Elections will launch the Democratic Federal System of Northern Syria in 2017.

The Syrian Democratic Forces are the US-led coalition’s ground troops, but failure to recognize their civilian system hurts our partnership. Brett McGurk said in January, “[Liberating] Raqqa is very difficult because unlike Iraq, we’re not working with a government.”

Make it less difficult. Recognize the federal system of our friends.

SDF-held areas are democratic, polyethnic, feminist, and nonsectarian. Their human rights record is the best in Syria and better than US allies nearby. They support the internally displaced and Iraqi refugees. If they can trade with the outside world, their economy will improve and refugees will return to Syria.

Keep sanctions on the Assad regime. End sanctions on our friends.