Turkey’s Military Operation in Northern Syria

Find a full summary of the event here.

On October 9, 2019, Turkey began a military operation, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, into northern Syria. Turkey has long struggled with the fact that the US worked alongside the YPG in its counter ISIS campaign. President Trump’s recent announcement that the US would “get out of the way” of the operation came after months of Turkish push to establish a safe zone free of ISIS and YPG. Turkish military has already dislodged the YPG and captured several major towns. Trump’s decision and Turkey’s military incursion have drawn bipartisan criticism from Washington, even sparking sanctions bills in Congress. With a host of regional, strategic, and security implications, Trump’s decision and the Turkish operation will significantly change the dynamics in Syria in the foreseeable future and have consequences for the U.S.-Turkey relationship.

Join the SETA Foundation at Washington DC, as we discuss the dynamics on the ground, regional strategic picture, and the U.S.-Turkey relations in the wake of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring.

Moderator:

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Speakers:

Mike Doran, Senior Fellow, The Hudson Institute

Michael Reynolds, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University