The alliances in the Middle East are very complicated. They are very tribal, very religious, and centuries old. The Turks hate the Kurds, and the the Kurds hate ISIS.
President Obama crafted an alliance of many countries, all concerned about ISIS, to “hire” the Kurds to fight on the ground against ISIS. The US provided tactical and air support. The Kurds suffered thousands of loses by being the front line.
American soldiers were spared and dollars saved through this approach; but maybe, more importantly, ISIS was severely crippled.
Until now. The Kurds have imprisoned thousands of ISIS fighters. They cannot afford to keep or guard them anymore. President Trump’s decision to green light Turkey to attack the Kurds means the Kurds have a new war to fight, for survival of their families.
We have not only turned our backs on a great ally, but assured genocide of the Kurds. We also will have thousands of ISIS fighters ready to attack us with no country willing to trust that they should help us again.
Why would Trump make this decision, in the dead of night, after a phone call from the Turkish dictator, with no input from his advisors or the military? What does he owe Turkey and their backers, Russia?
Trump’s foreign policy is to protect Trump, not the American people.
—Carolyn Medland
Lapeer Twp.
