On Thursday February 27, the Syrian regime forces attacked the Turkish Armed Forces in Idlib with the support of Russia and according to the statement, 34 Turkish soldiers have been killed in this treacherous attack. Turkey gave back to this attack of the regime forces and according to the official statement, many regime positions and military zones have been targeted and more than 2000 soldiers of the regime forces have been killed. The media and political opinion in Turkey showed this counter operation as a success and great victory and it was stated that the revenge was taken.
Comment:
Well, is that really so? Is the victory achieved by giving more and even many times more damage to the enemy than the damage got in the enemy attack? Is the victory gained when you say that you killed 34 of my soldiers, but I killed 2000 soldiers of your army? The life of our soldiers killed by the regime in Idlib is very important for us. The whole country is in mourning, the people are sad, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands attend the funerals of the soldiers. Because the people feel the pain, because the murderer Russia and the regime killed our Brothers with this treacherous attack. Not 34, even one life is valuable for this people, as this army is formed by Muslims. But are his soldiers important for Assad? Does Assad feel sorry for his dead soldiers, or are Russia and Iran upset because of these causalities. I do not think so. Because Russia knows that these attacks of the regime make sense so that they can take Idlib back in Syria. Russia and the regime have one plan and goal in this war; it is taking back Idlib.
What is Turkey’s next step, plan and goal? Is there a next step of this operation that Turkey launched against the regime forces? There is no military or political target for the next step of this operation. Will Turkey go after the regime which has been pretty much overturned as a result of these counter-attacks, and overthrow Damascus? Turkey has that power but if you ask me, if there is such a plan of Turkey, unfortunately not! Why? Because Turkey is in Syria and Idlib for the interests of America, and not for its own plans. This is the real frame of the picture in Syria, the details in the picture may mislead the eyes, but unfortunately, this is the picture.
That is why I said in the heading, how the USA has been following the military operations in Syria in a comfortable and calm manner. Because these situations do not have a property that will affect the solution plan of the USA, or that will change its direction. The original frame of the picture has not changed, just the painter plays with the colors, wavings of the shapes and the figures that cause the illusion inside the picture.
The USA has a political solution plan for the future of Syria, it has the goal and it is implementing strategies to realize this goal. In 2015, it involved Russia in Syria to be the life line for the regime. Now, it put Turkey in Syria to limit the military advances and territory of Russia. The Idlib tension in this last period plays into the hands of the USA. The USA is playing with the countries according to the roles it casted for them.
What is Turkey doing? What is our purpose of being in Syria? With what reason are we explaining why we are in Syria? The sentence that all rulers chorus: “As Turkey, our purpose of being in Syria is to protect the territorial integrity of Syria.” The country (the regime), of which we give weight to territorial integrity so much, killed our soldiers in an air strike. Turkey immediately responded to it and said we took revenge and gained a victory. After that, it is asking the NATO to protect itself from Russia, from which it bought the S400, recently. Although it is known that these treacherous attacks of the regime are supported by Russia and it is even carrying out the attacks with Russia’s support, they make telephone calls with Putin and make an appointment to meet face to face. Who? Our leaders… What is more; they decide to open the border gates and send the refugees to Europe. Why? For the 25 million Euro that will come from Europe, with which they would build briquette houses for the refugees…
Now you tell me, is that being a “big state”? Is that being the protector and patron of the Ummah? Is putting up a fight against evil forces such a thing? Tell me what it is like to be the enemy of America and Russia. Tell me what is it like that you will work for a triple alternative plan with Russia and Iran against American plans in Syria and you will be stabbed in the back by your ally. After that, you will beg for help from the USA and Europe which you consider as enemies. You will laugh at how you kick about Putin in your phone calls with Trump. For heaven’s sake, can you tell me what kind of vision this is?
Mahmut KAR
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Turkey