As outgoing Biden administration officials quietly update their resumes, Washington must face the uncomfortable truth: while Turkish-backed jihadists may have helped dislodge the Assad regime, they are paving the way for another authoritarian and extremist government
Erdogan’s motives extend beyond ideology: 1. Ankara seeks to install a pliable regime in Damascus, one that aligns with Turkey’s strategic interests 2. Turkey is prepared to offer military aid, training and reconstruction support, 3. along with lucrative contracts for Turkish firms 4. Erdogan also wants HTS to assist in eliminating the US-backed SDF reinforcing his tough-on-terrorism image domestically
Currently, Erdogan is amassing troops along Turkey’s border with Syria Turkish air support has already aided the Syrian National Army and a full-scale military incursion appears imminent
If Washington fails to act decisively, it must brace for the consequences of Erdogan’s unchecked ambitions
Israel, too, is watching closely A recent report by Israel’s Nagel Commission warned of the dangers posed by stronger ties between Turkey and a jihadist-led Syrian government
Such an alliance, the report cautioned, could fast-track the emergence of a Syrian-Turkish threat The question is no longer whether Erdogan will act but what the US and its allies will do to prevent a disaster. Time is running out
