The Prime Minister of Turkey said yesterday that Turkey would take steps to make certain that the Kurdish city of Ayn al Arab in northern Syria does not fall to ISIS forces. (Ayn al Arab is also known as Kobani.) So far, however, Turkey has done nothing to intervene in the ongoing battle between ISIS tanks, artillery and infantry on the one side and Kurdish militia armed with rifles on the other side. There have been a few American air strikes in the area, but these strikes have not focused on taking out the numerous ISIS armored vehicles and artillery that are slowly destroying Ayn al Arab and the fighters left in that city. Hopefully, the Turkish army will sweep into Syria and attack and destroy the ISIS forces in the region around Ayn al Arab.
In typical fashion, the Assad forces in Damascus have announced than any incursion by Turkey would be seen as aggression against Syria that could not be tolerated. My guess is that Ankara will not care much about the wishes of the Assad forces. Nor should the Turks care. ISIS has massed a significant force around Ayn al Arab. Turkey, with the support of allied air power as well, has the capability of encircling and destroying the ISIS troop formations in that region. Were ISIS to lose these troops, it would be a staggering blow against the terrorists.
I hope that president Obama and the USA are pushing Turkey to get into the fight. It may well leave part of Syria occupied by Turkish troops for some time, but that would be far superior to watching ISIS slaughter every person in the region should they win.
In typical fashion, the Assad forces in Damascus have announced than any incursion by Turkey would be seen as aggression against Syria that could not be tolerated. My guess is that Ankara will not care much about the wishes of the Assad forces. Nor should the Turks care. ISIS has massed a significant force around Ayn al Arab. Turkey, with the support of allied air power as well, has the capability of encircling and destroying the ISIS troop formations in that region. Were ISIS to lose these troops, it would be a staggering blow against the terrorists.
I hope that president Obama and the USA are pushing Turkey to get into the fight. It may well leave part of Syria occupied by Turkish troops for some time, but that would be far superior to watching ISIS slaughter every person in the region should they win.
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