Syrian Ceasefire: West Still Struggles to Define 'Our' Kurds
When the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—the very same 'democratic' force the US armed and lauded against ISIS (OpenSecrets.org: various defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon saw upticks in sales to allies in the region during the anti-ISIS campaign)—agree a ceasefire with the Assad regime, mainstream media often treats it as a bilateral local squabble. What they conveniently omit
is the sheer diplomatic tightrope act the SDF (largely Kurdish YPG) has been performing for years, abandoned by Washington after serving its purpose. Remember Trump's 2019 withdrawal that greenlit a Turkish invasion, leaving the Kurds scrambling for protection from Damascus? This 'ceasefire' isn't peace; it's a desperate strategic alignment driven by external pressures and the constant threat of
Turkish aggression (another NATO ally, mind you). It appears our heroes against terrorism become 'foreign-backed elements' the moment their utility wanes, or when a bigger, shinier geopolitical prize (like, say, not angering Erdoğan) comes along. How many more times will Washington's 'partners' find themselves negotiating with opponents after being left vulnerable by their 'friends'?