Ankara’s policies in Iraq, Syria perplex US
Turkey's approach to the Aleppo and Mosul issues complicates its relations with the United States.
Despite official statements to the contrary, Ankara and Washington are not cooperating in Syria. There's a lot of friction. Ankara acquiesces much more to its former adversary Russia than to its traditional ally, the United States.
Turkey has been conspicuously silent on Aleppo's worsening plight brought about by the Syrian regime in Damascus, with Russia's backing. Until recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan consistently called attention to Aleppo, Syria's largest city, which is perceived as essential to Turkey's interests in, and influence over, Syria. Turkey's silence during the darkest days of Aleppo's very long history is appalling.
A big question mark also hangs over the strategic town al-Bab, which lies only 30 kilometers (less than 20 miles) from Turkey's border. Erdogan once said Syrian rebels should liberate the town with the help of the Turkish army.
Al-Bab is the last remaining Islamic State (IS) stronghold in northern Syria, and it holds strategic importance for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, Syrian opposition groups supported by Turkey and the Syrian army supported by Russia. Erdogan implied that Turkey is committed to liberating al-Bab from IS. If that objective is achieved, the Kurdish aim of linking the Kurdish cantons along the border with Turkey will be thwarted, perhaps, once and for all.
