How Will the U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Change Dynamics of the Conflict?

How will the U.S. withdrawal reshape the inter- and intra-group dynamics in Syria? How will the withdrawal influence Turkey’s planned operation east of the Euphrates? How will this decision affect U.S.-Turkey relations?

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How Will the U S Withdrawal from Syria Change Dynamics
Experts Turkey's national security concerns driving operation east of Euphrates

Experts: Turkey's national security concerns driving operation east of Euphrates

Turkey's national security concerns, which have been fueled by the unpredictable and insecure moves by the United States in northern Syria, have pushed Ankara to take the lead in completely eradicating terror threats on its borders with a military offensive, experts have said.

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Neither a populist discourse nor a violent uprising can help opposition win the upcoming elections, as Turkish democracy has recently proven how strong it is in the face of such crises

Turkey is determined to conduct a military operation east of the Euphrates River. Neither Washington's objections and expressions of concern nor Moscow's call for common sense and dialogue are getting through to the Turks.

Security concerns are the sole motivation for the Turkish military, which is about to launch a counterterror operation in northern Syria

Ankara has declared a counterterror offensive against the YPG, signaling that it is time for U.S. forces to step back from northern Syria in order to avoid a possible confrontation with the Turkish military

The US' ‘Kurdish card' serves more than one purpose

Washington's policy of supporting the PYD and YPG in Syria aims to push regional states into more clashes, which will only benefit Israeli interests at the end of the day

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The US' Kurdish card' serves more than one purpose
Moscow or Washington Which is now closer to Ankara

Moscow or Washington: Which is now closer to Ankara?

It is still unclear which superpower – Russia or the U.S. – has better ties with Turkey at the moment, as Ankara is open to working with anyone who respects its national security concerns

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The future of the YPG is the top priority for Ankara since the beginning; therefore, unless the U.S. stops challenging Turkey on this matter, their bilateral relations can never get back on track

Yet, the pain that accompanied Britain's decision to leave the EU two years ago hasn't ended just yet. The nature of the agreement fueled a new public debate in Britain, where former Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the mildest critics of the Brexit deal, called it "pointless."

What are the backstage strategic calculations of the U.S. rewards offer? What are the expected initial reactions of the relevant actors? What are the pragmatic implications of the rewards offer in terms of the interests of the relevant actors?

The Erdoğan-Bahçeli meeting on Thursday reconfirmed that the two political blocs, namely the People's Alliance of the AK Party and MHP and the opposition's Nation Alliance, formed for the June 24 presidential elections, will remain in place for the next local elections

Both the Turkish and American sides need to handle their disagreements in the Syrian crisis; otherwise, their traditional partnership may never return to normal

Ankara is perturbed by the U.S. plan to set up observation points in northern Syria controlled by the PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) due to concerns that it may lead to legitimizing the group's presence in the area.

The U.S.' misguided actions and the EU's passive stance toward the Middle East and the Syrian civil war have laid the groundwork for the Turkish-Russian rapprochement

The CHP leader has launched his party's campaign for upcoming local elections, seeking to form a strong alliance, but tough days are waiting for him as his rivals, the AK Party and the MHP, are still strong enough to defeat his party

The same day the congressional elections took place in the U.S., the State Department announced that it would offer rewards for information leading to the arrest of three major PKK figures, namely Murat Karayılan, Cemil Bayık and Duran Kalkan.

President Erdoğan has called on Western powers to stop trying to negotiate new Sykes-Picot style agreements in the Middle East and North Africa, and urges them to support Turkey's fight against terrorism

For the time being, Washington and Ankara find themselves in a favorable position to hold talks and the two must now take constructive, concrete steps regarding potential flashpoints in the region

President Erdoğan's visit to Paris for Armistice Day commemorations is expected to see a meeting with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, during which key issues, particularly FETÖ and the YPG, will be discussed

The U.S. has decided to put a bounty on the heads of top three PKK terrorists. The step has been seen in Ankara as a belated move and insufficient to restore trust in ties, as Washington continues to back the YPG – the PKK's Syrian offshoot