Turkey Willing to Launch Ground War in Syria If Others Do Too

PM: We Want Assad and ISIS Both Gone

In an interview today on CNN, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his nation is willing to launch a ground war in Syria with significant “boots on the ground” so long as other nations “do their part” in the war.

Davutoglu says that his nation wants a “clear strategy” in place for the war not just against ISIS, but against the Assad government as well, saying that Turkey doesn’t want a border with either any longer.

The premier went on to insist that the policy of a war in Syria would need to be comprehensive, and ensure that Turkey doesn’t end up with more refugees. He also pushed for an internationally-imposed no-fly zone in Syria.

Turkey was among the first nations to endorse regime change in the Syrian Civil War, loudly backing the assorted rebel factions. That war has left them with a southern border controlled by ISIS and al-Qaeda, and having decided they aren’t happy with that either, they’re now pushing for another intervention to impose a more Turkey-favored situation on the ground.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.