Erdogan Slams U.S. Demand, Complicating Troop Withdrawal From Syria by Vivian Salama – Wall Street Journal
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted a request from national security adviser John Bolton to protect Kurdish fighters in northern Syria and vowed to launch a military offensive to uproot what he described as terrorist forces.
Tensions flared between Turkey and the U.S. during a visit to Ankara by Mr. Bolton, who had said he would seek assurance that Turkey won't harm U.S.-allied Kurdish rebel groups in Syria when U.S. troops withdraw. Washington leaned heavily on those fighters in the battle against Islamic State.
“John Bolton made a serious mistake,” Mr. Erdogan said in a speech to lawmakers from his ruling Justice & Development Party. “Those who share the same view are also deeply wrong.”…