By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
Turkey’s dislike of Assad’s regime in Syria does not sit well with Moscow– and Turkey’s support of Syria’s opposition forces has not gone unnoticed in the Kremlin. If the Turks intervene in Syria, the PKK will most likely take up arms against Turkey once again.
— There’s Anxiety in Ankara by Marielena Montesino de Stuart
I published the above commentary, There is Anxiety in Ankara, on May 17, 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea– anticipating the events that would take place in the region, particularly involving Turkey, ISIS and the Kurdish PKK.
Allow me to explain.
The government of Turkey, which for a long time had turned secular, has renewed its embrace of Islam in honor of its Ottoman days of “glory.” This retro style is not very pleasing to the majority of Turks– who have grown used to a more modern European identity, considering their modern geopolitical status at the crossroads of two continents.
But with Turkey’s reset of the Islamic button and ISIS plowing through the cradle of civilization killing everyone and destroying everything in sight– and asking others to kill the infidels wherever they are– it is as if the Moslems are standing once again at the Gates of Vienna.
Interestingly, within a matter of a few short days, Turkey, a passive member of NATO, has finally moved into action against ISIS, allowing coalition attacks to be launched from its bases– but with a proviso: their military strikes, as far as the Turks are concerned, must include aerial bombings of PKK Kurdish separatist locations in northern Iraq.
It also appears that Turkey has negotiated a no-fly zone in northern Syria, with details to be worked out, in order to deal with the Assad regime (which the Turks fear)– and which the United States has not considered a priority– compared with the ISIS threat.
This “no-fly zone” is technically not one– since coalition forces would be allowed to fly through it– but on the basis of military tactics it would be considered a no-fly zone.
The situation with Turkey is getting complicated– since the Turks are going after the PKK Kurds– who have been willing to take up arms on the ground against ISIS in the region. As such, the Kurds accuse the Turkish government of aiding jihadists– and consider Turks to be collaborationists with ISIS. This has brought on new violence between Turkish and Kurdish forces– and has ended several years of cease fire between them.
The word on the street is that the Turkish government is more interested in going after Assad and the Kurds– than in fighting ISIS.
Sadly, this will further threaten the entire Balkans-Caucasus region– as Russia may threaten Turkey, given that Moscow does not want Turkey to go against the Assad regime.
And the Turks… well, they have been terrified of the Russians– since Catherine the Great crushed their Crimean Khanate.
To understand this Turkish brainteaser please read There is Anxiety in Ankara.
It’s time to lift the fog… someone has to say the truth.
Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
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