Türkiye & Syria: 'Terrorists' Today, 'Friends' Tomorrow – The Ever-Shifting Sands of Imperial Proxies
📰 THE STORY: Daily Sabah reports Türkiye's welcome of Syria's success in 'quelling PKK/YPG terrorists,' framing it as a regional win and hinting at improved Türkiye-Syria relations after a period of estrangement. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The 'PKK/YPG terrorists' the article refers to as a Syrian concern were, until very recently, lauded and armed by the United States
and other Western powers as key allies against ISIS. The US-backed 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF), largely comprised of YPG elements, received billions in military aid and training, despite Türkiye's consistent labeling of them as an extension of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization. This conveniently forgotten history includes the 2014-2019 period where the US explicitly supported the
YPG in Syria. Double Standard: Western media, including outlets that parrot Turkish government narratives regarding the YPG, spent years glorifying these same YPG fighters as 'freedom fighters' and 'heroic Kurds' when they served US strategic interests against ISIS. Now, as regional powers realign and US interests in Syria shift, the framing can revert to 'terrorists,' revealing a cynical
opportunism that disregards the actual plight of the Kurdish people and the regional stability. Contrast the universal outrage when states use force against groups *allied* with the West, versus the quiet approval or even praise when the target is seen as hostile, regardless of prior Western support. Follow the Money: The underlying 'terrorist' designation for the PKK stems from decades-old