The United States and Turkey have reached an agreement to establish a "buffer zone" in northern Syria, ostensibly to combat ISIS. However, boots-on-the-ground analysis suggests the move is intended to suppress Syrian Kurds and provide air cover for anti-Assad rebels like Jaish al-Fatah. The strategy involves using rebel attacks to provoke the Syrian Army, justifying U.S. airstrikes and the creation of a de facto no-fly zone.
