With Syria attacks, Russia risks pushing US and Turkey back together

[link to www.washingtonexaminer.com (secure)]

Lethal Russian and Syrian attacks on Turkish forces in the Idlib governorate, Syria, are pushing the United States and Turkey back together.

The Trump administration senses an opportunity to rebuild the relationship with our NATO ally after years of disagreement over Turkey's evolving relationship with Russia.

Tweeting on Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed "condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in yesterday's attack in Idlib."

Arriving in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday, Jim Jeffrey, U.S. special representative for Syria, spoke in Turkish to salute the nation's "martyrs" lost to Russian-Syrian action. Jeffrey's comments are getting significant play in pro-Erdogan Turkish media.

:Edogan Gollum:

[link to www.dailysabah.com (secure)]

:pompeo:

Secretary Pompeo

@SecPompeo
My condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in yesterday's attack in Idlib. The ongoing assaults by the Assad regime and Russia must stop. I've sent Jim Jeffrey to Ankara to coordinate steps to respond to this destabilizing attack. We stand by our NATO Ally #Turkey.