PHILADELPHIA – January 13, 2025 – The Middle East Forum (MEF) announces a two-part campaign in Syria: to secure support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and other at-risk minorities and to sanction Turkey for its unprovoked incursions.
MEF has circulated open letters to both the outgoing and incoming U.S. presidential administrations requesting these steps along with its coalition partners. The Biden letter focuses on the urgent situation in Kobani, the SDF-held city besieged by Turkish proxies. The Trump letter centers on the long-term national security benefits of backing the SDF.
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MEF’s action campaign seeks to show the White House that the American public, civil society institutions, and Congress are united in a common cause against Turkey’s unprovoked land grab in Syria. It draws on coalition-building techniques and grassroots mobilization strategies.
MEF’s coalition partners include think tanks, civic action, and heritage groups: American Friends of Kurdistan; the American Mideast Coalition for Democracy; the American Syriac Union; the Armenian National Committee of America; the Hellenic American Leadership Council; In Defense of Christians; and the Israeli-American Civic Action Network.
“With the leadership transition at hand, it is imperative that we do not waver in our support for our allies in Syria,” said Benjamin Baird, director of MEF Action. “The SDF has proven to be a beacon of hope for a democratic future in Syria. The current and incoming administrations must both stand by our Syrian partners while exercising options to defend Syria’s minorities.
The Middle East Forum, a non-profit organization, promotes American interests in the Middle East and protects Western civilization from Islamism. It does so through a combination of original ideas and focused activism. For more information, visit www.meforum.org.
