U.S. strikes Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria to retaliate for attacks on U.S. troops
CBSOct 16, 2023
US Downs Turkish Drone as Ankara Strikes Northeast Syria
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The Facts
As Turkey carried out a series of air strikes in northeast Syria in response to an attack in Ankara last week, US forces shot down a Turkish drone on Thursday that was operating near its troops in Syria. This is the first time that the US has brought down an aircraft its NATO ally.
The Pentagon said it had considered the drone to be a threat to US forces, dispatching warplanes to shoot it down. US forces observed drones carrying out strikes in the morning, some of which were inside a "restricted operating zone" near Hasakah — less than a mile or about 1 km from their positions — though Turkey claimed the drone did not belong to them.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Yet again, Ankara's reckless behavior in Syria is threatening the safety of US forces stationed there. The US and the SDF have a strong relationship based on shared interests, namely preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State group. Turkey, which tolerated IS on its borders, has no right to kill civilians and destroy infrastructure in northeast Syria.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though Turkey has always been clear that it values a strong relationship with the US, it should be no surprise to Washington that Turkey will respond to terror attacks with force. The PKK, a terrorist group, has taken over vast swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, partially with the support of Turkey's NATO ally. Given its strategy of terror, Turkey must respond by neutralizing PKK targets wherever they are.