Late last month, when Turkish officials started talking up the idea of invading Syria to weaken the Kurdish forces, it was seen as a done deal. It was believed Turkey would install its long-sought “buffer zone” in Syrian Kurdistan in a matter of days, but it never happened.
They are facing opposition from a number of sources, both domestically and internationally. Western allies who have been cozying up to the Kurds have made clear they opposed it, and Turkey’s political opposition has also insisted the government has no authority to take such a military action.
The biggest opposition, however, may have come from a surprising source, with Turkish military leaders making it clear they too very much opposed the idea of creating and maintaining a “buffer zone” inside Syrian territory with Turkish military forces.
Military officials were already expressing legal concerns about the talk of an invasion, and an emergency meeting was set up by the Erdogan government. Almost immediately thereafter, officials said there would be no “imminent” invasion of Syria.
The Erdogan government sees growing Kurdish power in northeast Syria as a threat to stir secessionist sentiments inside Turkey as well. Western nations, however, see the Kurds as their main ally against ISIS, and believe a Turkish invasion would benefit ISIS considerably.
Military opposition is not "a surprising source."
First, the military is anti-Erdogan. It is the dictatorial force he pushed out of power.
Second, the military is the interest group that would pay the price. It often happens that a military is the least enthused about a bad idea using military force. For example, Mussolini had an awful time forcing his military into its disastrous attacks, since they knew what was going to happen, and they knew it would be them getting hurt for it.
Here the suggestion was stepping over into a nightmare war, to then stand still on defense and be attacked for as long as it lasts. Few sensible military men would support any such plan. It is stupid.
It could only turn into a running sore at vast expense in lives and money, draining resources from what the military actually hopes to do, on a scale large enough to drain the nation too.
It is a Mussolini-type idea, and only an ambitious lower ranking brown-noser would be willing to do it.
with leaders not in the front line no army realy wants to move from it's borders.
Aw, the military is opposed to poor Erdogan's dream of a Neo Ottoman Empire.
Wonder how he is going to punish his Generals for this.
He should get on a horse and lead the way the old ottoman style..LOL