for holding thousands of ISIS prisoners the Syrian Kurds had been guarding."
"Turkey is now responsible for ensuring all ISIS fighters being held captive remain in prison and that ISIS does not reconstitute in any way, shape, or form. We expect Turkey to abide by all of its commitments, and we continue to monitor the situation closely," Trump said.
Opinion (6)
" 'The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea,' Trump said in a statement."
"Trump signaled Monday he was listening to the criticism. 'I told Turkey if they do anything that is not humane, Turkey will suffer a very decimated economy,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'If Turkey does anything that they are not supposed to do, we will hit them so hard in their economy.'"
“Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration,” Graham tweeted Wednesday. “This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS.”
"The president added that the United States would 'hold them [Turkey] to this commitment.' He did not specify how the administration would do so, although he has in recent days floated the prospect of economic punishment."
"Trump also warned in a tweet Monday that, 'if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off-limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey.' He did not specify what would qualify as 'off-limits. ' "
" 'As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over…" [-Trump on Twitter]
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 01:59:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/09/2019 10:00:00 pm
Article Author: By Morgan Winsor and Ben Gittleson and Jordyn Phelps
Click here to see the article
CBS
Content (15)
"Turkey launched airstrikes and fired artillery aimed at crushing Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on Wednesday." [10/9/2019]
"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt decision Sunday [10/6/19] by U.S. President Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation."
"After Turkey's offensive began, there was sign of panic in the streets of Ras al-Ayn- one of the towns under attack with residential areas close to the borders. "
"Cars raced to safety, although it was not clear if they were leaving the town or heading away from border areas."
"Near the town of Qamishli, plumes of smoke were seen rising from an area close to the border after activists reported sounds of explosion nearby."
"At least one member of the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces was killed in the Turkish bombardment, Kurdish activists and a Syria war monitor said."
"Turkey's campaign — in which a NATO member is raining down bombs on an area where hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed — drew immediate criticism and calls for restraint from Europe."
" 'Coalition forces are not near the places Turkey has struck so far,' an official with the U.S.-led coalition told The Associated Press."
"CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports that as part of the now abandoned joint patrols along the Turkish border, the U.S. had set up a Joint Operations Center in Turkey. That center is still being used to advise the Turks on the location of American troops."
"The Kurdish forces have warned of a 'humanitarian catastrophe' that could potentially unfold because of the Turkish military operation.
'Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area,' Erdogan said in a tweet."
"He added that Turkish Armed Forces, together with Turkish-backed Syrian fighters known as the Syrian National Army, had begun what they called 'Operation Peace Spring' against Kurdish fighters to eradicate what Erdogan said was 'the threat of terror' against Turkey."
"Minutes before Erdogan's announcement, Turkish jets began pounding suspected positions of Syrian Kurdish forces in the town of Ras al Ayn, according to Turkish media and Syrian activists. The sound of explosions could be heard in Turkey."
"A photograph released to Turkish media showed Erdogan at his desk, reportedly giving orders for the start of the operation."
"It was difficult to know what was hit in the first hours of the operation."
"The Turkish operation meant to create a so-called 'safe zone' carries potential gains and risk for Turkey by getting even more deeply involved in the Syria war. It also would ignite new fighting in Syria's 8-year-old war, potentially displacing hundreds of thousands."
Opinion (4)
"Mr. Trump offered no explicit condemnation of Turkey in a statement Wednesday." [10/9/19]
" 'This morning, Turkey, a NATO member, invaded Syria,' Mr. Trump said. 'The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea. There are no American soldiers in the area.' "
" 'From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars — especially those that don't benefit the United States.' " -Trump
" 'Turkey has committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place — and we will hold them to this commitment …' " Trump said.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 01:16:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 09:21:00 pm
Article Author: Unknown
Click here to see the article
CNN
Content (25)
"Fears are growing among American officials that thousands of ISIS fighters may escape from prisons in Syria as the Kurdish personnel guarding them gear up for a fight with Turkey."
"Turkey launched a military offensive in northeastern Syria on Wednesday. " (10/11/2019)
"Turkey's assault has already had a 'detrimental effect' on American counter-ISIS operations, which have 'effectively stopped,' a senior US defense official told CNN on Wednesday." (10/11/19)
" The Turkish offensive, the official said, 'has challenged our ability to build local security forces, conduct stabilization operations and the Syrian Democratic Forces' [ability] to guard over 11,000 dangerous ISIS fighters.' "
"When asked Wednesday (10/11/19) about the threat of ISIS prisoners escaping, President Donald Trump claimed that some of the most dangerous ISIS prisoners had been moved, 'putting them in other areas where it's secure.' "
"He [Trump] dismissed the overall threat, replying, 'Well, they're going to be escaping to Europe.'"
"US officials have long warned of the vulnerability of the 'pop-up prisons' housing some 11,000 to 12,000 ISIS fighters captured on the battlefield, 2,000 of whom are foreigners not from Iraq or Syria."
"Despite Trump's assertion, only several hundred of the prisoners are believed to be from Europe."
"Those same officials emphasize that the security of the facilities is very much in question and a 'huge concern' as Syrian Democratic Forces personnel head to the front lines."
"'SDF will focus on the fight. The fear is that they abandon post,' said a congressional aide who attended a classified briefing given Tuesday (10/8/19) by national security officials on the detention facilities. 'It's a really bad situation.'"
"Hundreds of ISIS prisoners continue to be held in makeshift prisons close to the Turkish border, according to US defense officials."
"Some SDF fighters had already left their posts at various prisons before the Turkish offensive began and had headed north, two US officials told CNN."
"As the operation got underway, the SDF suspended their counter-ISIS operations to focus on the Turkish offensive, another official said."
"A US defense official told CNN on Wednesday that while the SDF had reduced the number of personnel guarding the prisons, the US military believes that all of the prisons continue to be guarded, albeit by fewer SDF troops."
"Later on Wednesday the SDF said a prison holding ISIS detainees was hit in a Turkish airstrike."
"In a Twitter post from the verified SDF account, the group said 'One of the prisons that ISIS detainees held in was struck by Turkish airstrike. Turkey is aiming to undermine all successful efforts and achievements that we gained during our fighting against #ISIS.'"
"Trump's decision to pull US troops from the area, [gave] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a de facto go-ahead to proceed with his long-planned move against Kurdish fighters who make up part of the Syrian Democratic Forces and had fought against ISIS"
"It could also potentially reverse one of Trump's main foreign policy achievements, the elimination of ISIS's so-called caliphate, which the President had heralded in March. " (2019)
"Analysts warn that should the ISIS prisoners escape it could be a major step toward the militants regrouping and challenging for territory again."
"Two weeks ago, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, Ambassador Nathan Sales, warned that 'destabilizing events' could 'trigger the release of these folks.' "
"'We've seen several attempted prison breaks over the last few months,' Sales said. 'None have been successful to date, but we don't want to hope that our luck holds. That's not an effective strategy.'"
"Sales said more funding and support were needed to reinforce the often-overcrowded facilities but argued the only long-term solution was to repatriate the prisoners, something Trump has repeatedly called for."
" 'We already did not have professional jails or professional prisons to keep those prisoners in,' SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said."
"Bali said 'the Turkish invasion to our region is going to leave a huge space, because we are forced to pull out some of our troops from the prisons and from the [displaced people] camps to the border to protect our people.' "
"On Wednesday afternoon, Bali tweeted that Turkey had shelled an area near a prison holding ISIS prisoners."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 07:45:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 11:20:00 pm
Article Author: Alex Marquardt and Ryan Browne
Click here to see the article