# We Have Betrayed the Kurds **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 7, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420 "2019-10-07T14:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/161 "2019-10-11T15:17:35Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Agreed. > > And add: > > Kurds - a disastrous loss > European allies of USA - you absolutely can’t trust the current US President especially when Trump said ISIS members would head to Europe (like they would feel good about him un-caring about their safety). But dumb comments that 'Kurds did not help at Normandy"?? How could they have helped 2000 miles away? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/162 "2019-10-11T15:18:44Z")
Germany was at Normandy, and we have an alliance with them, so maybe Trump has a point. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/163 "2019-10-11T15:36:06Z")
> [@fedman](#): > > e > But dumb comments that 'Kurds did not help at Normandy"?? How could they have helped 2000 miles away? I mean, their leadership have been willing to join with every damn imperialist at the drop of a hat so was probably an oversight. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/164 "2019-10-11T17:11:44Z")
Trump’s just rubbing it in by now: [Trump admin sending thousands more troops to Saudi Arabia](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/trump-admin-sending-thousands-more-troops-saudi-arabia-n1065051) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Friday it is sending more troops, fighter jets and missile defense weaponry to Saudi Arabia to help bolster the kingdom’s defenses after a September attack on its oil facilities. > > Defense Secretary Mark Esper ordered the deployment of 3,000 service members, two fighter squadrons, one air expeditionary wing, two Patriot Missile batteries and one THAAD missile defense system, Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/165 "2019-10-11T17:15:08Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Trump’s just rubbing it in by now: > > [Trump admin sending thousands more troops to Saudi Arabia](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/trump-admin-sending-thousands-more-troops-saudi-arabia-n1065051) Part of his “Bring the troops back home” campaign promise. **But I campaigned on the fact that I was going to bring our—our soldiers home, and bring them home as rapidly as possible** ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/166 "2019-10-11T17:33:20Z")
In the 1990s, we sent troops to protect the Kingdom, building a conspicuous Western and un-Islamic presence on the Prophet’s peninsula at a time when the House of Saud’s waste of national resources sent living standards plummeting for the average Saudi. The result was Al Qaida. Funny how history sometimes repeats itself. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/167 "2019-10-11T17:56:35Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Trump’s just rubbing it in by now: > > [Trump admin sending thousands more troops to Saudi Arabia](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/trump-admin-sending-thousands-more-troops-saudi-arabia-n1065051) Dumping bad news on a Friday. US troops are going to protect a country who spawned most of the 9/11 attackers. Perfectly reasonable that US taxpayers should supply this protection. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/168 "2019-10-11T18:11:25Z")
[Daniel Dale](https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1182451248395640832), CNN: > [@](#): > > The president told reporters today that “we have no soldiers in Syria.” > > The US has 1,000 soldiers in Syria. > > This is extreme, up-is-down deception. It’ll get very little coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/169 "2019-10-11T18:22:02Z")
Aw man. And I really thought he was telling the truth this time! ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/170 "2019-10-11T19:49:16Z")
OOOpsie [bombed US troops instead](https://www.newsweek.com/us-troops-syria-turkey-1464727). ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/171 "2019-10-11T20:53:40Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > OOOpsie [bombed US troops instead](https://www.newsweek.com/us-troops-syria-turkey-1464727). Has to be fake news! We don’t have any soldiers left in Syria! ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/172 "2019-10-11T21:08:52Z")
> [@](#): > > The Turkish Defense Ministry issued a statement in response to Newsweek’s report, denying that it had targeted a U.S. observation base but had, in self-defense, fired upon “terrorist” positions. Yep. All this, allowed and encouraged by the party of 13 Benghazi investigations. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/173 "2019-10-11T22:19:03Z")
President Trump announces that the U.S. military is now a mercenary band for hire. [ABC News](https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1182770015587553280): > [@](#): > > On deployment of thousands of additional U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia, Pres. Trump says, “Are you ready: Saudi Arabia, at my request, has agreed to pay us for everything we’re doing. That’s a first!” ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/174 "2019-10-11T23:09:36Z")
[Devin Dwyer](https://twitter.com/devindwyer/status/1182789831874826242), ABC News: > [@](#): > > JUST IN from @MarthaRaddatz: ISIS has breached several prisons in northern Syria. Official says Turkey is deliberately targeting American bases so we will depart. @ABC ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/175 "2019-10-12T01:18:17Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Aw man. And I really thought he was telling the truth this time! Typical Trump. He made a public statement promising to bring the troops back and got all the public attention from that announcement. Then the next day, when he was supposed to actually do the thing he promised? He had already moved on to the next thing. He used to show up at charity events and announce he was making a big donation. He’d be photographed and people would shake his hand. And then after he had gotten the publicity he wanted, he’d never bother sending the charity the money he had promised. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/176 "2019-10-12T15:52:50Z")
[Josh Rogin](https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/1183043973323067394), _Washington Post_: > [@](#): > > SDF Commander to US: “I need to know if you are capable of protecting my people, of stopping these bombs falling on us or not. I need to know, because if you’re not, I need to make a deal with Russia and the regime now.” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/177 "2019-10-12T18:41:28Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Germany was at Normandy, and we have an alliance with them, so maybe Trump has a point. From my earlier post (152): Of course Trump is allied with Germany - presumably because they were at Normandy. :mad::eek::smack: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/178 "2019-10-12T18:46:24Z")
Damn. Picturing my ninja showing up, seeing nobody there, checks his phone only to exclaim “Dafuck! Yesterday?” ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/179 "2019-10-12T20:12:15Z")
[Richard Engel](https://twitter.com/RichardEngel/status/1183080487243407361), NBC: > [@](#): > > Turkey’s conflict in Syria took a major turn today. First alleged atrocities by Turkish-backed Arab militias, executing Kurds. US military officials tell me it’s true, and they are DEEPLY concerned it opens the door to BOTH ethnic cleansing of Kurds and return of ISIS/Al-Qaeda ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420/180 "2019-10-12T20:47:05Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > [Josh Rogin](https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/1183043973323067394), _Washington Post_: SDF Commander to US: “I need to know if you are capable of protecting my people, of stopping these bombs falling on us or not. I need to know, because if you’re not, I need to make a deal with Russia and the regime now.” So to be clear, they can strike a deal with the Russians to fight on their behalf as Syrian Kurds against ISIS and Turkey? Go for it. Turkey and the Kurds have been fighting with each other long before our involvement. It’s not our fight. We helped the tri-state area of Kurds against ISIS. Not the other way around. For us to protect them from Turkey in this matter places the United States on their side of a civil war. It means we support the redrawing of boundaries toward the creation of a new country from the land of 3 others. I don’t see how we can do this without turning on an ally and making things worse. If the UN wants a Kurdistan state then let them fight it out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-betrayed-the-kurds/841420.md?page=10)