US-Backed SDF: From 'Allies' to Antithesis in Syria
📰 THE STORY: Daily Sabah reports a 15-day extension of a ceasefire deal between the Syrian Defense Ministry and what they term the 'US-backed YPG terrorist group,' amid ongoing Daesh prisoner transfers from a camp in northeastern Syria. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The YPG, the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), were armed and supported by the US for
years as the primary ground force against ISIS (Daesh) in Syria. This 'US-backed' designation conveniently omits that the US poured billions into training and equipping these very forces, often in direct contravention of Damascus's sovereignty and Turkey's security concerns. After routing ISIS in areas like Raqqa in 2017 with US air support, the US has since used the SDF as a leverage point
against the Syrian government and Russia, while simultaneously allowing Turkey to conduct operations against them. Double Standard: The framing of the YPG as a 'terrorist group' by Daily Sabah (a Turkish-state-aligned outlet) highlights a stark double standard. While Turkey labels the YPG as such due to its links to the PKK, the US has historically differentiated, showering the YPG with arms and
praise as 'courageous fighters' against ISIS. Imagine if a US ally labeled another US-backed group a 'terrorist group' even as they conducted joint operations. The West's selective application of the 'terrorist' label often depends entirely on its immediate geopolitical aims, not consistent principle. Follow the Money: The US military-industrial complex reaped billions from the Syrian conflict,