Examining the United States’ Role in the Turkish Incursion into Kurdish Territories in Rojava in 2019: A Critical Discourse Analysis Study

Examining the United States’ Role in the Turkish Incursion into Kurdish Territories in Rojava in 2019: A Critical Discourse Analysis Study

Niyaz Najm Salih

The Kurds always say, “No friends but the mountains!” Unfortunately, this famous Kurdish saying has been proven right numerous times as Kurds have always been abandoned in difficult times by their friends and allies. This paper highlights a significant instance of such abandonment: the withdrawal of the US troops from Rojava in 2019. While the Kurds were actively engaged in combating ISIS on behalf of the international community, they found out on Twitter that former President Trump, following a phone call with Turkish President Erdogan, had not only ordered the withdrawal of US troops from Kurdish territories in Rojava but had effectively greenlit Turkey’s incursion into the region. This decision precipitated war crimes and ethnic cleansing against the Kurdish population. This paper utilizes critical discourse analysis, Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Framework, to examine the role of the United States in Turkey’s incursion into Kurdish territories in Rojava, drawing upon a variety of sources including TV documentaries, news reports, interviews, articles, and statements from high-profile U.S. officials and former President Trump himself. The study builds upon a substantial body of existing research literature concerning the history of the Kurds over the past century, the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, and Turkey’s geopolitical interests in the Rojava region. This literature not only provides crucial context for comprehending Turkey’s motivations for incursions into Kurdish territories but also sheds light on the broader socio-political dynamics at play.  By shedding light on the consequences of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Rojava on the Kurdish population in the region and its impact on the fight against ISIS and the destabilization of the Middle East region, the study paves the path for the reader to track the bilateral consequences more. The bibliography is meticulously curated to provide readers with ample resources for further exploration, encouraging additional research and follow-ups in this complex field.