Turkish-backed Islamist rebels in Northern Syria’s Idlib Province have been getting more and more aid from Turkey to fight against the Syrian government. They are looking for direct Turkish backing by embedding closer and closer to Turkish Army posts. At this point, they’ve effectively merged.
This makes sense for the rebels to do, because having Syria attack al-Qaeda doesn’t look like a problem, but having Syria attack the Turkish military does. Making it less clear which is which ensures that every Syrian military operation is vilified.
Russian officials were critical of this tactic, saying Turkey was violating obligations they’d established in previous deals over Idlib, particularly deals when all those Turkish Army posts were established. This was done specifically so Turkey didn’t do exactly what they’re doing.
Turkey is increasingly determined to go to war with Syria over Idlib, and probably doesn’t care that they’re violating past ceasefire deals. The danger, however, is that Russia will intervene to stop these attacks, since Russia was the one Turkey was making a deal with, and it looks extremely bad for Russia to let Turkey just violate those deals for the sake of escalations.
Now the terrorists have morphed into rebels again. Kinda like dictators we like are countries, but countries we don’t like are regimes.
What this pseudo anti war site has in common with Erdogan, the neo con/liberals, the war hawks and the war corporations, is the refusal to call the international recognized terrorist groups by their real definition.
It`s clear that this site and the US government (who is run by neo con and war hawks), has a clear policy, only to use the word terrorist and label any group or country as terrorist when they are against the US interest/goal.
And label the same terrorists as freedom fighters, rebels, moderates and opposition, when they serve in the interest of the US.
Update:
This has just come in from the US top diplomat.
Turkey “has the full right to defend itself,”@SecPompeo
Liar.
“This makes sense for the rebels to do, because having Syria attack al-Qaeda doesn’t look like a problem, but having Syria attack the Turkish military does.”
Isn’t al Qaeda synonymous with terrorists?
Why is it a “problem” for an sovereign country and it`s UN recognized government to defend itself against an aggressor, invader and occupier.
Turkey is not invited by Syria, nor has Turkey a UN mandate to occupy land in Syria…..nor has the US.
The UN charter actually stipulates that an sovereign country and it`s people, has the right to defend itself, by all means, against an outside aggressor, invader and occupier.
Besides,Turkey not only supplies the terrorist groups, it also together with the terrorists, attacks the Syrian forces.
This has just come in from the US top diplomat.
Turkey “has the full right to defend itself,”@SecPompeo
I was responding to this:
“What this pseudo anti war site has in common with Erdogan, the neo con/liberals, the war hawks and the war corporations, is the refusal to call the international recognized terrorist groups by their real definition.”
I think by calling the rebels al Qaeda, he is in fact calling them terrorists. I’m defending Jason Ditz not Turkey. Personally, I think they are terrorists.
“having Syria attack al-Qaeda doesn’t look like a problem, but having Syria attack the Turkish military does”
This shows that Jason Ditz has not understood the reality on the ground….witch is that the Turks merged with the terrorists….and did not notify the Russians of their where about when they attacked together with the
terrorists.
The Turks even handed the terrorists, Turkish military uniforms, Turkish tanks and armored trucks, so they would not be hit when they attacked the Syrians.
Most of the Turks that died, died together with the terrorists attacking the Syrians.
The Turks can thank the Syrians and the Russians for that not more Turks died.
It is very easy for you in your armchair to say that Syria should attack Turkey, as the illegal invaders that they are, and that Syria is justified in doing so. But in the ***REAL*** world such acts of military violence have huge consequences for the parties involved and risks a runaway escalation, and the immense cost in lives and treasure that would result. So the leadership of these two contesting sovereigns, as well as the other involved parties, if they are responsible actors, will and should make every effort to avoid this dangerous and destructive violence.
In this case, Erdogan, possessed by the power-madness so typical of “big dog” personalities, and having gotten himself into a fix which has pushed his “inner psycho” to the brink, has made the situation even more volatile.
Bottom line: your implication that Syria and/or Russia, being “in the right should” just come out guns blazing against the terrorists and their Turkish allies is unrealistic, un-adult, and irresponsible.
let me remind you.
Syrian forces retaliated shelling from an so called Turkish post.
Terrorists together with Turkish soldiers have stood on the rooftop of the Turkish posts, using US man pads against the Syrian planes.
the 33 Turks who died while together with the Terrorists, attacked Syrian position,the Turks had not cleared their where about.
Had it been a US or Israeli position, they would have leveled everything to the ground and called it self defense.
you are such hypocrites.
This is just not true.
Just like Israel-this mantra always applies to aggressors.
Turkey’s “defense of itself” by letting out the refugees it is holding (for money)against the fences of the EU is NOT well-received by the EU, especially overburdened and poor Greece, but the USA cares nothing for its allies, it seems.
It’s only a matter of time. Putin is a cautious man and will not escalate a situation if there is any chance of using negotiations to resolve it. But he will not hesitate to escalate if he has no other option. Right now it looks like Erdogan will not give him any other option, but we’ll see what happens when they meet. If Erdogan doesn’t back down, neither will Putin – and Erdogan will start losing any troops near the jihadists and any troops that threaten Syrian or Russian forces.
I hope you are right. Russia needs to show faith in their alliance with the Syrians or they will be just the same as the US – liars and cheats.
Notice, however, that ALL the Western media (notably here in France, every outlet using the same words) are blaming Russia for killing civilians in their attacks against Turkey-backed rebels, never checking out who is following agreements.
We’re facing WWIII because the US empire tried to manufacture a regime change in Syria using Al Qaeda type groups as shock troops.
they are not rebels they are ISIS terrorists.
and uncle samuel is arming and funding them and routinely airlifts ISIS terrorist commanders to safety when they are menaced by the legitimate syrian government, who surprisingly does not punish it’s christian minority as uncle samuel’s “allies”, saudi & israel do.
stop calling them rebels because they are mohammedan terrorists.
They are both.
You don’t have to like it. It’s a fact whether you like it or not.
kinda like the freedom fighting Mujahideen when they were fighting the soviet occupation.