Ever since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, the war-torn country has suffered massive violence leading to loss of human life and property. And, the intervention of the United States of America has only added to the miseries of the inhabitants of the Arab country.
By announcing his decision to withdraw American forces from northern Syria ahead of the Turkish invasion, US President Donald Trump has left the Kurds - its former ally in Syria - in a helpless situation.
Abandoned by Trump, Kurds have entered into an understanding with Syria’s ruler Bashar Hafez al-Assad to protect themselves from existential crisis following Turkish attacks.
This departure of the US, the retreat of the Kurds and the advance of Turkey have led to increased instability in an already volatile region.
For nearly five years, the United States relied heavily on collaborating with the Kurdish-led forces both to fight the Islamic State and to limit the influence of Iran and Russia in Syria, with a goal of maintaining some leverage over any future settlement of the conflict.
Though Trump has threatened Ankara (Turkey's capital) that they would resort to financial embargoes, the behind the curtain politics of America have paved way for a 5-day ceasefire. Further, an agreement was thrashed out between Turkey and the USA with the stipulations that Kurd extremists should be removed from Turkey borders and no financial sanctions be imposed on the already feeble economy of Turkey. Turkey feels happy that America has agreed to their condition that the army of NDF (National Democratic Force) of Syria is pushed away up to 20 km from the border in South Syria and arrangements are being made in that direction. Though Trump boasts that it was a right step for the restoration of humanity, in actuality it surely is a lurking threat in the form of Islamic State restoration.
Syria got its independence from France seven decades ago. Syria is the assemblage of Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Shiite’s, Sunnis. The speciality of Kurds is that, though they are the biggest ethnic group, they do not have a separate country. Spread mostly across Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Armenia, about 17 lakhs live in North Syria. The 2011 Arab Spring which has jolted several countries in the form of people’s agitations, has shaken Syria severely and entrenched there, leading to civil war and sparking of violence. When the opposition agitated for the stepping down of Asad, the Syrian government put its iron leg on them.
However, countries such as the Arab League, Europe, Turkey, America, Israel have supported the rebels. The Syrian government which was in a difficult situation was ably supported by the shrewd senior officials of Iran, the physical support of thousands of Hezbollah guerillas, and the air raids of Russia. Just as in the case of Afghanistan which was devastated, during the Cold War, the political drama enacted by America and the Soviet Union, Syria too is facing the same turbulence.
Asad, who threatened that he would use chemical weapons, if foreign countries interfere, kept up his word and victimized his own people. The United Nations and countries of the world have only dissented it, but not gone further shamelessly. Trump, keeping the elections in view, maintained that he had rectified the mistake of former President Obama. But the raging war mayhem does not seem to retrocede now.
Lindsey Graham castigated Trump’s hasty strategy as a greater danger than the flippant decision taken by Obama. This criticism is quite justifiable. Problems have been arising because of hasty decisions of America with transitory benefits. PKK, which was formed in 1984 to form independent Kurd Country and has been launching armed struggle has taken a toll of 40,000. With the support of PKK, PYD gained strength in Syria as Kurds Party. America has extended arms support to the Kurds Army, SDF to annihilate the extremism of IS, which was hitherto extending its outreach in Turkey-Syria border.
NDF has constituted autonomous councils in Turkey borders and imprisoned thousands of IS extremists. Once, their need with Kurds was fulfilled, Trump has changed his track and started supporting Turkey, which is a member of NATO. Ankara began to bombard Kurd extremists with aerial bombs, as they were its constant trouble. Turkey wishes to have a 50-km wide SDF-free buffer zone from its border. If this is conceded, what would happen if Kurd army releases IS soldiers who are under its control or what would happen if IS gains strength and restarts its carnage? Several turmoils have been spreading their tentacles due to the myopic political vision of big countries leading to eternal carnage.
