At UN, U.S. Joins Russia In Blocking Condemnation Of Turkey’s Assault On Kurds
JakeThomas
The United States failed to condemn Turkey’s incursion into northern Syria as the United Nations Security Council sought to release a consensus statement on the matter, according to The Washington Post.
Instead, U.S. ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft “said the Trump administration does not endorse Turkey’s military action and warned of unspecified ‘consequences’ but stopped short of condemning it.”
Also refusing to criticize the offensive was Russia, with Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia choosing to accuse the U.S. and its coalition allies of attempting “demographic engineering” in the leadup to the conflict.
The Post said Nevenzia called for a remedy that would “take into account other aspects of the Syrian crisis, not just the Turkish operation.”
“It should speak about the illegal military presence in that country,” he added, apparently referring to the U.S. presence in Syria.
This put the U.S. in the highly unusual position of siding with an adversary — Russia — against Turkey’s assault on a U.S. ally — the Kurds.
Five UN ambassadors had called the closed-door meeting, “hoping to present a unified front against Turkey stood together with a sixth, from Estonia, and demanded that Turkey cease its military operations.”