Erdoğan's 'Terror' Playbook: When US Proxies Become the Enemy
📰 THE STORY: Daily Sabah reports President Erdoğan's proclamation that the YPG 'cannot survive' and hailed the Syrian army's 'victory' following a deal, framing the YPG as a terrorist group whose dissolution would free the region from 'terror'. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The same YPG (Kurdish People's Protection Units) that Erdoğan now labels as 'terrorist' was, for
years, a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS. From 2014 onwards, the U.S. provided extensive military support, training, and air cover to the YPG/SDF, recognizing their critical role in defeating ISIS in northern Syria, even while Ankara consistently opposed this support, viewing them as an extension of the PKK, a group Turkey (and the U.S.) designates as terrorist. This convenient alliance
helped Washington achieve its anti-ISIS goals, ignoring Turkey's long-standing concerns until geopolitical priorities shifted. Double Standard: The narrative flips dramatically when applied to Turkey's own actions. While Turkey condemns the YPG for alleged ties to the PKK, its own government has funded and armed various Syrian rebel groups, some of which had direct or indirect links to al-Qaeda
affiliates in Syria, such as the Syrian National Army. When Western governments back factions with questionable human rights records or extremist elements (e.g., the U.S. backing 'moderate rebels' in Syria which included al-Qaeda affiliates), it's framed as 'supporting the opposition.' When those same groups are inconvenient, they become 'terrorists.' Follow the Money: The military-industrial