Clinton supports arming PYD, considers them 'best partners'
by Daily Sabah
IstanbulOct 11, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah
Oct 11, 2016 12:00 am
In a second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on Sunday night, the democratic candidate Clinton said that she would consider arming PYD in Syria and Iraq, a military plan which the Obama administration has already been considering.
"I would. ...consider arming the Kurds. The Kurds have been our best partners in Syria, as well as in Iraq. And I know there's a lot of concern about that in some circles but I think they should have the equipment they need because Kurdish and Arab fighters on the ground are the principal way that we take Raqqa after pushing [DAISH] out of Iraq," Clinton said.
Clinton's statement over arming Kurds in Syria is a signal that the Obama administration's policy over Syria will continue, Foreign Policy Director at SETA Foundation Ufuk Ulutaş said. Pointing out that the U.S. becomes dependent on the PKK's Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing the People's Protection Units (YPG), Ulutaşstated: "This is not a new approach in the U.S.'s Syria policy… [Clinton] also said that there can be some opposition [to arming Kurds], referring to Turkey."
Clinton's statement over arming Kurds in Syria and Iraq has long been considered by the White House. A New York Times' article published on Sept. 20 stated that the U.S. plans to directly arm the PYD, which could bring Turkish-U.S. relations on the verge of a breakdown. Washington's continuous support for the PYD and the YPG has always troubled Turkish-U.S. relations. According to reports, U.S. President Barack Obama's Special Envoy for the Global Coalition visited Kobani in early September and met with militants of the YPG to voice support for the terror group.
Turkish-U.S. relations soured after a statement from U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. does not consider the Syrian PKK affiliate, the PYD, or its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), to be terrorist groups. Kirby's statement was in response to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ultimatum to Washington to choose Turkey or the PYD as its ally.
The tension between Trump and Clinton was palpable from the start of their 90-minute debate, the second of three presidential debates to be held before elections in November. They did not shake hands as they met at center stage. On foreign policy, both candidates spoke against the widespread use of U.S. ground troops in Syria and advocated establishing safe zones for refugees. Trump said he did not agree with running mate Mike Pence, who last week said the U.S. should strike military targets of the Syrian regime. "He and I have spoken and I disagree," Trump said.
The debate focused largely on scandals that have marked much of the presidential campaign, including Trump's comments about women and taxes, Clinton's questionable policies in emails and her time in the Obama administration.
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