Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain is warning that the Trump administration is not paying enough attention to the possibility of open warfare between NATO ally Turkey and U.S.-backed Kurds in northern Syria.
“Unless something changes, I foresee a train wreck here,” McCain, R-Ariz., said during questioning of Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of the U.S. Central Command who is responsible for the battle against the Islamic State in Syria.
“I think there’s a possibility of an impending conflict between Turkey and the Kurds, as opposed to us working together to try to defeat ISIS and remove them from Raqqa.” McCain said.
McCain recently met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and heard firsthand Erdogan’s arguments that some factions of Kurdish fighters are terrorists bent on carrying out attacks on Turkish soil.
“I’m not sure that the administration recognizes how seriously particularly President Erdogan views the threat,” McCain said. “He is passionately opposed to Kurdish involvement, and our support of the Kurds.”
The U.S. is trying to keep the two bitter enemies and U.S. allies focused on fighting ISIS, and not each other. Votel, testifying before the armed services committee Thursday, said both military and diplomatic discussions are continuing with Turkey to try to address its concerns.
“Turkey is a vital partner in this effort here. We cannot do what we’re doing without them,” Votel said, adding that the recent deployment of U.S. special operations forces around Manbij was in part to ensure Islamic State didn’t try to move back into the northern Syrian city that was liberated last year, but also aimed a keeping Turkey from confronting the U.S.-backed forces that hold the city.
“They do have the benefit, by virtue of being there, to also provide overwatch and I would add a measure of assurance, not just for our local partners on the ground there but, I would also suggest, for our Turkish partners,” Votel said. “We understand what their concerns are about undue Kurdish influence in this particular area. So the best way that we can keep an eye on that, I think, is through our well trained SOF forces on the ground.”
McCain was not particularly reassured by Votel’s answer.
“I’m not sure there’s an understanding of how seriously Erdogan views this issue,” McCain said. “And I’m not sure we appreciate the importance of the role Turkey plays in our effort to retake Raqqa, particularly in the use of Incirlik [air base] and other activities that require Turkish cooperation.
“We are working with the Kurds … arming and training them and they are a very effective fighting force, the same Kurds that Erdogan has labeled as a terrorist organization.” McCain said. “Who’s going to sort all this out?”
