As options narrow on Syria, Trump prepares to drop sanctions hammer on Turkey

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration is set to impose economic sanctions on Ankara, potentially as early as this week, for its incursion into northern Syria, one of the few levers the United States still has over NATO-ally Turkey.

“Dealing with @LindseyGrahamSC and many members of Congress, including Democrats, about imposing powerful Sanctions on Turkey,” Trump said on Twitter, referring to the loyal Trump ally and U.S. senator who lambasted the president last week. Turkey’s offensive aims to neutralize the Kurdish YPG militia, the main component of the Syrian Democratic Forces and seen by Ankara as a terrorist group aligned with Kurdish insurgents in Turkey. But the SDF has also been Washington’s key ally in fighting that has dismantled Islamic State’s jihadist “caliphate” in Syria.

Representatives Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike McCaul, the committee’s senior Republican, introduced a bill last Friday that would sanction Turkish officials involved in the Syria operation and banks involved with Turkey’s defense sector until Turkey ends military operations in Syria.

The United States could look at targeting arm sales to Turkey, something a number of European countries have already done. France said on Saturday that it had suspended all weapon sales to Turkey and warned Ankara that its offensive in northern Syria threatened European security. Experts doubted that any of the U.S. punishments would make Erdogan change his mind, given his long-held belief that the Kurdish fighters in Syria threaten national security and whom Ankara sees as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party .

That’s really bad timing to use “drop sanctions hammer on turkey” and thanksgiving is around the corner 🤔

Damage is already done.

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

LIVE: Turkey-Syria border as offensive continuesTurkish ground forces press ahead with their assault against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on Sunday.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

U.S. pulling out of northern Syria; full withdrawal possibleThe United States appears to be heading toward a full military withdrawal from Syria amid growing chaos, cries of betrayal and signs that Turkey's invasion could fuel a broader war. As every other sane nation, making itself great is the first priority. Others have long taken US protection as granted... why don’t they go to UN before it is abolished. get the westerners all out and let the muzies destroy each other, peace loving my ass...pure evil 'We're going to defeat ISIS and bring the troops home.' The crowd then cheered.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »