nsnbc : U.S. Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, called on Turkey to stop attacking Syrian Kurds. The committee is set to review the participation of US forces in the battle for Raqqa, Syria, without invitation from the Syrian government or authorization by a UN Security Council resolution. Ironically, in April 2013, McCain illegally snuck into Syria to hold a meeting with US-backed “rebels” including ISIS-chief al-Baghdadi.
Speaking to the press on Thursday US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on Turkey to stop its attacks on Syrian Kurds. More specifically, the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, dominated by the US-backed Syrian Kurdish PYG and its military wings the YPG and the all female YPJ. The committee will review the participation of US forces in the battle for Raqqa.
Turkey considers the PYG as a terrorist organization allied to the (Russian and in part Iranian-backed) PKK. Turkish military forces have repeatedly clashed with YPG / YPJ forces after Turkey, in October 17, invaded the region around Manbij, allegedly to fight the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh). Local sources, however, reported to nsnbc that ISIS has largely withdrawn from the region a week in advance of Turkey’s invasion, and that Turkish military forces, backed by the so-called Free Syrian Army, intermingled with Jabhat fatah al-Sham (a.k.a. al-Nusrah)were primarily engaging Kurdish forces.
Speaking to the press about his position and the Committee’s deliberations about the participation of US forces in operations in Raqqa, McCain said:
“The United States has a longstanding relationship with Turkey, but a series of recent events have raised concerns about the fundamentals of our relations. … I have long argued that the Obama administration’s feckless approach to Syria has contributed to a strategic disaster on Turkey’s doorstep. … The Turkish government’s continued attacks on Syrian Kurds are destabilizing and troubling. … These Kurdish fighters have shown themselves to be willing and capable partners in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, and our continued cooperation serves the national security interests of both the United States and other countries in the region, including Turkey … I urge the Turkish government to refrain from further attacks against Kurdish groups in Syria. …
Another indicator for attempts to put additional US boots on the ground in Syria, in violation of international law is a statement made by Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve said on Thursday. Townsend said:
“The only force that is capable on any near frame — near-term timeline — is the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG are a significant portion. .. We’re negotiating, we’re planning, we’re having talks with Turkey and we’re gonna take this in steps. … We think there’s an imperative to get isolation in place around Raqqa because our intelligence feeds tell us that there are significant external operations attacks planning going on […] in Raqqa. … We think it’s very important to get isolation in place around Raqqa to start controlling that environment on a pretty short timeline. So, we’re gonna take the force that we have and we will go to Raqqa soon with that force.. … The Syrian Democratic Forces, including the Kurdish YPG and the Syrian Arab Corps, will all be part of the force that goes [to] Raqqa.”
Ironically, U.S. Senator John McCain was caught red-handed in plotting with U.S.-backed Syrian “rebels” including Islamic State leader al-Baghdadi in April 2013, although, al-Baghdadi actually comes from Iraq. McCain’s problem was that images from the covert meeting in a safe house were intercepted (see top-image) and that other “rebels” couldn’t resist posting “selfies” including McCain on social media. McCain attempted to brush off allegations that he was aware that al-Baghdadi was present at the safe house in Idlib. Former members of the U.S. Senate’s Foreign Security Service told nsnbc that McCain’s excuse is preposterous and utterly inconsistent with even the most basic intelligence and security protocols that are observed when a Senator travels to a foreign country, especially during covert missions.
CH/L – nsnbc 29.10.2016
Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/10/29/mccain-met-isis-chief-in-2013-now-asks-turkey-to-stop-attacking-syrian-kurds/
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