DONALD TRUMP : ‘US to strengthen friendship with Kurds after IS’ / BY WALID PHARES
MESOP : A NEW FRIEND FOR THE KURDS & ISRAEL
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Trump values the role Peshmerga plays in the fight against the Islamic State (IS), and US policy towards Kurds in post-IS will be preserving friendship, said Trump’s Middle East adviser on Wednesday. In an interview with Kurdistan24, Dr. Walid Phares, foreign policy adviser to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated that Trump respects Peshmerga forces for their fight against IS.
He said that Kurds are part of the international coalition against IS, representing them in the Kurdistan Region.
Phares also explained that the policy of the US toward its allies, especially Kurds in the post-IS arena is “based on now.”
“Definitely, it’s determined right now by the Kurds becoming the US ally. Later, we will have our diplomats meeting with the Kurdish representatives, and then together we will look at the future that what can be done to strengthen this friendship,” he added.
Regarding Syria, he noted that the current situation of the country is very complex and difficult. He highlighted two points.
First, he stated that the US will gather all its allies in Syria against IS, including Kurds who operate in the northern part of the country known as Rojava [Syrian Kurdistan].
Phares said that the US will support the Kurdish local civil society forces consisting of all Syrian groups including Kurds, Sunni, Shia and Christians.
In Phares’s view, this way, the US will create and support “a freedom area” in northern Syria.
As part of his second point, he mentioned that Trump has also noted that the freedom area will help the US to gather the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees so that it will be easier for the European Union and the international community to provide humanitarian assistance in there rather than following refugees all around the world.
“The refugees and IDPs can be protected and helped in the freedom area until their areas in Syria are liberated from IS so that they can return to their homes,” Phares added.