The Syria civil war has always been about proxy armies.

However, Turkey's invasion of Syria Kurdistan has taken this to another level.



Ankara’s latest military operation into the Afrin enclave in Syria is yet another example of Turkey’s drift from NATO. It is a de facto proxy war against the United States and part of a broader Turkish ambition for regional hegemony.

...Washington made it abundantly clear to Ankara that Afrin would be excluded from its new border force. In other words, the Turkish pretext for launching the incursion, the prevention of a PYG force in the Afrin corridor, is bogus.

To make matters worse, before Turkey launched its new operation it was not U.S. or NATO coordination that was sought. Instead Ankara looked for Russian permission.

...And now in Syria, Turkey is seeking to dislodge the U.S. presence by backing the Free Syrian Army against the U.S.-supported SDF. This latest operation is nothing less than a proxy war against the U.S. Erdogan has even expressed his intention to continue after Afrin.

Ankara wants to finish the job it started with its first foray into Syria, Operation Euphrates Shield, which was completed in March of last year. Erdogan stated that after Afrin, Turkish forces will march on to Manbij, and then even further towards the Iraqi border where PYG forces are located. In other words, to obliterate U.S.-supported forces.

America, and President Trump, have a very real problem.

The Pentagon already intended to launch a proxy war in Syria against Iran and Russia, but suddenly a NATO ally, a nation we are sworn to defend, is at war with our proxies in Syria.

This is essentially Trump's first war. It's a war that can't be won.

It can only get worse.



U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have denied that a Kurd-dominated border force is being created -- though the coalition against Islamic State has confirmed it is being formed.

“Who are you deceiving?” Erdogan said. “We will eradicate all of them.”

The operation in Afrin will be followed by an offensive against Manbij, he added, referring to another Kurdish stronghold on the western bank of the Euphrates River, where some U.S. troops are deployed alongside Kurdish forces.

Things get even more complicated at Manbij. If Turkey follows through with attacking Manbij, the U.S. will suddenly find itself on the same side as the Assad government, the government that we intend to overthrow.



Think about that for a moment.

The Syrian government, close ally of Iran, is obviously against the Turkish invasion, including threats to shoot down Turkish planes.

The Assad government views the U.S.-created 'border force' as a threat, just like Turkey does.

However, Damascus views the Syrian Kurds as unreliable allies, while Turkey is a hostile neighbor that has called for regime change in Syria.

The U.S. is in a tough spot.

If we defer to Turkey, then we must abandon the Syrian Kurds, and any hopes of regime change in Syria, as well as fighting Iranian proxies in Syria on behalf of Israel.

Those are not objectives that will be easily given up.

If we don't abandon the Syrian Kurds, then we risk a military confrontation with a NATO ally. That will splinter NATO, and we'll be doing it with the approval of Damascus, Tehran, and Moscow.

That's also tough to swallow.

In the meantime, it's worth noting that the Syrian Kurds are tough fighters.

Turkey's jihadist proxies were not exactly impressive during Operation Euphrates Shield. I would not be surprised if the FSA proxy army simply isn't capable of defeating the Kurds themselves, and Turkey will have to commit their regular army.