U.S. Pivot in Syria Leaves an Old Ally in the Lurch

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Ben Hubbard and Carlotta GallJanuary 21, 2026 at 07:35 PM

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long article 6 min

The United States has shifted its support in Syria from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group that previously helped combat ISIS, to the new government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This pivot, occurring after al-Sharaa took power in December 2024, has led to the SDF's decline and retreat from northeastern Syria as the government moves to seize control of the region. The change in US policy is considered a victory for al-Sharaa and Turkey, which opposed US support for the SDF. The shift allows the Syrian government to take over the strategic region, including its oil fields and agricultural lands. The SDF and some US officials view the move as a betrayal of a loyal ally.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Hasakah ×230% Ilham Ahmed 40% Bashar al-Assad 50% Turkey 60% Ahmed al-Sharaa ×470% Islamic State ×270% Syria ×580% United States ×580% Syrian Democratic Forces (S.D.F.) ×990%

Keywords

syria 100% syrian democratic forces 90% united states 80% u.s. pivot 80% kurdish force 70% ahmed al-sharaa 60% islamic state 60% turkey 50% political transition 50% betrayal 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

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Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United States

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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syria syrian democratic forces united states u.s. pivot kurdish force ahmed al-sharaa islamic state turkey political transition betrayal

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