[Tintin Storm]

Arrival of US troops intensifies struggle for influence in Syria
US forces have rolled into northern Syria to keep the peace between two allies that have fought each other for a week, further complicating Washington’s battle against Islamic State and underscoring a messy regional struggle for influence across what remains of the ravaged north.
Despite Turkey and the US being allies in the war against Isis, neither side has settled on the makeup of the proxy force that will eventually retake Raqqa, the extremist group’s last major bastion in Syria. In the meantime, the armies of four nations – Turkey, Russia, Syria and now the US – are staking claims to dictate terms.
Though still in their early days, talks between Turkey and Russia are focusing on the remnants of the Syrian army – potentially alongside the Arab-backed units it supports – being a core part of the ground force. Turkish-backed Arabs and US-backed Kurds have clashed sporadically for the past week, and deep distrust between the two has dogged the Isis fight. The US has so far not wavered from its backing of Syrian Kurds, viewed as an enemy by Turkey, and a headache by Russia.
As Russia scaled back its links to the Kurds, the US was stepping up its support for the same groups. To Erdoğan, their main ally was wilfully blind to their biggest fear. Russia, on the other hand, was sympathetic.
“That probably was the moment that changed everything,” said a senior western diplomat. “From then on, Turkey sold out Aleppo to keep the Kurds at bay. They started to cast their contribution as solely humanitarian. Ever since then, the American involvement [in Syria] has been small and getting smaller.”
In February, the CIA director, Mike Pompeo, travelled to Ankara to discuss the Syrian war and the fight against Isis with his Turkish counterparts. Senior military officials from both countries have also met.
“The upshot is that it’s still unclear who will take Raqqa when Mosul falls,” said one senior official involved in discussions. “The Americans are still hedging on the Kurds, even though the Turks are adamantly opposed. The Russians want the Syrian army and the rebels to do it, under their tutelage. Turkey is not against that. One thing that is for certain though is that Assad needn’t fear the rebels anymore. His fate is in the hands of Russia and Iran.”