By Joseph Hincks
President Donald Trump’s impromptu endorsement (click here) a Turkish incursion into northeast Syria has prompted accusations that Trump had betrayed America’s Kurdish allies in Syria. But his handing Turkey responsibility for thousands of ISIS prisoners has also rung alarm bells among former top officials in Ankara.
Shortly after Trump spoke on the phone with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday, the White House issued a statement saying Turkey would soon be moving ahead with its “long-planned operation in Northern Syria” and that U.S. forces would “no longer be in the immediate area.” The statement added that Turkey would now “be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years.”
Taking responsibility for ISIS will be a “nightmare” for Turkey, said Yaşar Yakış, who served as the country’s foreign minister under prime minister Abdullah Gul between 2002 and 2003. “There are already dormant ISIS cells in Turkey. They may wake up and wreak havoc in the country.” In 2015 and 2016, a series of terror attacks in Turkey claimed by ISIS killed at least 276 people.
There are about 11,000 ISIS detainees in over 30 detention facilities across northern Syria. A separate camp for internally displaced persons known as al-Hol, located in northeastern Syria, holds nearly 70,000 people, including thousands of ISIS family members, according to a recent Defense Department Inspector General’s report....
Turkey's entry to the issues with Syria should be no surprise.
March 13, 2019
The number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey (click here) this year will increase by around 10 to 15 percent, exceeding 6 million, according to Firuz B. Bağlıkaya, the president of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).
“Turkey is a very suitable travel destination for Russians,” he told Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of an international industry fair in Moscow on March 13.
”Here, we offer travel agencies the opportunity to meet with business partners,” he said.
He noted that the Russian tour operators exceeded their potential in directing holidaymakers to Turkey last year.
“This played a role in the increase in the number of foreigners visiting Turkey. Since the sales of [holidays in] Turkey increased, this also helped balance the prices in our benefit.”
Last year, 5.9 million Russians visited Turkey....
Why Syria?
Why Venezuela?
Why Ukraine?
Hint: Proper name, begins with P and have five letters.
P - U - T - I - N
Putin: "If Hillary Clinton wins the presidential elections there will be nuclear war. If Trump wins there won't."
Interpretation: "If Hillary Clinton wins the presidential election she values USA national security over money. If Trump wins the presidential election he values money over USA national security."
Putin has oligarchs to dangle billions in front of capitalists with bad credit. But, alas. The Clinton's take it on the chin when the Clinton Organization falls on hard times. Putin has no leverage to put fear in the hearts of those occupying the Oval Office if it is a Clinton.
The question is not "Why Syria?" the question is "Why Trump?"
