Obama Administration Considers Arming Syrian Kurds Against ISIS
Source: New York Times
WASHINGTON The Obama administration is weighing a military plan to directly arm Syrian Kurdish fighters combating the Islamic State, a major policy shift that could speed up the offensive against the terrorist group but also sharply escalate tensions between Turkey and the United States.
The plan has been under discussion by the National Security Council staff at a moment when President Obama has directed aides to examine all proposals that could accelerate the fight against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Mr. Obama has told aides that he wants an offensive well underway before he leaves office that is aimed at routing the Islamic State from Raqqa, the groups de facto capital in northern Syria.
Deciding whether to arm the Syrian Kurds is a difficult decision for Mr. Obama, who is caught in the middle trying to balance the territorial and political ambitions of Turkey and the Syrian Kurds, two warring American allies that Washington needs to combat the Islamic insurgency.
Directly providing weapons for the first time to the Syrian Kurds, whom American commanders view as their most effective ground partner against the Islamic State, would help build momentum for the assault on Raqqa. But arming them would also aggravate Mr. Obamas already tense relations with Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The United States and Turkey sharply disagree over Syrias Kurdish militias, which Turkey sees as its main enemy in Syria.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/22/world/middleeast/obama-syria-kurds-isis-turkey-military-commandos.html
davepc
(3,936 posts)underpants
(182,878 posts)and we need the airbase in Turkey and airspace approval.
Javaman
(62,534 posts)Obama is preparing for the worst with Turkey.
Given Turkey's recent history.
lark
(23,155 posts)WE NEED Turkey and they will definitely retaliate against us if we arm their worst enemies, the Kurds in Syria. Hope Obama can find something else they need more than they hate the Kurds and give it to them, otherwise this could go very badly for us,
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Nitram
(22,877 posts)Yupster
(14,308 posts)So where are they getting their arms from then?
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)Also, Russia has armed Iraqi Kurds. Lots of purchasing from independent arms dealers too. I'd also assume they liberated some weapons after the fall of Sadam Hussein.
cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)captured and then used by ISIS.
If the US wants to provide support there are better ways such as providing food, medical care and education because those are thing ISIS is not likely to really provide to the majority of people.
JI7
(89,264 posts)cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)to pull their heads out of their ass and get together and stop ISIS but giving arms to the people in the region shouldnt be on the menu.
JI7
(89,264 posts)cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)around all the areas ISIS currently holds so as to prevent the flow of new personal and materials to them.
Thats not something any of the superpowers can do on their own and they would have to combine their efforts.
JI7
(89,264 posts)cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)because they are murdering assholes who dont care about the people they are hurting and they need to be stopped before they hurt many more people and to stop them you need to cut the flow of weapons and personal to them.
If the varies superpowers can do that then the local governments might just get the breathing room they need to get back on their feet.
JI7
(89,264 posts)cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)be permanent which is just not feasible but something temporary can hopefully be done to cut the flow to ISIL but only if multiple superpowers work together.