Trump sows instability by abandoning Kurds
Conspiring with Erdogan could have global fallout, Harry Sterling says.
Canadians cannot afford to ignore the current chaos and bloodshed unleashed in Syria by the complicity of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump because their secret conspiracy to allow Erdogan to invade next-door Syria’s Kurdish region is now threatening to destabilize areas of the Middle East.
But not only is Turkey’s invasion denounced by much of the international community, including Canada, it also is widely criticized by Americans themselves, including, surprisingly, influential Republicans in Congress.
Because of Canada’s close economic ties to the U.S. and the critical importance of the American market for Canadian exports — still nearly 70 per cent — any serious economic problems in the U.S. could have devastating effects on Canadian exports and employment.
And Trump’s once seemingly firm grip on power is being undermined. Even influential and normally loyal Republican politicians are urging the president to reverse his controversial withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Despite Trump’s scarcely concealed go-ahead signal to Erdogan to launch his attack against Kurdish SDF forces, including Trump’s threat to Erdogan to destroy the entire Turkish economy if the Turkish attack isn’t carefully limited, those familiar with Erdogan’s dubious authoritarian past and lack of concern for democracy and fundamental human rights will regard Erdogan’s current large-scale attack with genuine fear regarding what happens next against the estimated 600,000-strong Kurdish population in the region.
While many may find Trump’s dubious withdrawal move inexplicable, especially against loyal Kurdish allies fighting ISIL extremists, both he and Erdogan confront serious problems increasingly threatening their controversial rules.
In Erdogan’s case, despite his ruling party’s relatively strong electoral support in many Turkish regions, his party recently suffered a significant loss in Istanbul, Turkey’s most important city, when a prominent opposition leader came first as the candidate for mayor, a major setback for the vain Erdogan.
That unacceptable defeat is regarded a breakthrough for the Turkish opposition and Erdogan badly needs something to recover his once unassailable strongman image.
Erdogan’s attempts to undermine Turkey’s secular constitution are also encountering opposition, especially among the urban westernminded population.
Some criticize Erdogan for supposed links with hard-line extremist groups, including even ISIL. Erdogan was seen by some as indirectly aiding ISIL’S objectives because of his alleged anti-christian views. The German military actually publicly identified Erdogan’s son’s alleged involvement in facilitating movement of oil shipments controlled by ISIL, enriching Erdogan’s family.
For his part, Trump has spent months fending off criticism of his anti-parliamentary policies and inflammatory statements, including recent racially tinged condemnation of four female Democratic members of Congress. His hard line trade actions against China have also begun to boomerang against sectors of the
U.S. economy — including farmers.
Notwithstanding his overtly divisive actions and undermining of congressional authority, Trump, backed by election-conscious Republican Party leaders, was relatively successful in avoiding widespread challenges to his questionable actions.
However, Trump’s assumption of immunity from possible danger was abruptly challenged by two whistleblowers’ claims he asked the new Ukraine government to obtain evidence that former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden and his son were involved in questionable financial transactions in that country. Soon after, Trump abruptly ordered the termination of the U.S. military’s role in Syria.
The Kurds understandably denounced Trump’s betrayal and indifference to the vital role they played in decisively stopping ISIL from controlling much of the Middle East. He has totally ignored the heavy price the Kurds paid for their loyalty with countless Kurds killed fighting ISIL.
His actions clearly represent a dangerous development for not just the increasingly divided U.S. population but also the international community. Trump’s only loyalty is to himself.