Mervet Muhammad, Baladi News
The battle between the militants of "ISIS" and "SDF" militias in the city of al-Tabaqah in the countryside of al-Raqqah is hectic, concurrently with a political battle between the US that is backing "SDF" through the international coalition forces and Turkey which is fiercely fighting the Kurdish existence on its borders with Syria.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayip Erdogan, who will pay a visit to the US on the 16th of this month, hopes for an anti-Kurds American attitude, but at the same time he declares saying that the Turkish military operation in Syria may be suspended till the American strategy regarding the Kurdish file becomes clear.
The Washington-Ankara Relation Is Unstable
The researcher in the comparative defense policies and the international security issues "Anas al-Kassas" stresses that the Kurdish case has become a matter of live or death for Turkey, saying that "Even if the Turkish leadership recognizes the Kurdish activity in the region, a large part of the Turkish people will refuse that".
He added that Turkey sees that it's quite important to diminish the Kurds and put pressure on their project to establish a state south of Turkey which may threaten the security and peace of the country.
al-Kassas says that Ankara seems to be distressed by the fact that the US didn't share the attitude towards the Kurds with Turkey, and this, along with the huge split in the corridors of NATO concerning the attitude from the Kurds, will drive Turkey to seek help from Russia".
Negotiation and Pressure Papers
The separatist Kurds want to establish an independent entity that extends across a border line between Syria and Turkey, which means dividing both Turkey and Syria. In this regard, the Syrian politician Kamal al-Labwani asserts that Turkey cannot stand idly by while watching the establishment of a Kurdish entity along its border with Syria.
Regarding the reflections of "SDF" movements, al-Labwani believes that the creation of a Kurdish entity will harm Syria as it will open the door of division along with the establishment of an Alawite state for example, and so the Turkish attitude goes with the Syrian will of preventing this creation.
al-Labwani stresses that the Kurds are gradually getting close their goal in creating a national Kurdish state, but the method they are following is costly, while another easier solution can be followed to solve the Kurdish case which is to look for unifying formulas in the region rather than dividing the countries and triggering the spark of racist, national and sectarian disputes.
Direct Confrontation Is Possible
Turkey now is more independent, decisive and firm regarding its strategical decisions especially after passing the constitutional amendments and launching grave strikes against PKK. It's also more determined than ever before on preventing the creation of any Kurdish entity on its borders.
The specialist in the Turkish affairs "Abbo al-Hissao" sees that the decision of Turkey in informing the US of the operation against "SDF" only an hour before the bombardment indicates the Turkish lack of trust in the US and its fear of emptying the headquarters of the Kurdish Units. He also asserts that Erdogan's visit to the US will outline the relation between America and Turkey as Erdogan demanded to open a new page in the relation between the two countries in a message to Trump not to insist on the old policies of Obama as such a strategy may lead to a complicated situation and military escalation by Turkey towards PKK and PYD, which may ends in a direct confrontation between the two parties.