The Kurds in both Syria and Iraq were our closest allies in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS). After ISIS had been defeated, the Kurdish armed force in Syria — the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — continued to fight remnants of ISIS, and also guarded camps containing some 50,000 ISIS members and their family members. Now the jihadist regime in Damascus has launched an attack on the Kurds, just as it previously has launched attacks on the other non-Sunni or non-Arab minorities in Syria — the Druze in the Sweida governorate and the Alawites in Latakia province. The Syrian National Army has already been laying siege to Kobane, a Kurdish city, and posted pictures online of its killing of Kurdish soldiers, including beheadings of Kurdish female soldiers. And the American government has remained silent as the Syrian jihadists have decimated its Kurdish ally, when it could threaten severe economic sanctions unless the assault on the Kurds stops at once, or could airlift more and better arms, and could even attack the Syrian jihadists directly with missiles and drones to halt their advance.
More on the Syrian National Army’s assault on the Syrian Kurds, and what it means for America, can be found in Jonathan Speyer’s article here: “ISIS May Prosper From Syria’s Dangerous Turn,” by Jonathan Spyer, Wall Street Journal, January 22, 2026:
While I was staying in Hasakah, Syria, last April—only a few months after the Assad regime fell—a Kurdish commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces told me he expected to be fighting the new government in Damascus within a year. The new Islamist rulers of Syria, he said, were never going to tolerate the Kurdish-led SDF, America’s ally against Islamic State. Damascus would attempt to destroy this force; it was only a matter of time. He was right. The attempt is under way.
I first visited what later became the SDF-controlled part of Syria in early 2013. I traveled on a dinghy across the Tigris River with several fighters of the YPG (People’s Protection Units). In subsequent years, I watched the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria stabilize, grow and make tacit alliance with the West. I saw it partner with the U.S.-led coalition against the murderous Islamic State.
But the West’s decision in December 2024 to back the new Islamist authorities in Damascus meant that, for the past year, the SDF has been living on borrowed time. The sudden advance of Syrian government forces across the Euphrates River last weekend violently broke the uneasy tension between the two sides.
Agreement between the government and the SDF had proved elusive for predictable reasons. The SDF is secular, progressive in its attitude toward women, aligned with the West, and supportive of decentralized government. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and those around him are interested in centralizing power in Damascus and building a Sunni Arab Islamist regime aligned with Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia….
Al-Sharaa wants to end any hint of autonomy for the minorities — the Kurds, Alawites, and Druze — and that means forcing their militias to disband, and their fighters instead to be integrated into the Syrian National Army.
During the civil war, the Assad government left the Kurds alone, to rule in their own territory of northeast Syria. The Kurdish SDF did not join any of the rebel forces fighting Assad, but remained aloof from the conflict, saving its strength for the war against ISIS. Now that the Kurdish forces guarding the camps filled with ISIS fighters and their relatives have had to flee, those camps have been opened. Al-Sharaa’s forces have no intention of keeping their fellow jihadists in ISIS, and their families, imprisoned; set free, they will again threaten less fanatical Muslims in the region. The Kurds were the only force willing and able to keep them imprisoned, but now the Kurds have had to give up guarding those prisons; they are fighting to survive in the face of the Syrian army’s aggression.
After meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa in the White House, Trump declared himself mightily impressed. Al-Sharaa, he said, was a “great fighter,” a “strong man,” and a “great leader.” Apparently, it was enough for al-Sharaa to exchange his combat fatigues for a suit and tie, and to declare himself ready to make peace “with all of Syria’s neighbors,” to persuade Trump that he had indeed given up his previous allegiance to al-Qaeda (at one time the American government had placed a $10 million bounty on his head) and was a “moderate” with whom the West could deal.
And having come to that conclusion, Trump has refused to let reality change his mind. That’s why he has remained silent as al-Sharaa’s Syrian army has been grinding down the Kurdish SDF. Should saner heads in his orbit prevail — Secretary of State Marco Rubio comes to mind — perhaps they can convince Trump that al-Sharaa is not to be trusted, that the Kurds have been our closest allies in fighting ISIS and deserve to be supported, and that the US should demand that the Syrian offensive stop. And if the Syrians don’t comply, then Trump can threaten to reimpose economic sanctions on Damascus, and even launch drones and missiles on Syrian army units now besieging the Kurds in Hasakah Province. That’s the best way to show our gratitude to the soldiers of the SDF.
Rarely says
So what’s new?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I wouldn’t blame those people – be it Kurds or Iranians or Assyrians – for assuming that the US can never be a trustworthy ally, and making other plans. Maybe ally w/ the Russians, assuming that they don’t find HTS or the IRGC more attractive, or some other powers outside the region
Rarely says
An untrusting ally and an untrusting trading partner.
What a recipe!!!
Billy says
ISIS is Sunni Muslims supported and funded by Turkey, Qatar, UAE, and other Sunni-Majority Countries against all Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Qur’an(Qur’an 9:5, 29, 111; 49:15, etc.). Because they are compromised by Oil-Money and Investment, President Trump and our Western Leaders fail to fully understand the Islamization Threat that Terroristic Islam and its Muslims present to the West and ALL Non-Muslims.
SUPREMACIST ISLAM IS ANTICHRIST, AHISTORICAL, DECEITFUL, MILITARISTIC, AND POLITICAL against the USA Constitution and Western Laws to conquer and to subjugate Non-Muslims using MUSLIM-TERRORIST-CRIMINAL-GANG ENTERPRISES with ISLAMIC LAW(SHARIA) and with CONTINUOUS, TERROR PROPAGANDA from Islam’s Qur’an as evidenced by the continuous Muslim attacks to make Islam supreme(Qur’an 2:191; 3:28, 54; 4:89-91; 7:99; 8:30, 60; 9:5, 29,111; 16:106, etc.). Islam, an enemy of Non-Muslims, teaches, incites, and promotes murder, lies, deceit, accusations, and slander against Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Qur’an.
Deceitful Allah affirms Non-Muslims as enemies of Allah while Muslims continuously undermine a society from within using their man-made Qur’an with lies, obfuscation, and deceit(Qur’an 2:225; 3:54; 7:99; 8:30; 60:4, etc.). Allah in Qur’an 4:101 says, “…Surely the infidels[Non-Muslims] were your clear enemies.” Allah expects all Muslim believers to war against all non-Muslims until the Unbelievers convert to Islam or face Muslim violence. Corrupt Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” As a result, Non-Muslims are marked for death by Islam and its Muslims.
Worthless Islam is a civilization-destroying, delusional, indoctrinating, cancerous fraud because there is NO MECCA, NO MUHAMMAD, and NO Qur’an in the 7th century AD in Saudi Arabia despite the Muslim Standard Islamic Narrative claims; the Deceitful House of Islam is founded on propaganda, lies, intimidation, and deceit where Islam’s 1400-year traditions are based on fallacy and myth including a more than 300-year gap with no documented history. Hence, NEVER give money to Islamic Countries, Islamic Organizations, Mosques, Islamic Schools, etc. because your are funding your ultimate destruction. Islam must be banned as illegal, and we have the legal right to defend ourselves from Muslim violence.
Islam’s Muslims are to be Seditionist Terrorists for Allah with their MONEY and their LIVES. Allah in Qur’an 49:15 teaches, “Surely the believers[Muslims] are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY and their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Again, Islam is a FACTITIOUS IDEOLOGY and CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION despicably fabricated over time into the 21sth century, and there is NO PEACE only genocidal obliteration with Islam and its deceitful Muslims(Qur’an 7:18; 8:39: 9:5, 29, 111; 11:119; 32:13; 47:4, etc.).
Demonic ALLAH claims MUSLIMS are a greater TERROR than serpentine Allah in Islam’s Qur’an. Allah in Qur’an 59:13 says, “You[Muslims] are a greater terror in their chests than Allah. This is because they[Jews & Christians] are people who do not understand.” Allah in Qur’an 9:29 commands, “Engage in war with those who do not believe in Allah nor in the last day. Nor forbid what Allah and his messenger forbid, nor believe in the religion of the truth among those who have given the book until they pay the jizyah out of hand and they are subdued.”
Totalitarian Islam, its Mosques, its Schools, its Sharia Courts, its Organizations, etc. are Terrorist-Criminal Enterprises of hatred and enmity against all Non-Muslims as totalitarian Islam, the House of Satan, islamizes the society with impunity(Qur’an 2:225; 5:14, 64; 60:4; 9:5, 29, 111, etc.). As taught from Islam’s Qur’an, Islam should be banned for its incitement, funding, and promotion of hybrid warfare, violence, terrorism, criminality, hatred, human trafficking, and discrimination against women, children, and Non-Muslims.
Hateful Allah describes Muslim women in Jenna, Allah’s Paradise, as whores of Allah in Qur’an 56:37. Also, Allah stirs hatred, cursing, and punishment against Christians until the resurrection day as Qur’an 5:14 instructs, “And some of those who say, ‘Surely we are Nasara (Christians),’ we took their covenant. So they have forgotten a part of what they were reminded of, so we have stirred up ENMITY and HATRED among them until the resurrection day. And Allah will inform them of what they were doing.” See also Qur’an 2:225; 60:4; 8:55.
Rick Gordon says
Obviously the Kurds are a people who have been ignored since the end of WW I. They deserve the respect of the world – and their physical geography. The US owes them as they have supported us throughout the Middle East.
Their history is much like that of the Armenians and Jews. Following WWI the British respected the Jewish people’s need for access to their historic homeland in the Balfour Declaration. The French and other European nations ignored the Armenian and Kurdish as they carved up the land.
The UN is totally ineffective in fixing these wrongs.
Dean says
Exactly. My friend is a kurd, and his brother is a kurdish soldier. We had many hours of conversations about them and the Lyons of Rojavia. The kurdish people have been persecuted to beyond. They have a flag and a national anthem, but denied a nation after the carving up of the Ottoman, where everyone else recieved a birder and country. “The People of the Hills. Much repect for them.
gravenimage says
US Abandons Its Kurdish Ally in Syria
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Watching this unfold is very depressing…
Rick Gordon says
Shameful – the Kurds deserve our support.