With a recent military agreement between Turkey and Libya, and President Erdogan offering to intervene on behalf of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, Turkey’s military is expected to set up shop in a base in Libya.
The exact location of the base is not clear, but is expected to serve as a “quick reaction force” to defend the GNA against Khalifa Hafter’s Libyan National Army (LNA) if requested.
Turkey’s initial interest in the deal was naval exploration for oil and gas. Erdogan also has ideological reasons to support the GNA, which has Muslim Brotherhood ties. Those ties are a big reason for Gulf Arab states to oppose them and back the LNA’s attempted coup.
Not everyone is on board. The opposition CHP in Turkey are objecting, asking what the purpose of Turkey’s involvement in Libya is, adding that they still aren’t clear why Turkey invaded northern Syria either.
“asking what the purpose of Turkey’s involvement in Libya is”
I am also curious about this, what is Turkey trying to achieve in Libya?
Still not sure what are Turkey, Iran and Russia, are up to in Syria?
Not noticed how Turkey corralled all border region “rebels” that CIA financed under a banner of Free Syrian Army? Not noticed that “coincidentally” this army was created as a placeholder for Syrian Kurds to hug the border with Kurdish separatists in Turkey? Never noticed how Damascus is vehemently “opposing” Turkey, in order to get Kurds to abandon US-raised hopes of autonomy/independence? Never noticed how ISIS came in full blown, as if sprung from the brow of Zeus, and took over Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria, a would be Saudi supported Caliphate?
And even though ISIS showed up in 2014, that US never fought them until Russia showed up in the fall of 2015? All US did was telling us how it killed a leader. A leader a week, to keep it in the news. Also, did not you notice how attempted civil coup in Turkey in November 2015 brought US darling Davutoglu to head the government, and on the same day, Russian plane was shot down? But Erdogan prevailed, and Davutoglu resigned in May, and a military coup staged in July of 2016. After that, Erdogan became clear — there will be no Kurdish state and no Caliphate. He told Turkish public that those were designed to isolate Turkey in Anatolia, prevent its trade and infrastructure building with Iraq, Iran and Gulf. We forgot already 2016 entry of Turkey when ISIS was destroyed in a corridor from Jarabulus to Al-Bab, which ended US Kurdish plan to connect Kurds all along the border to Kurdish enclave in Afrin? In the battle for Al-Bab, Kurds helped ISIS, trying to keep this corridor to Afrin. Turkey saw the light when with US help Kurds took over Arab town Manbij, and intended to stay. Russia’s air force joined Turkish air force in the battle for Al-Bab.
These and many subsequent key moments are the result of strategy, nit random action of unconnected actors.
And what we saw after US withdrawal — a complete coordination in managing the security in the region between Turkey, Russia and Damascus, was so clear, that even totally blind could see.
Details and facts are the cobblestones on the road to understanding. Otherwise, we are on the mercy of opinion makers and their biased selection of facts.
Outpost of new Ottoman Empire. Christian crusaders prohibited. Go, Team Turkey.
The opposition still not clear why is Turkey in Syria. I am sure they have not figured out what happened in WWI.
In Libya, US and France made offers to both sides, especially after Hefter established control over most of the country and country’s oil. With Turkey getting on the side of Tripoli, now the dealmaking can start. Hefter, backed by Egypt, Tripoli by Turkey. Feels like Syrian deal making.
Turkey has learned its lessons well from Washington’s “finest.”
Recreating the Ottoman Empire might be a bit delusional with radical Muslim emphasis.
With 750+ bases in 150+ supposedly sovereign nations around the globe, the US most definitely has NOTHING to say about this that should hold any weight with anyone.