Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today on the Turkish government’s attacks on Syrian Kurds:

“The United States has a longstanding relationship with Turkey, but a series of recent events have raised concerns about the fundamentals of our relations. I have long argued that the Obama administration's feckless approach to Syria has contributed to a strategic disaster on Turkey's doorstep. At the same time, the Turkish government's continued attacks on Syrian Kurds are destabilizing and troubling. These Kurdish fighters have shown themselves to be willing and capable partners in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, and our continued cooperation serves the national security interests of both the United States and countries in the region, including Turkey. I urge the Turkish government to refrain from further attacks against Kurdish groups in Syria.” 

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