US special envoy James Jeffrey confirmed on Thursday that US officials remain divided on the question of supporting Turkey’s military invasion of Syria’s Idlib Province. Jeffrey attributed this to remaining anger at Turkey buying S-400 missiles from Russia.
Turkey decided Russian S-400 were a preferred air defense system to the more expensive US models, but the US argued that since they’re both in NATO they shouldn’t be using Russian products. Turkey bought anyhow, despite US objections.
Turkey is now seeking US Patriot missiles for the fight in Syria, and some see that as a chance to really rub Turkey’s nose in the S-400 dispute.
And while Jeffrey is only mentioning the S-400, there is likely also ongoing resentment over Turkey’s invasion of NE Syria, which was controlled by the US, forcing a major change in US policy.
Oh the officials are decided are they… Apparently we the people need to increase said devisioning of these officials until they realize that involvement in war is congresses job not theirs. Need to do some deviding of congress scumbags until they understand that as well. Suggest starting with devisions from their hands, or maybe it’s best to start with their tongues…
Or just vote every incumbent out. Routinely. Baby with bathwater. Mercilessly. They are comfy and cozy, term after term. We reelect them over and over, and expect different results. We may not have Hate Weeks like in Orwell’s 1984, but we sure have Hate Rallies, in which we affirm our love for our Dear Leaders, and our hate for his opponent. As all the Dear Leaders, contrary to the public understanding of the plebes or proles – belong to the same oligarchy, it matters little who wins. Dear Elected Leader then promises to be good to us all. It is all a large audition process to select the best to serve Oligarchs.
Just tossing them out each and every time would at least sent a message.
That would be the ideal. Need too find folks who understand the roots of all these think tanks as well and pledge too ignore everyone associated with the Rhodes money or Zionist agenda…
Not sure electorate is smart enough to see said groups for the subversive sobs they are though…
Vote every incumbent out? I can’t believe you still think that’s an option.
But we are helping Turkey, and have for a while. We pay and pay and pay — to prop up NGO’s, media, student associations and campus activities, politicians, academicians, military leaders, anyone we can lay our hands on, to pull Turkey away from Eurasian directions back into our orbit. Without Turkey, there is no chance of getting hands on Russia and its resources. So if Iran does not pan out, it must be Turkey, or both.
As if Turkey, Iran and Russia do not know it,
But just as it worked in Ukraine, why not flood Turkey with money to toss out disobedient ruler, and get Turkey back under control.
Help to Turkey will be forthcoming — to US new/old hopeful, Davutoglu, his new party, to the old NATO stalwart, Republican Party, to all embittered Gulenists, to any social movement, left or right, secular or Islamist, environmentalist or socialist and of course Kurds. Money has been flowing, but Erdogan seems always to wiggle out. Survived coup — wonder who paid for it?
But now, as this US help has already resulted in Erdogan’s party losing control of Istanbul snd Ankara — the stakes are very high.
But al least he can now rub his opponent’s noses into the fact — US, NATO and useless EU had an opportunity to get involved, I invited them — and they did nothing! So Erdogan cuts a deal with Moscow, Moscow bailed him out by disarming YPG Kurds and establishing border buffer zone. Russia is putting military where its mouth is — Russian military is patrolling the border zone together with Turkish soldiers. So, attack on Turkish border by anyone — is an attack in Russia. The same model has been agreed upon in Idlib.
Remains to be seen how will the province itself be managed. This will be the key. For as ling as HTS controls any militants, Turkey is not in charge. But if militants evaporate, either blend into refugees or accept Turkey command — HTS will have no means of controlling 3 million Idlib inhabitants. But if West pulls another stunt — either in Turkey, or in Idlib — Erdogan may have to show mire of his cat of nine lives skills. He may have to tackle HTS, to prevent mire complications.
“getting hands on Russia and its resources”
Have you heard of trade?
This is not about “da capitalists!!!” It is about the Israeli lobby, whose agents planned and launched the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the sanctions against Iran and Syria, and against Russia for helping Iran and Syria. This is about the Zionist media owners who make sure any politician who goes against the Lobby is dropped by his party and loses donor money. This is about Palestine. The few Middle Eastern nations with pro-Palestinian governments are attacked. The U.S. helps the uprising in Syria, but ignores the protesters in Morocco and Algeria, and the arrest and torture of protesters in Bahrain. It’s all about which side benefits Israel. Everything Washington does in the Middle East and Central Asia is this:
Pro-Palestinian, attacked.
Israel-loyal, aided.
US officials shouldn’t be supporting Turkey’s invasion BECAUSE IT’S INSANE! But of course what they care about are their future Raytheon retirement bonuses…
It’s all about money.
Erdogan knows how to piss off everyone in the area, as well as Russia and the US….
but he has been brought to heel by Putin yesterday and I don’t think there will be too many more problems with him… In the short run there will be continued problems with some turksh presence and their support of the jihadists in Idlib, etc
but in the long run, Turkey will have to bow to Russia and withdraw its forces and its support
Bernhard is always spot on and helpful
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/03/syria-ceasefire-in-idleb-erdogan-loses-on-all-points.html
Russia is Turkey’s largest trade partner, and they just now in January finished their gas pipeline. Russia has moved military police to liberated Saraqib. If Erdogan attacks Russia, he loses the next election. So it’s a stalemate. So they agree to patrol the highway together. This should be acceptable to Syria, for now. al-Qaeda will not advance and can’t do much from Idlib. And the Turkmen aren’t loyal to al-Qaeda or completely loyal to Turkey either. Eventually Erdogan will be gone or will tire of patrolling the Idlib area.
TurkStream opened in January, a gas pipeline between Turkey and Russia. Russia is Turkey’s largest trading partner, for e.g. vegetables. If the trade is interrupted, Turkey’s tomatoes rot in the ports.
Turkey has moved toward Russia politically after the failed 2016 military coup, which is blamed on the West aiding a Turkish preacher, Fethullah Gülen, who lives in the U.S.
Turkey is sanctioned by Washington, and so is Russia. It would be insane for Turkey to attack Russia in Syria. And Russia is not moving away from Syrian-held areas. They have moved Russian military police to the liberated Saraqib. Erdogan wanted to win the next election through military victories, but he has to realize that now is the time to work out a deal with Russia and Syria. As we have seen, you can’t work out a deal with Washington. They can break the deal at any time.
Yes, a significant factor constantly ignored in the West is that Erdogan and many other Turks (rightly or wrongly) are convinced the US was part of the coup attempt against him, including an air attack by F-16’s flying from the US base at Incirlik that attempted to kill him.
I believe the so called coup was instigated by Erdogan himself to consolidate his power . but we will never know ? He sure did defeat the coup fast and arrest a lot of people fast .
Trump has not made enough improvements in U.S foreign policies to satisfy me .
Trump has not made enough improvements in U.S foreign policies to satisfy me .