US support to PKK included in Turkey’s NSC document

The United States’ arms aid to Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People’s Protection Units /YPG) terrorist organizations was included in the National Security Policy Document. This step taken by Turkey is a serious assessment of the relations with its strategic partner. The U.S., recently stating its intention to turn the strategic partnership into a model partnership, but contrary to their discourse, has instead long taken steps that are not becoming of an alliance. The USA prefers partnering with terrorist organizations instead of Turkey, and creates a clear survival problem for Turkey.

Due to the U.S.’s support to the terrorist organization and their steps taken in spite of Turkey, the strategic partnership model has almost collapsed. While the developments at the Syrian and Iraqi border have become a matter of survival for Turkey, the issue was addressed in detail at the National Security Council meeting. The U.S.’s steps, which clearly supports the terrorist organization, were included in the National Security Policy Document and its strategies. Turkey, with this recent development, took a clear stance against its strategic partner, who the state had been diplomatically warning, and brought all kinds of alliance relations with the USA up for discussion following its national security step. Considering the developments in the world and their approach to these, the U.S.’s steps which does not render them a friend never mind ally are as follows:

The U.S. partnered up with PYD/YPG in Syria, which is listed as a terrorist organization and is proven to be related to the PKK even in U.S. documents. They supported the efforts to create a terrorist corridor in southern Turkey. They left Turkey in the lurch in terms of aid and financial support to the Syrian opposition, preferring to back terrorists instead of the opposition, and equipped the terrorist organization like an army against Turkey with advanced technology. While determining the transition period’s road map to end the Assad regime, they once again left Turkey in the lurch, and now have a clear and close relation with Assad in Qamishli and Manbij. The U.S. is also in a dangerous preparation in Turkey’s south with its training, air and logistic bases and control points in the east of Euphrates.

The U.S. took steps not only in Syria but also in Iraq disregarding Turkey’s concerns. They not only allowed the Qandil structuring in Sinjar, but also implicitly supported it. Additionally, they are among the countries who are against Turkey’s military presence in Bashiqa Base. The U.S. was the reason threats came from Turkey’s borders, after deploying the terrorist organization Daesh in Syria and Iraq, as well as PKK, another terrorist organization they had created. An arms and ammunition embargo has been imposed on Turkey for a long time by its partner in its fight against PKK and Daesh. Causing the Qatar crisis, despite of Turkey, the U.S. implements great pressure and instructions regarding the Turkish army’s withdrawal from Qatar.

The U.S. has a different take on strategic and model partnership , and they utilize it in order to “bring Turkey into line and to gain something”, said the experts, and added: “Turkey is now brought to the point of ‘Let it be’ in its relations with the United States. The cards have been placed on the table against their blatant support regarding issues that are survival problems for Turkey. From now on, it would be no difference if the U.S. was not a strategic partner with Turkey. Turkey will find its own path, and stay on it.

Today, it is known that Turkey has a voice/ is a great actor in the world. You cannot take any step in spite of Turkey and Iran. However, the United States looks for Turkey’s support in all Muslim countries where Turkey has affluence, particularly in Afghanistan. Or else, they would not be able to have a presence there, and would have to leave that region. There is also the issue of the Incirlik air base, which is the largest center of the U.S. in Middle East. It is not so easy to establish this infrastructure anywhere else. Taking the current situation into consideration, it would not be surprising if Turkey starts to seriously consider the İncirlik issue, when the U.S. has become a survival problem for Turkey. Alliance relations with the U.S. have been brought up for discussion.”

Anadolu Agency’s report garnered great reaction in international press after they listed the U.S.’s two air bases and eight military locations in the region, where the PKK/PYD terror organization occupied in Syria. The German Bild newspaper on Wednesday published the satellite photograph of one of the eight military locations. The journal addressed the photos of operational points in the southern Kobanî (Ayn el-Arab) district north of Raqqa, and the Sept town in Sarrin’s district located north of the highway to the Euphrates River. There are shelters for hundreds of soldiers, a vehicle fleet including 40 military vehicles, aircraft transport, and various buildings for the security of the base, the Bild reported.

Anadolu’s uncovering of their bases in Syria caused panic in the U.S. Disregarding the alliance while supporting terrorism, the U.S. found the uncovering of the bases worrisome. “While we cannot independently verify the sources that contributed to this story, we would be very concerned if officials from a NATO ally would purposefully endanger our forces by releasing sensitive information. We have conveyed these concerns to the government of Turkey,” Pentagon stated.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.