Growing concerns over another Turkish offensive in Syria
There are growing concerns that Turkey could launch another incursion into Syria, and reports indicate that the Turkish army has stepped up its presence in areas controlled by the Syrian opposition in northeastern Syria, amid ongoing Turkish threats against Kurdish forces in the area. In the meantime, Turkey’s parliament approved a motion late last month extending Erdogan’s mandate to send troops to Syria for another two years. Turkey is also reportedly negotiating with Russia over a Turkish operation in the Kobani area. Expert David Phillips joins The Greek Current to look into the concerning reports about another possible Turkish incursion into Syria, Turkey’s negotiations with Russia over this operation, and what steps the US can take to deter Turkey.
David Phillips is the Director of the Program on Human Rights and Peace-building at Columbia University. Phillips is also a former senior adviser to the UN Secretariat and US State Department, and the author of the books Frontline Syria: From Revolution to Proxy War, The Great Betrayal: How America Abandoned the Kurds and Lost the Middle East, and An Uncertain Ally: Turkey Under Erdogan's Dictatorship.