EMET Expresses its Strong Disagreement over the Abandonment of the Kurds

(Washington, D.C., October 10, 2019) Today, the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), respectfully expresses its disagreement, in the strongest possible terms, with President Trump’s decision to turn our back on our Kurdish allies.  The decision constitutes a black day in the history of US foreign policy, both on the humanitarian as well as the foreign policy level.

On the humanitarian level, we know, given Turkey’s brutal invasion of Afrin that this decision will most likely result in a tremendous humanitarian catastrophe. Our Kurdish brothers and sisters valiantly shed their lives alongside us in our war against ISIS, and there are 11,000  graves replete with Kurds who died making the ultimate sacrifice

“The Kurds are a remarkable people, who tried to create a haven of democratic values and respect for religious liberty, human rights, and pluralism within the chaos that is present day Syria. Some of their leaders are my personal friends, and I shiver to think what fate soon awaits them.  We, at EMET, would like to believe that there is some synergy between our foreign policy and what is moral and right, and that we should remember who our friends are,” Sarah Stern, the founder and president of EMET said.

On the foreign policy level, EMET believes that this decision was only based on a momentary impulse for isolationism, but not on the long term strategic best interests of the United States. From now on, it will be difficult for our friends and allies to trust us and to fight alongside us. We will not be surprised if the Kurds, in order to survive, might now throw their allegiance to Bashar Assad of Syria, to the Iranian mullahs, or to Putin’s Russia. This will only embolden the primitive ideology and draconian behavior of ISIS,  as well as the totalitarian  regime of Erdogan, and the forces of Iran and Bashar Assad.

“EMET remains profoundly grateful for everything that President Trump has done for the State of Israel, and he has done much for the Jewish state. Yet, one cannot help but echo the words of the ancient sage Hillel, when he said, “If I am not for myself, who am I for? But if I am for myself alone, what am I?” Stern added.