Panel Discussion: Repairing the Damage: The future of U.S. relations with Syrian Kurdish partners and the fight against ISIS
November 20, 2019
Thank you very much. Let me start by thanking Najmaldin, Dr. Karim and his leadership at the Washington Kurdish Institute and the whole team there for bringing us together today at this very important moment. I’m really pleased to be joined by my colleague Senator Blackburn, who has been very engaged on this issue from the very start. In fact we worked together when we were both in the house of representatives on issues to make sure that the United States kept its word and its commitment to the Kurdish people. And in the current context to the Syrian Kurds. It’s great to be here, with the president of the Syrian democratic council. And I want to thank Ilham Ahmed for her leadership for her people and for justice. You’ve been here in Washington working hard to make sure that the United States does the right thing.
I want to thank you for all of your efforts at this critical moment in the history of the region. I also want to thank the other panelists, who you’re going to hear from. Because we’re gathered here at a very critical point, both, for our Syrian Kurdish allies, but also for overall American interests in the region and our fight against ISIS. In fact, just this week, you may have seen the inspector general at the Pentagon, issued a report that was very clear in its findings. He indicated that the president’s decision to withdraw US troops from North-East Syria had paved the way for Erdogan’s offensive against the Kurds and importantly has hindered our fight against ISIS. Also very pleased to be joined by Senator Warner, who is a colleague from across the river, the Potomac river in Virginia.
And also Senator Lindsey Graham indicated that he would try to drop by. He’s at a hearing right now. So you can see we have a bipartisan group here. But this is a critical, I think we should focus on this report from the inspector general at the Pentagon who’s already talking about the harmful consequences with respect to our fight against ISIS. The inspector general said, and I quote, “ISIS has activated sleeper cells to increase attacks against the SDF.” He goes on to say that quote: “ISIS will probably operate more freely across areas of North Eastern Syria to build clandestine networks will attempt to free members detained in SDF run prisons. “In fact, we already know from this administration’s own testimony, ambassador Jeffrey has said that over a hundred ISIS prisons, their escape was enabled by Erdogan’s attack on northeastern Syria.
As the Turkish backed forces include some very, very bad elements, you have Jihadi forces, that include a lot of people with connections to Al Nusra and Al Qaeda. Their goal make no mistake is to ethnically cleanse this area in Northeastern Syria. That is their goal and they’re using brutal tactics to accomplish that goal. In fact, ambassador Jeffrey testified that the conduct that we’ve seen since the invasion included war crimes. That’s coming from ambassador Jeffrey of this administration. And we also know that there are credible reports that Turkish back forces have used white phosphorus in their attacks on Syrian civilians. We also know, and again, Dr. Karim mentioned this, that Turkey and the Turkish back forces have violated a so-called safe zone. Right? So this was the so-called safe zone, first negotiated by vice president Pence.
Turkey violated that. Uh, then Turkey did a deal with Russia and they have violated that safe zone agreement as well. Dr. Karim mentioned the actions taken around the town of Tal Tamer. but there are also other actions that Turkey has taken outside, the so-called safe zone. President Erdogan has also boasted that he has established a hit squad to execute, to assassinate the leader of the SDF military forces. That is General Mazloum and that’s despite the fact that our own government has recognized that our Syrian Kurdish allies gave us very important information leading to the killing of Baghdadi. In fact, we know where Erdogan’s head is because he has compared Baghdadi to Mazloum. So he’s comparing the leader of ISIS that is our sworn enemy to the military leader who has led the forces against ISIS.
That’s where you see the president of Turkey’s head. So it’s really important given all of these factors that we not reward this conduct by Turkey. This is not the kind of conduct that should get you an invitation to the wWhite House. This is the kind of conduct that requires a strong response from the United States and our alliance to hold Erdogan accountable, for attacking our Syrian Kurdish allies in the fight against ISIS. That’s why, Senator Graham and I and Senator Blackburn, and others, introduced bipartisan legislation, to impose sanctions on Turkey. That’s why the house of representatives passed by an overwhelming and veto-proof to 16 sanctions against Turkey. That’s why other bills have been introduced. It is now time for the United States Senate to act on the sanctions legislation. It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s the house pass- bill or the bill We introduced or some another bill. But it is very important that we hold Turkey accountable by passing these sanctions measures. Let me just close by taking us back five years to this this very time. This was a moment five years ago when the town of Kobani was under a full assault by ISIS forces. ISIS had taken a lot of the villages around the town of Kobani. That attack had begun in early September, and it was going on this time five years ago. The Syrian Kurds, our friends, asked for help, in that battle against ISIS. It took us a little while, but it’s in a few weeks we did the right thing and then we, the United States asked Turkey if they would help us to supply military equipment and other supplies to our Syrian Kurdish friends in the fight to save Kobani and the fight against ISIS. President Erdogan said no. As a result of that the United States had to airdrop equipment and supplies into the region, putting our pilots at greater risk.
And after that moment, the United States, worked very closely with our Syrian Kurdish friends and the SDF, to push back ISIS to take over that territory in Northeastern Syria. In the course of that fight, the Syrian Kurds lost 11,000 soldiers, men and women, and others. 11,000 people in order to drive back ISIS. During that time, Turkey was allowing ISIS fighters to transit through its territory. It turned a blind eye to ISIS fighters that were going through Turkey, as the power of ISIS was growing and our allies, were doing their best to defeat them. And as a result, we did geographically defeat ISIS, but that ideology remains alive and well. And as we know from the Pentagon inspector General’s report, what’s happening now is given new oxygen and new life ISIS. So this is a critical moment for all of us. We need to stand with our friends and the betrayal of our Syrian Kurdish allies and make sure that we hold Turkey accountable. So now it’s my pleasure to turn the podium over to somebody who’s just been a fierce in making sure that we push back on Erdogan’s, decisions and actions and aggression, Senator Marsha Blackburn.