Wouldn't such snakepits not be a prime target for Intelligence/underground criminal extension units ? I mean, why allow masterminds of such ideology to draw breath ?
It is, but what we can target with these units are targets of big importance and more importantly members of the terrorist organization.
If we start targeting people because they support the established system we will never see the end of it.
The majority of population in the north of Syria is consisted of Kurds. Currently the situation is even worse as many Arabs and Kurds who don't support this ideology were forced to leave. Unfortunately we can't let these people out of the equation as they don't exist.
Currently what I think is that we should replace this radical ideology with something branded as Kurdish, but more moderate and the ENKS (KDP supported Kurdish party, opposition to PYD) can play a big role in this. Due to the fact that ENKS poses a threat to PYD they are being oppressed, attacked and killed. This is what we should have prevented. We can't get the time back and cry over what we could've or couldn't done so we should develop a new plan.
In my humble opinion what we can do is apply the same system in Syria as in Iraq. In Iraq we managed to put KDP and PKK in a state where they fight with each other and are on the brink of an open conflict. Due to the fact that ENKS is an extension of the Iraqi KDP we can convince KDP to assist us limit PYDs influence and present another Kurdish block (a political alternative), press them to comply with our terms and this will be a win-win. In the face of KDP we got the perfect key to the social engineering console of the Kurds in Iraq and Syria. We just have to use it responsibly and ensure balance between power and dependence (to us).
Basically we should strengthen the position of ENKS using KDPs money, reestablish the ENKS armed wing (Rojava Peshmerga) with KDP's help which would protect ENKS areas from PYD with KRG and Turkish guarantees, develop a high quality psychological warfare and propaganda in order to further amplify the ENKS's stance and create distrust in PYD (there are many things we can use), create radio broadcasts and other media in order to ensure that ENKS is heard where it needs to be heard, develop the intelligence network in PYDs administrative wing so we can gather information about non-ethical practices, fraud and corruption which we will show to the people of the north of Syria.
Long story short, we should aim at replacing the current ideology with a more moderate one and work it from there because it is unrealistically to think that the locals will miraculously drop support for PYD while the region is carrying symbolic importance for the PKK and PKK has deep rooted traditions there. Step by step.
Note that what I say doesn't include the factors of Trump, Russia and Iran so it carries little to no importance and is based just on internal processes within the society in the north of Syria and wishful thinking. I still think we may have a chance to implement part of this concept, but it depends on the US withdrawal and what will be the power of Russia and Iran in these areas.
The situation is very, very hard to predict currently and this is why our strategists should be ready with plans and concepts for every possible scenario, backed by the realistic estimation of our capabilities.
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