Turkey Opposes Peace in Syria
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Tinpot despot Turkish President Erdogan masquerades as democratic. He’s part of the problem in Syria, not the solution.
Throughout the war, he supported ISIS, al-Nusra, and other terrorist groups, pretending otherwise, granting them safe haven.
He continues facilitating their movement back and forth across the Turkish/Syrian border, allowing Western weapons and CWs into Syria, aiding US aggression on its government.
He’s waging terror war on Kurds internally and in Syria, illegally occupying northern Syrian territory, wanting oil-rich areas annexed. He’s the enemy of the Syrian people and Bashar al-Assad, wanting him toppled.
He’s playing the US and Russia card simultaneously for his own self-interest, never to be trusted, willing to backstab allies for personal gain – tolerating no dissent at home to his despotic rule.
Putin is in bed with the devil dealing with him, playing Russia’s leader, using him, an enemy of regional peace, stability, and sovereign independent countries – no reliable ally of any country.
His criticism of Saudi responsibility for murdering Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul belies how horrifically he mistreats legitimate critics of his regime – imprisoning or murdering them.
In comparison to his ruthless rule, Assad is a respected giant of a leader, overwhelmingly supported by Syrians, cheered by residents when he visits areas liberated from US-supported terrorists.
On Tuesday, he greeted residents of liberated Suwayda province, bordering Daraa in the country’s southwest where Obama regime aggression began in March 2011.
Al-Watan video showed him cheered and lifted onto the shoulders of a Syrian man, people thanking him for their freedom from US-supported terrorists – the scene repeating what happened in earlier liberated areas.
In March, he drove a Honda through liberated East Ghouta, a videographer filming him, no aides or security forces in the vehicle, saying he went there “to see the situation” for himself, adding:
“We’ll see the armed forces that are fighting and the areas that have been liberated” – telling them “(y)ou are the sons of our country.”
“We will protect all the people of Ghouta. In these areas, every meter has a drop of blood from a Syrian fighter. A hero among heroes.”
Syria’s armed forces and millions of people paid an enormous price for US aggression, continuing in its eighth year with no prospect for resolution because Washington rejects restoration of peace and stability to the country.
Last week, Russian Federation Council’s International Affairs Committee chairman Konstantin Kosachev belied reality, saying Moscow and Ankara “maintain…bilateral and multilateral cooperation for the sake of achieving the most crucial goal, which is to stamp out the sources of terrorism in Syria.”
He failed to explain that Erdogan supports the scourge he pretends to oppose – the ally of Syrian terrorist groups, not their enemy.
He admitted both countries have a complicated history, including Turkey’s responsibility for downing a Russian Su-24 combat aircraft in Syrian airspace earlier – a serious war crime.
Korachev saying the incident is “water under the bridge” ignores the risk of likely betrayal by Erdogan again.
On Wednesday, Fars News reported that al-Nusra jihadists “turned down a Turkish army offer to join the assault on Kurdish militias on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River, declaring that it is preparing to enter a battle against the Syrian Army in Idlib.”
Their fighters were reinforced with more heavy weapons than already in their possession, Fars News saying “more gunmen, arms and ammunition (flowed into) to regions near contact lines with Syrian Army forces in Eastern Idlib to reinvigorate its positions in the demilitarized zone” for the coming battle.
Most of these weapons come into Syria through Turkey’s border in the north, and through the Jordanian and Israeli borders in southern areas, perhaps supplied by US forces through Iraq’s border as well.
Syrian Col. Marei Hamdan said al-Nusra terrorists control over two-thirds of Idlib province. They rejected the Russian/Turkish ceasefire order in September, refusing to surrender their heavy weapons.
Combat by Syrian forces, aided by Russian airpower, is needed to liberate Idlib. There’s no other way. Moscow’s diplomatic initiative failed.
Al-Nusra and allied terrorist groups have had two months since the mid-September demilitarized zone agreement to harden their positions and become more heavily armed.
Russia blundered by agreeing with Turkey to delay the province’s liberation. Erdogan betrayed Putin by doing nothing to disarm Idlib jihadists he supports.
A liberating offensive is vital to free province residents, held hostage as human shields – supported by Washington, NATO, Turkey, Israel and the Saudis.
Perhaps the mother of all battles looms to liberate the last major terrorist stronghold in the country. Launching it is long overdue.
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
