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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 12 OctOber 2019
Pentagon: U.S. not abandoning Kurds in face of Turkish attack

Associated Press Joint Chiefs of Staff, said
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top the Turkish military opera-
Pentagon officials on Friday tions across the border into
denied the U.S. is abandon- Syria are still "relatively lim-
ing its Syrian Kurdish allies in ited."
the face of a Turkish military He said the air and ground
offensive, although the fu- operations, including strikes
ture of a counterterrorism by fighters and drones,
partnership with the Kurds have been carried out
was in grave doubt. near two Syrian villages by
"We have not abandoned about 1,000 members of
the Kurds. Let me be clear the Turkish-backed Free
about that," Defense Sec- Syrian Army and hundreds
retary Mark Esper told of Turkish commando forc-
reporters. "We have not es. The distance they have
abandoned them. Nobody penetrated into Syria rang-
green-lighted this opera- es from a kilometer or two
tion by Turkey — just the (about 1 mile) in one area
opposite. We pushed back to about 10 kilometers (6.2
very hard at all levels for miles) in another.
the Turks not to commence Milley emphasized that U.S.
this operation." forces are still working with
Esper's remarks appeared Kurdish forces. He said U.S.
aimed at strengthening In this Aug. 28, 2019, file photo, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper speaks to reporters during a brief- policy is to continue with
the Trump administration's ing at the Pentagon. a counter-IS campaign
argument that it did all it Associated Press except in one area of the
could to stop the Turks and, incursion, but the Kurds
failing that, was left with no ited U.S. pullback a grave at great cost, partnered to Saudi Arabia, beefing up themselves said earlier this
reasonable option but to mistake. Even some of with American forces efforts to defend against week that they suspended
pull some U.S. troops away President Donald Trump's against the Islamic State Iran. their counter-IS efforts.
from the border. It's unclear staunchest Republican group since 2015. At the White House, Trea- Milley said leaders of the
how far the Turks will take supporters have sharply Esper told a Pentagon sury Secretary Steven Kurdish force have told
their offensive, how badly criticized it as a decision news conference that Mnuchin put Turkey on some of their fighters to
the Kurds will be hit and that opened the door for Washington is "greatly dis- notice that it could face move north to defend what
whether U.S. forces will be the Turkish invasion. Some appointed" by the Turk- "powerful sanctions" for its they consider to be their
compelled to withdraw en- regard Trump's move as a ish incursion. He said it has military incursion, and that territory. But he said the U.S.
tirely in coming days. betrayal of the U.S.-armed badly damaged already the U.S. will "shut down the is "encouraging them to not
Many have called the lim- Kurdish fighters who have, frayed relations with Turkey, Turkish economy" if Ankara overreact at this point and
a NATO ally ousted from a goes too far. to try to tamp things down
Pentagon fighter program Mnuchin said the U.S. in order to allow some sort
in July for refusing to drop hopes it will not have to use of diplomatic resolution."
its purchase of a Russian air new, expanded sanctions Esper's remarks were the
defense system that is in- authority that Trump has Pentagon's most explicit
compatible with NATO. authorized. The administra- criticism of the Turkish op-
Esper insisted the Kurds re- tion threatened sanctions eration, which began
main a viable partner, al- against Turkey earlier this Wednesday as a cam-
though the U.S. has said it year for its purchase of the paign against the Syrian
will not step between them Russian S-400 air defense Kurd-led militia that has
and the Turks. system, but never followed partnered with U.S. forces
"To be clear, we are not through. over the past five years to
abandoning our Kurdish The Turkish invasion also fight the Islamic State.
partner forces, and U.S. has raised the prospect of Trump has called the inva-
troops remain with them in losing control of thousands sion a "bad idea" and held
other parts of Syria. The im- of captured Islamic State out the possibility of the U.S.
pulsive action of President fighters who are in deten- mediating a settlement.
(Recep Tayyip) Erdogan to tion facilities under the A senior Turkish official in
invade northern Syria has Kurds' control. Washington suggested that
put the United States in a Esper called on the Turks to the U.S. mediation offer
tough situation," Esper said. halt their offensive, but he would not be welcomed
The Turkish incursion has told reporters that he has in Ankara due to Turkey's
complicated U.S. military no indication they will. He opposition to negotiating
efforts in the region, even lamented "the dramatic with terrorists. The official,
as Washington seeks to de- harm" done to the two na- who was not authorized to
ter Iran from further attacks tions' relationship. discuss the matter publicly
on Saudi Arabia following Speaking alongside Esper, and spoke on condition of
a drone and cruise missile Army Gen. Mark Milley anonymity, said previous
assault in September that said the U.S.-backed Syr- efforts to broker deals with
damaged key Saudi oil fa- ian Kurdish military known the Kurds had failed be-
cilities. Esper announced as the Syrian Democrat- cause negotiating "will not
Friday that he was send- ic Forces, is still guarding change their basic motiva-
ing dozens more fighter jets camps holding IS prisoners. tion and will not change
and additional air defenses Milley, chairman of the their tactics."q