If anyone in the Middle East is entitled to our sympathy, it is the Kurds. While their political system is a far cry from Jeffersonian democracy, it at least works in a fashion, and their soldiers are actually willing to fight. Over the last several years, they have been our most reliable boots on the ground in Syria and Iraq.
The problem, of course, is that their aspirations for independence are inconsistent with the maintenance of a unified Iraqi state. Furthermore, they are essentially at war with Turkey. As a result, getting the Iraqi government, the Turks, and the Kurds to work together against IS has been very difficult, and has slowed down our progress in destroying the “caliphate.”
How will Trump change this picture? My guess is that he will gravitate to Erdogan, who will successfully portray himself as a fellow strong man and terrorist fighter and the Kurds as dangerous insurgents.
In short, Trump is going to sell the Kurds out. It is just a matter of time.