Changes

==== Turkish incursion ====

==== Turkish incursion ====

In August 2019, Mulroy, as well as other senior DoD officials, expressed public support for the SDF after Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdogan]] made a threat to launch a unilateral offensive into the Kurdish area of northeastern Syria, the so-called "Safe Zone" was not established.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilgenburg|first=Wladimir|date=September 1, 2019|title=US-led coalition praises SDF's anti-ISIS efforts amid Turkish threats|url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/14faf2a4-c864-49ff-a5ff-8eb4be900173|website=Kurdistan24}}</ref> Turkey was pressing to control — in coordination with the U.S. — a 19 to 25 mile (30 to 40-kilometer) zone within  Syria, running east of the Euphrates all the way to the border with Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/erdogan-vows-syria-operation-if-us-falls-short-safe-zone |title=Erdogan Vows Syria Operation if US Falls Short in Safe Zone |website=Voice of America}}</ref> This zone was agreed to by Turkey and the U.S. with few public details,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-and-us-agree-to-cooperate-in-establishing-safe-zone-in-northern-syria/2019/08/07/187c3fde-b92b-11e9-8e83-4e6687e99814_story.html |title=U.S. and Turkey agree to cooperate in establishing "safe zone" in northern Syria |last1=Fahim |first1=Kareem |last2=Ryan |first2=Missy |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> but many officials in the DoD were skeptical that Turkey will honor it's commitments.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rubin|first=Michael|date=August 26, 2019|title=Should we trust Turkey on a Syria safe zone? History suggests no|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/should-we-trust-turkey-on-a-syria-safe-zone-history-suggests-no|website=Washington Examiner}}</ref>

In August 2019, Mulroy, as well as other senior DoD officials, expressed public support for the SDF after Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdogan]] made a threat to launch a [[unilateral]] offensive into the Kurdish area of northeastern Syria, the so-called "Safe Zone" was not established.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilgenburg|first=Wladimir|date=September 1, 2019|title=US-led coalition praises SDF's anti-ISIS efforts amid Turkish threats|url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/14faf2a4-c864-49ff-a5ff-8eb4be900173|website=Kurdistan24}}</ref> Turkey was pressing to control — in coordination with the U.S. — a 19 to 25 mile (30 to 40-kilometer) zone within  Syria, running east of the Euphrates all the way to the border with Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/erdogan-vows-syria-operation-if-us-falls-short-safe-zone |title=Erdogan Vows Syria Operation if US Falls Short in Safe Zone |website=Voice of America}}</ref> This zone was agreed to by Turkey and the U.S. with few public details,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/turkey-and-us-agree-to-cooperate-in-establishing-safe-zone-in-northern-syria/2019/08/07/187c3fde-b92b-11e9-8e83-4e6687e99814_story.html |title=U.S. and Turkey agree to cooperate in establishing "safe zone" in northern Syria |last1=Fahim |first1=Kareem |last2=Ryan |first2=Missy |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> but many officials in the DoD were skeptical that Turkey will honor it's commitments.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rubin|first=Michael|date=August 26, 2019|title=Should we trust Turkey on a Syria safe zone? History suggests no|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/should-we-trust-turkey-on-a-syria-safe-zone-history-suggests-no|website=Washington Examiner}}</ref>

President Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria in October 2019 was against the recommendations of top officials in DoD who have sought to keep a small troop presence in northeast Syria to continue operations against ISIS and act as a critical counterweight to Iran and Russia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/us/politics/trump-turkey-syria.html |title=President Endorses Turkish Military Operation in Syria, Shifting U.S. Policy |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=October 7, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |last3=Wong |first3=Edward}}</ref> President Trump ignored their advice and endorsed the Turkish military operation into northern Syria, removing U.S. forces and paving the way for the assault on the Kurdish minority population.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/07/erdogan-defying-pentagon-trump-endorses-turkish-operation-in-syria/ |title=Defying Pentagon, Trump Endorses Turkish Operation in Syria |last=Seligman |first=Lara}}</ref> Mulroy said the U.S. military presence in northeast Syria and our partnership with the SDF had been major contributors to stability in that area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-07/trump-gets-his-turkey-withdrawal-deal-with-bolton-mattis-gone |title=Trump Gets His Turkey Withdrawal Deal With Bolton, Mattis Gone |website=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Carey|first=Glen|date=October 10, 2019|title=U.S. and Turkey Between Them May Give Syria's Assad a Big Boost|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-10/u-s-and-turkey-between-them-may-give-syria-s-assad-a-big-boost|website=Bloomberg}}</ref>

President Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria in October 2019 was against the recommendations of top officials in DoD who have sought to keep a small troop presence in northeast Syria to continue operations against ISIS and act as a critical counterweight to Iran and Russia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/us/politics/trump-turkey-syria.html |title=President Endorses Turkish Military Operation in Syria, Shifting U.S. Policy |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |date=October 7, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |last3=Wong |first3=Edward}}</ref> President Trump ignored their advice and endorsed the Turkish military operation into northern Syria, removing U.S. forces and paving the way for the assault on the Kurdish minority population.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/07/erdogan-defying-pentagon-trump-endorses-turkish-operation-in-syria/ |title=Defying Pentagon, Trump Endorses Turkish Operation in Syria |last=Seligman |first=Lara}}</ref> Mulroy said the U.S. military presence in northeast Syria and our partnership with the SDF had been major contributors to stability in that area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-07/trump-gets-his-turkey-withdrawal-deal-with-bolton-mattis-gone |title=Trump Gets His Turkey Withdrawal Deal With Bolton, Mattis Gone |website=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Carey|first=Glen|date=October 10, 2019|title=U.S. and Turkey Between Them May Give Syria's Assad a Big Boost|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-10/u-s-and-turkey-between-them-may-give-syria-s-assad-a-big-boost|website=Bloomberg}}</ref>