Having apparently gotten Saudi Arabia on board with the idea, Turkey is now seeking broader international support for the idea of a ground invasion into northern Syria, arguing that it’s necessary to stop the “brutal Russians” and to beat back the Kurds from the border.
Interestingly, when the Saudis were talking up invading last week, it was couched as a way to fight ISIS. Turkey’s own talk of a ground offensive, which President Erdogan insists is the only way to “stop the war,” is being presented wholly as about fighting the Kurds and keeping them from taking territory from ISIS.
Though Erdogan insists the Saudis and some unnamed EU nations are on board, it’s not clear to what extent that’s the case, as the Saudis and Russians are in the midst of key economic efforts, and probably don’t want to suddenly be at war with one another. Turkey’s government, by contrast, seems to be itching for a war with Russia.
Erdogan insists that Russia is plotting to install the Kurds along the Syria-Turkey border, displacing ISIS and other Islamist rebels. While Russia has backed the Kurdish YPG to some extent, the group is also heavily backed by the US, much to Turkey’s consternation.
All about keeping ISIS and Al Queda safe, and still in business in Syria.
With the downfall of Syria on the horizon, the wolves are staking their claims to Syrian territory. In the case of Turkey, they’re also doing some ethnic Kurdish cleansing. Makes you wonder whether Erdogan is trying to get the entire Turkish Kurd population to rise up and revolt so he can wipe them out permanently.
Well, the Turks read Western propaganda accurately. The narrative is that the Russians for just plain evil intent is bombing innocent people. I have read press accounts that don’t even mention ISIS or Al Queda. Some sharp eyes have noted the pictures showing bombed hospitals show no medical equipment of any sort. Only natural the Turks pimp their invasion as a humanitarian effort.
Sounds like a plan for the Turks to do to the Kurds what they did to the Armenians, and this time with US and NATO funding and weapons.