Turkish Armed forces could commence some classic Desert Fox tactics on the Manbij Front just as Tillerson arrives in Turkey for talks next week. Politically this would set the Turkish goals for Syria as a fait acompli.
This is a key risk that NSA internet monitors need to hand up the line.
For information, the Afrika Corps and other Wehrmacht units were good at was simply moving around hard targets rather than engaging them in what we know as a classic blitzkrieg. The TSK may do to the same in North Syria. The TSK has specific information on US positions as a component of the de-escalation / no conflict strategies and can use this information to good effect.
Operation Slap Down may never happen. It maybe a figment of my imagination. However I have been looking for a reason as to why the TSK hasn't simply rolled over Afrin and this may be the answer.
