Turkish anger at the United States over developments in Syria is on the rise again.

Officials in Ankara are convinced that Washington is stonewalling their efforts to curb and defeat the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD). The prevailing belief is that Washington wants to establish some kind of autonomous Kurdish region in northern Syria, similar to one in Iraq, where it hopes to maintain a military foothold for the foreseeable future with a view toward pursuing its agenda in the Middle East.

At a time when Turkey is combating separatist terrorism by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) at home, the thought that the area along its long border with Syria could be administered by YPG/PYD elements is a nightmare scenario for Ankara.

Turkey views the YPG and PYD, offshoots of the PKK, as terrorist groups. Although Washington has designated the PKK a terrorist organization and acknowledges YPG/PYD links to the PKK, it refuses to outlaw the YPG and PYD, considering them “valuable partners against the Islamic State [IS].”