Special for the Armenian WeeklyÂ
On Wed., July 22, U.S. President Barrack Obama and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan got on the phone and struck a deal to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Since then, the Western press has been full of adulation for Turkey, claiming that it has finally overcome its reluctance to act against the Islamic State, realized that ISIS has to be dealt with, and has joined forces with the U.S. in the fight against extremism.
Or, subscribe now for unlimited access
By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Already a subscriber?Log in here
This story is FREE for you...
Create a free account to access this and four more articles, and get more sent to you with our e-newsletter.By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
The situation in Syria and Iraq is a total bloody mess and the end most probably will be disasterous.
The US is caught in a conundrum, without a clear strategy and Turkey is playing its usual dirty games taking advantage of the situation to achieve its political objectives.
The US was supporting the Kurdish/PKK in the fight against ISIS; indeed they were most effective, but the unclear part is that supposedly the PKK in Iraq is affiliated with but separate from the Syrian Kurdish fighters> How confusing is this???
The US was pleased with Turkey’s air assault on ISIS and with Turkey’s decision to open airbases (Incerlik) for American sorties. Wonder what agreements were reached to?
Turkey used the brief offensive against ISIS as a cover to launch a broad attack against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Now, in Turkey under the disguise of anti-terror sweep, the Government has aggressively embarked on rounding up Kurdish people and attack members of the pro-Kurdish HDP party.
All these shows that Turkey always has a dirty hidden agenda, and the US does not clearly see what’s wrong with their misguided and wrong strategy.
The ending cannot be good.
Vart Adjemian
ÔµÖ€ŐŻŐ¸Ö‚Ő˝Ő¶ Ő§Ő¬ Ő€ŐˇŐµŐ« Ő©Ő·Ő¶ŐˇŐ´Ő« ŐĄŐ¶.
Unfortunately for Kurds neither the US nor Europe will stand up for the rights of 25 million Kurds. Turkey is a spoiled ally can get away with crime. They have done it for centuries.
Very much agree with Vart Adjemian and would add that this may ultimately result in a huge backlash against Turkey, i.e. if the Kurds are seriously weakened by Turkish attacks then who will be the boots on the ground against ISIS? Almost certainly the US will not step put boots on the ground and so that leaves who, the Iraqi army which unfortunately falls to ISIS time and time again. So when ISIS comes a knocking on Turkey’s door which they almost have to do in order to somehow keep manpower and supplies flowing in, Turkey will have to put boots on the ground. Seeing Turkey in this situation may be just what brings together all the various Kurds (in Turkey, in Syria, in Iraq, and in Iran) to start a second front for the Turks aka a civil war within Turkey itself. Especially in such a case, Armenia needs to be ready.
Turkish President Erdogan wants to kill three birds with one stone by giving US access to use Incirlik airbase.
He want to prevent the Syrian Kurds from uniting the 3 cantons, which would create a Kurdish-controlled zone along the Turkish-Syrian border that could inspire Kurds in Turkey, who seek greater cultural and political rights.
The second reason is Ankara seeks to attack the PKK.
Thirdly, We all know none of Turkish assaults and offensives against PKK has ever been effective, but Erdogan is doing it now to pressure PKK to compromise and push HDP [legal pro-Kurdish party] to support Erdogan’s AKP party, if not to win the hearts of Turkish nationalists and weaken HDP so as to prepare for early elections.
Turkey clearly only fights the Kurds and nobody else. This will end with new fights inside Turkey.
What is glaringly obvious to any thinking person seems to elude and baffle US policy makers;they are either stupid or naive. Time and time again they keep on making frustratingly silly decisions. What chance have we got, these people are the supposed champions of the free world.