Syria‘s Descent: A 14-Year Legacy of US Policy and Turkish Entanglement
By Lucas fernandez, World-Today-News.com – February 29, 2024
Fourteen years after the initial tremors of the Arab Spring reached Syria, the nation remains fractured, a breeding ground for terrorism, and a source of profound instability for the region – and particularly for Turkey. A critical examination of events as 2011 reveals a complex interplay of geopolitical ambitions, miscalculations, and ultimately, a devastating outcome for Syria and its neighbors.
The seeds of the current crisis were sown in 2011, with the United States seemingly intent on leveraging the Arab Spring uprisings to dismantle the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad, as part of the broader “Greater Middle East Project.” Turkey, initially, cooperated with this US-led effort, providing support to opposition groups aiming to overthrow the Assad governance.
However, this intervention inadvertently created a power vacuum exploited by extremist groups. As efforts to unseat Assad intensified, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (PYD/YPG) – a Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist association by Turkey – gained significant ground in eastern Syria, east of the Euphrates River. The US, seemingly content with this development, saw the rise of the PYD/YPG as a tool to further its objectives of reshaping the regional landscape and containing Syria.This support,critics argue,directly contributed to the fragmentation of the country.
Concurrently, Turkey found itself pursuing a more ambitious, and ultimately unrealized, foreign policy dubbed ”Neo-Ottomanism.” Rhetoric of reclaiming historical influence, including fanciful pronouncements about praying in Damascus’ Umayyad Mosque, fueled a sense of overreach. This ambition, symbolized by the numerical progression “81, 82 Aleppo, 83 Damascus,” reflected a growing sense of Turkish adventurism.
Initial assessments predicted Assad’s swift downfall and a rapid transition to a new order in Syria. Those predictions proved catastrophically wrong. Assad remained in power, and the conflict spiraled into a protracted civil war. On December 8, 2024, Assad was finally overthrown with US support, followed by a final blow from Turkey.
The consequences of this prolonged conflict have been dire.Before 2011, Syria was a significant trading partner for Turkey, particularly for its border regions.Now, it’s a haven for terrorist organizations. Turkey launched a series of military operations – Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019) – aimed at combating these groups.
Yet, the US consistently appeared to prioritize its own agenda. The US benefited from a Syria carved up by terrorist groups, with 25% of the country controlled by the PKK/PYD, and from Turkey becoming the world’s largest host of refugees. Perhaps most alarmingly, the Syrian city of Idlib, bordering Turkey’s Hatay province, transformed into a stronghold for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and affiliated terrorist groups – effectively becoming a “small Afghanistan” on Turkey’s doorstep.
A pivotal moment came in October 2019, when Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring against the PYD/YPG. The US responded with harsh criticism and threats of sanctions, forcing Turkey to halt the operation before achieving its stated political and military goals.
Sence then,Turkey has repeatedly signaled its intention to resume operations against the PKK/PYD,stating it “could come suddenly one night.” However, these plans have been consistently thwarted by US opposition. This has allowed the PKK/PYD to consolidate its power, further destabilizing the region.
The ultimate outcome, as intended by the US, has been a severely weakened Syria and a Turkey burdened with the immense challenges of managing a
