Turkey sees vital interests in Sinjar, Tal Afar

Turkish leaders are optimistic that the new Trump administration will adjust US “foreign policy to recognize Turkey as a priority … and to see the world from Turkey’s perspective,” as incoming national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn wrote in an op-ed in The Hill published on US Election Day.

Metin Gurcan writes, “Many key names in Ankara believe that the Trump transition team will understand the dynamics of Iraq and Syria and support Ankara in its struggle against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party] and PYD [Democratic Union Party] in northern Syria and against growing Shiite influence in Iraq. It is not hard to guess that Ankara will focus on setting up good relations and thus increase cooperation with the Trump team until Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20. Erdogan's Justice and Development Party teams are already busy with diplomatic efforts in New York and Washington.”

Gurcan explains that Ankara’s “primary goal” in Syria is to “end Democratic Union Party (PYD) control of the Kobani and Jazeera cantons. … If Ankara cannot impose a full military presence east of the Euphrates [River], it will make do by cleansing al-Bab of the Islamic State (IS) and Manbij of the YPG [People's Protection Units], thus creating a rectangular buffer zone of Jarablus, Manbij, al-Bab and al-Rai.”