To the Editor:

With the whirlwind of horrors in Syria, perhaps we should remind ourselves of basics:

• The Kurds have long been allies of the US and western Europe. They fought on our side in World War I and II. In World War I the Turks sided with Germany. 

• In Syria, the Kurds have saved countless American lives by fighting and killing thousands of ISIS terrorist fighters. The Kurds captured hundreds more ISIS and put them in prisons. The Kurds had also re-taken ISIS-held land — until Trump betrayed them without warning. Until we betrayed them. Over 11,000 Kurdish soldiers have died fighting ISIS. Over 20,000 have been wounded. Sure, they’re fighting for their own families’ lives, too. But they’re saving ours.

• As of October 13, Kurdish soldiers are fighting for their families and their own lives against the invading Turkish army and its warplanes raining fire.

Answer this question for yourself: Why, in only one phone call, would Trump be so persuaded by Turkey’s ruler Erdogan that he, Trump, would betray our brave allies? That’s what Trump did by letting Turkey invade Syria. Trump owes Erdogan big-time because he has two large Trump buildings in Turkey. He depended on Erdogan for getting them built, the first in 2010.

Trump must have known he was giving Erdogan permission to commit genocide against the Kurds — many hundreds of families, grandparents to babies. Erdogan and fellow extremist Muslims have wanted to annihilate them for decades. Many Kurds are Christians, as are my friend Marielle’s family. Her grandparents were the only ones in their family able to flee Turkey for Syria in the early 20th century; Turks slaughtered all the rest. 

As the current invasion got going, American soldiers were trying to leave chaotic, bomb-pocked Syria without getting killed. American troops got no warning that they would be ordered to abandon our bases immediately. Our top military leaders and national security heads got no warning from Trump. The Turks have almost killed many American soldiers already by accidental bombing. This is not “friendly fire.” 

A second question to ask yourself, dear reader: who wins from this historic betrayal? Every expert’s answer, including esteemed Republicans: Russia, Turkey and Iran. Trump owes Turkey and Russia. Turkey owes Russia. The more we Americans betray what we like to think we stand for, the more powerful Russia gets. Look at a map. Putin just got a short route into the Mediterranean. 

Mary Jane Curry

Haywood County