CREATING THE SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES: THE US CAMPAIGN AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS

2022-6
Meoni, Brandi
This thesis seeks to examine the reasons which led the Obama administration to partner with the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, and to describe in what ways the decision has affected bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States (and by extension, NATO). Particular focus is given to Turkey’s rapprochement with Russia and alleged shift toward a Eurasianist foreign policy as the result of Turkish- American policy divergence regarding the PYD/YPG.

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Citation Formats
B. Meoni, “CREATING THE SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES: THE US CAMPAIGN AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2022.