One cool general not in a funk

Just occasionally a general turns up in a foreign field and speaks it straight, never mind the politics back home. Don't you just love these guys? Let me introduce you to Lieutenant-General Paul Funk. He's a top guy in the Syria campaign and he arrived in the highly volatile and crucial town of Manbij with a pistol slung across his chest and a team of eager American reporters around him. Smart move that, bring the reporters and let them see what you're made of. Brilliant public relations. General Funk, a tall, tough-looking cookie, is the Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, US Central Command. Shorthand is big boss. There's only one question that is going to spoil his day - potentially - and that is: "Here we are in Manbij, controlled and guarded by the US-trained and equipped Syrian Democratic Forces with seriously impressive Kurdish fighters leading them, so what are you going to do if Turkish troops start attacking because they think the Kurds are terrorists, allied to Ankara's enemy, the PKK?" Manbij right now is in the trickiest of positions. Turkey's President Erdogan has told the US, "You've finished killing Isis in that area, so please leave Manbij, because my forces want to have control of the town for the safety of our borders and you are protecting PKK terrorists." For a lot of generals, the answer might have been, "Well, Turkey is a Nato ally but I'm afraid the answer to that question is above my pay grade, next question." But dear General Funk does not funk it, oh no sir. This is what he said to the reporters, "I don't worry, it's not in my job description to worry, my job is to fight." Brilliant! Then, aiming his words at Turkey, he went on, "You hit us, we will respond aggressively." There are several hundred US special operations troops in Manbij and there's also a deadly team of US Marines with 155mm artillery who have been firing more shells in the direction of Isis and anyone else opposing the Syrian Democratic Forces than were ever launched against Isis in Mosul in northern Iraq. General Funk, a veteran of the Iraq war, had another message for Turkey. "We prefer to maintain focus on the enemy in front and mow him down. That's much easier than having to look in multiple directions." Well done, General Funk, you tell 'em. If Turkish troops so much as dare appear on the horizon advancing towards Manbij, there's going to be hell to pay, and now Erdogan knows it. He'll carry on trying to kill Kurds in the enclave of Afrin on the border of Syria and Turkey to try and stop them from settling into the area, but heading for Manbij, once an Isis stronghold, could set off a real fight between Americans and Turks. Surely nobody wants that. But General Funk is ready for anything.