US and Turkey agree on Syria ceasefire. But the ball is still in the Moscow/Damascus court

US Vice President Mike Pence’s announcement in Ankara on Thursday, Oct. 17 that Turkey had agreed to a 120-hour ceasefire surprised only those who credited the consistent misreporting on the “successes” of the week-long Turkish operation against the Kurds of northern Syria. In straight talks with Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Erdogan realized that a truce was his best bet for avoiding a debacle. With them were US national security adviser Robert O’Brien and special Syrian envoy James Jeffrey. Pence announced that the ceasefire was to allow Kurdish forces to retreat from a designated safe zone (agreed between President Donald Trump and Erdogan on Oct. 6) and make way for negotiations towards a permanent end to the conflict. US forces are to facilitate the Kurds’ retreat.  

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Pence handed Erdogan a lifeline. By last Sunday, Oct. 13, his operation was flagging, thwarted by the arrival of Syrian government forces in the Kurdish areas, with Russia military support, while Turkish troops were still poised for attack. This followed a snap deal between the Kurds and Damascus. That deal and the close coordination between Presidents Trump and Vladimir Putin, revealed exclusively by DEBKAfile throughout, left the Turkish president little choice bit to dance again to the tune of Trump administration policy. Otherwise, he and the Turkish army would find themselves up against a broad front of Russia, the Syrian army and the Kurds. Erdogan therefore folded and acceded to Trump’s demand for a provisional truce.

Three inferences may be drawn from Pence’s disclosure that the US would facilitate the Kurds’ retreat:

  1. The US forces scheduled to withdraw from Kurdish regions are still present.
  2. They would have to coordinate their steps with the Russian and Syrian military forces which moved into those regions this week.
  3. Washington is in no position to tell the Kurds what to do after pushing them into the arms of Moscow and Damascus.

It therefore remains to be seen how Russian President Vladimir Putin responds to Washington’s truce initiative with Turkey and how US military steps in northern Syria fit in with those of the Russian forces. Pending answers to those questions, Kurdish leaders will not move out of their positions.

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60 thoughts on “US and Turkey agree on Syria ceasefire. But the ball is still in the Moscow/Damascus court

  • Oct 17, 2019 @ 22:47 at 22:47
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    Another win for the Trumpster ??

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 0:27 at 0:27
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        WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE BIG! BEAUTIFUL! WALL THAT MEXICO IS PAYING FOR?
        WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE GREATEST HEALTH-CARE EVER? WHERE’S THE VIDEO?

        • Oct 18, 2019 @ 3:35 at 3:35
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          Beautiful Kurds gesture to deescalate and leave the close-in-contact area.
          FOLLOWING THE KURD SAMPLE, THE PALESTINIANS MUST DO THE SAME.

        • Oct 18, 2019 @ 5:54 at 5:54
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          What do your questions have to do with the Syria ceasefire? You are obviously a very sick Trump lover!

        • Oct 18, 2019 @ 10:07 at 10:07
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          In order to see that you need to open your eyes. Some of the wall was already built and more is being built.

        • Oct 19, 2019 @ 0:33 at 0:33
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          Here’s the video of the wall, moron. Healthcare? So, who got the U.S. into Libya, Syria, and Yemen? Obomber and Killary, that’s who. You probably don’t know that Bubba Clinton built over 400 miles in California, right down into the sea, and George Bush built 300 miles in Texas. 65 miles of new wall so far, not to mention, a LOT of old car barriers are being replaced, yet the mainstream media doesn’t count that, LOL.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1qitmwFdc

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 1:09 at 1:09
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        Yeah, 2020 in Leavenworth !

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 8:48 at 8:48
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      You are a douchebag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Oct 17, 2019 @ 22:51 at 22:51
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    USa!! USA!!! USA!!!!!!

    USA!!! USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ANCIENT ROMANS OUR BROTHERS!!!!!

    USA!!! USA!!!

    USA FIGHTS FIR ROME!!!!

    TRUMP OUR CAESAR!!!!

    • Oct 17, 2019 @ 22:57 at 22:57
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      Seems like you forgot to take your meds today Jim. Best you pop a pill before that spazz attack gets your head to spin about like a top

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 0:26 at 0:26
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        TOMMYSKI IT WASN’T ME, STUPIDSKI…I HAVE POSTED BELOW..TIME TO UPGRADE TO A MORE EXPENSIVE BRAND OF FERMENTED POTATO PEELS.

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 2:43 at 2:43
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      Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the electoral vote 304-227, and economic indicators suggest President Trump is going to win 55% of the popular vote barring a “significant downturn” in the economy, according to Oxford Economics, The Washington Post reported.

  • Oct 17, 2019 @ 22:52 at 22:52
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    A clear victory for the allied secular forces liberating the region and world of religious tyranny.

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 0:25 at 0:25
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    DON THE CON DOESN’T KNOW WHETHER HE IS COMING OR GOING. THE IDIOT ENCOURAGES AN INVASION, BETRAYS OUR ALLIES (AND MELANIA!) AND THEN CAPITULATES LIKE THE PUNK HE IS TO ALL THE OUTRAGE FROM THE EVANGELICALS. DON THE CON….WHAT A COWARDLY PUNK!

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 2:14 at 2:14
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      amen

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 2:23 at 2:23
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      SAMANTHA THE COOTIES HAVE GONE TO YOUR BRAIN. WASH YOUR HANDS GOOD AFTER SCRATCHING YOURSELF DOWN THERE!

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 6:06 at 6:06
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        Before washing the hands she should caress your lips to remind you of YOUR SHARMOUTA MOTHER.

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 7:25 at 7:25
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      US foreign policy, is a disaster

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 18:06 at 18:06
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        Eva… Trillions in Dollars In Funding, Arms, & Rebuilding Can’t Overcome The Tribalism of Hate Among Centuries of Hate, Time To Let Mideast Stand Up & Fight It Out Themselves Without America Anymore!

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 10:27 at 10:27
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      @samantha:trump is a smart man

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 1:12 at 1:12
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    We The People have a CORRUPT IDIOT in our WH !
    His right hand has no idea what the left hand does.
    time to impeach, or invoke the 25th amendment !

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 1:12 at 1:12
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    Who’s that fool near Pence?

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 2:09 at 2:09
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      Looks good!

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 7:56 at 7:56
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      Your father

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 11:29 at 11:29
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        The guy looks rather like Fooldogan some sort of president in a 3rd world country.

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 7:31 at 7:31
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    The Shiia of 632 CE-AD Failure To Follow Muhammad The Messenger Allah’s Quran & Billions Of Men, Women & Children Have Been Killed So The Shiia Can Claim They Are Defending Allah, The Shiia Need To Change?

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 7:34 at 7:34
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    Taqi… Good Point, If Allah Blessed The Shiia Allah Had Anointed Shiia To Be The Dominant Religion In Islam But Instead They Are Wrong Road to Salvation!

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 8:15 at 8:15
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    President DJ Trump Understands America, Knows What Issues Americans Are Facing & What The United States Of America Can Become For Americans And Global Allies, Trades, And Nations For A Better World!

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 9:20 at 9:20
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    Stukaz !

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 11:24 at 11:24
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    Look, this WW series is stuck in S01E02 since such a long time!
    Something is definitely wrong with the script.

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 12:29 at 12:29
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    The Middle East is a region where Islamists have been demanding America leave. They have built up terrorists to attack American forces. Now that the Americans are leaving, the people of the region realize that America is the only rational force keeping their own from decimating each other. As in all cases, Islamists are irrational – their religion mskes them so.

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 17:50 at 17:50
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    Pence-very humiliating for u.s.betrayal after betrayal

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 19:55 at 19:55
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    Photo op done. Fox News reported Trump is a hero and today Turkey is back at it.

    Trumps in Action!

    USA! USA!! USA!!!

    • Oct 18, 2019 @ 20:48 at 20:48
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      The Trumpster Rocks, win, win, win to Deep State Swamp tears?. God Bless ??America??

      • Oct 18, 2019 @ 21:45 at 21:45
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        go to walmart you demented yank

      • Oct 19, 2019 @ 3:41 at 3:41
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        SAVE THAT GARBAGE FOR WHEN HE GOES TO PRISON—————>2020!

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 20:38 at 20:38
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    Turkey accepted to give all secrets of S-400 to US then US betrayed the Kurds.

    • Oct 19, 2019 @ 0:36 at 0:36
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      ss… America already has the means to overcome S-400 & S-500 in Development. Not a problem!

      • Oct 19, 2019 @ 0:39 at 0:39
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        ss… America already has the means to ignore S-400 & S-500 in Development. Russia No Mas!

  • Oct 18, 2019 @ 22:34 at 22:34
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    Erdogan is only a Turkish guy, not a Russia governor appointed from Moscow.
    We need to add more gas over the rift US-Turkey.

  • Oct 19, 2019 @ 0:31 at 0:31
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    Indeed, Jewish tradition teaches that there “is a link between Israel’s national security and its national decency, between the Foreign Ministry and the Finance Ministry, between the Defense Ministry and the Interior Ministry. Israel’s success in the former arenas is dependent on its virtue in the latter.” So we now have the real reason why the enemies of Israel are growing in strength.? Your nations declining moral decency brought about by your apartheid would view.?
    https://m.jpost.com/Opinion/Know-Comment-On-military-might-and-moral-power-605019

  • Oct 19, 2019 @ 0:48 at 0:48
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    Sa”man”tha… Do the Math, Israel is not in Decline but on Incline! Economically, Globally, & Technologically! Mideast Nations of Egypt, Jordan, Arabian Gulf States Share Same Values! https://youtu.be/X2o-m9pryPA

  • Oct 19, 2019 @ 4:28 at 4:28
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    FOX News reports fresh fighting in Northern Syria. Who broke the ceasefire gloriously negotiated by Caesar Trump? Shame! Shame!! Shame!!! What a waste of a Beautiful phot-op. Pence looked Beautiful. I tell you Beautiful!!

  • Oct 20, 2019 @ 17:39 at 17:39
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    AMERİKA EN BÜYÜK TERÖR ÖRGÜTÜ İSRAİL DEVLETİNİ ÇIKARDI DÜNYADAKİ TÜM SAVAŞLAR İSRAİL YÜZÜNE ÇIKMIŞTIR İSRAİL TERÖR DEVLETİDİR MOSSAD TERÖR ÖRGÜTÜ GİBİ ÇALIŞIR DESTEKLEDİĞİ ÖRGÜTLER ISİS PKK PYD YPG EL KAİDE

  • Oct 21, 2019 @ 11:27 at 11:27
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    a new order forming a nice lead up to the final round to come

Comments are closed.