I've previously written about the airstrikes by Russian and Assad forces on the Kurds in northeastern Syria. The situation has now officially gotten worse. We now have American planes flying protective missions over the Kurdish positions.
According to the Pentagon, both the bombing and the shelling of Kurdish positions by Assad forces put the lives of American special operations soldiers in jeopardy. The special ops guys are in Syria helping the Kurds fight ISIS. Among other things, the special ops soldiers coordinate the use of coalition air power to hit ISIS targets. Not only are the special ops forces there, but both the Syrians and the Russians were told of their presence and told to stay away from the area. That is why the airstrikes on the Kurds are a particular slap in the face for president Obama and the USA. After all, the Kurds are not fighting Assad, but have mainly stayed focused on hitting ISIS. Airstrikes by Russia and Assad against the Kurds open a new front in a civil war that surely did not need a new front.
I was wondering what the American response to the bombings would be, and now we know. The US Air Force sent two fighter jets from Incirlik airbase in Turkey to patrol the skies over the Kurdish positions (and over the American special ops troops.) There haven't been any further bombing attempts by the Assad forces or the Russians, but that is no guarantee that there will be none in the future. Indeed, the Russians and the Iranians may push Assad to repeat his bombing of the Kurds to demonstrate that the USA will not take action to protect them. Just imagine the impact in the region if Assad's planes hit the Kurds while the American fighter jets circle the area but do nothing. After all, does anyone assume that the fighters in the area have the authority to engage in air to air combat unless they are themselves attacked? In the age of Obama, American forces almost never have such authority. Any bombing attack on the Kurds would be rapid and it would be over before the White House could ever authorize any attempt to stop the attack.
From Assad's perspective, one must wonder if there is a down side to testing the American fighter jets. Certainly, Assad might lose one of his own jets, but if he does he would do it while standing up to America. That alone might make it worth the effort for Assad. He knows -- or at least must assume -- that Obama will not order major retaliation against the Assad forces if there is just one dog fight over northeast Syria. At most, John Kerry will hold some peace conference. Even better for Assad, however, would be the result should his planes get lucky and shoot down one of the American jets. For its part, Iran would like to see the Syrians fight it out with the American jets. Iran might even use that as an excuse for ending the nuclear deal. Russia too would like to see the fight. What better way to show that America doesn't care about the Arabs than to have American jets in dog fights with jets from an Arab country.
I have a bad feeling about this. Let's hope I'm wrong.
According to the Pentagon, both the bombing and the shelling of Kurdish positions by Assad forces put the lives of American special operations soldiers in jeopardy. The special ops guys are in Syria helping the Kurds fight ISIS. Among other things, the special ops soldiers coordinate the use of coalition air power to hit ISIS targets. Not only are the special ops forces there, but both the Syrians and the Russians were told of their presence and told to stay away from the area. That is why the airstrikes on the Kurds are a particular slap in the face for president Obama and the USA. After all, the Kurds are not fighting Assad, but have mainly stayed focused on hitting ISIS. Airstrikes by Russia and Assad against the Kurds open a new front in a civil war that surely did not need a new front.
I was wondering what the American response to the bombings would be, and now we know. The US Air Force sent two fighter jets from Incirlik airbase in Turkey to patrol the skies over the Kurdish positions (and over the American special ops troops.) There haven't been any further bombing attempts by the Assad forces or the Russians, but that is no guarantee that there will be none in the future. Indeed, the Russians and the Iranians may push Assad to repeat his bombing of the Kurds to demonstrate that the USA will not take action to protect them. Just imagine the impact in the region if Assad's planes hit the Kurds while the American fighter jets circle the area but do nothing. After all, does anyone assume that the fighters in the area have the authority to engage in air to air combat unless they are themselves attacked? In the age of Obama, American forces almost never have such authority. Any bombing attack on the Kurds would be rapid and it would be over before the White House could ever authorize any attempt to stop the attack.
From Assad's perspective, one must wonder if there is a down side to testing the American fighter jets. Certainly, Assad might lose one of his own jets, but if he does he would do it while standing up to America. That alone might make it worth the effort for Assad. He knows -- or at least must assume -- that Obama will not order major retaliation against the Assad forces if there is just one dog fight over northeast Syria. At most, John Kerry will hold some peace conference. Even better for Assad, however, would be the result should his planes get lucky and shoot down one of the American jets. For its part, Iran would like to see the Syrians fight it out with the American jets. Iran might even use that as an excuse for ending the nuclear deal. Russia too would like to see the fight. What better way to show that America doesn't care about the Arabs than to have American jets in dog fights with jets from an Arab country.
I have a bad feeling about this. Let's hope I'm wrong.
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