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DISPATCHES FROM STEPHEN LENDMAN
To believe Erdogan is simply acting on his own is to be extremely naive…America’s rage for global dominance is humanity’s greatest threat.
Turkish cross-border shelling of Kurdish PYD forces and civilian areas in northern Syria continued for the fifth day, showing no signs of stopping. An unnamed Ankara official said “(w)e want a ground operation. If there is consensus, Turkey will take part.”
Erdogan, an irresponsible and often ruthlessly criminal Washington ally in a tinderbox region. [CC BY-SA by DonkeyHotey]
Neither Turkey or Saudi Arabia intend launching ground and/or air operations without US permission, an American proxy force if unleashed, a reckless act, upping the stakes hugely, risking war with Russia. Its forces will challenge any threat to their security, authorized by Moscow, local commanders given discretion to act on their own. Make no mistake. They won’t hesitate.
According to Turkish deputy prime minister Yalcin Akdogan, Ankara want to annex a 10 km “secure strip” inside Syrian territory, further aggression if attempted, on the phony pretext of creating an area “free from clashes.”
Government ground forces, likely supported by Russian air power, will contest any lawless Turkish attempt to seize Syrian territory, a potential flashpoint, risking dangerously escalated war.
On Tuesday, Security Council members met in closed-door session, requested by Russia, current SC president Venezuelan envoy Rafael Ramirez, saying:
SC “members are concerned with the Turkish attacks on a number of Syrian regions. (They) agreed to ask Turkey to comply with international law” – a hollow gesture without teeth. US veto power blocks responsible action, including holding Washington fully responsible for waging war on Syria, using ISIS and other terrorist groups as proxy foot soldiers.
Following the closed-door session, Syria’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari minced no words, saying:
“Turkey (is) push(ing) all sides to escalate (conflict) in Syria.” Its “hostile acts (got some of its allies) to express concern.” He explained “the complicity of Turkey with Qatar and Saudi Arabia (along with Washington and other rogue partners) against Syria and its allies.”
These “terrorism-supporting countries are suffering from hysteri(a) due to the Syrian army’s progress on all fronts” – effectively smashing ISIS and and other terrorist fighters.
Addressing followers in Beirut on Tuesday, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah highlighted the steadfastness of Syrian forces to defend their national sovereignty against US/Turkish/Saudi/Israeli-supported foreign terrorist invaders, saying:
“Syria will remain for its people who will determine their destiny and decide Syria’s future, constitution and leadership, and it will remain the pole of the resistance tent in the region.”
“The project of Turkey to establish [an] Ottoman Empire has failed, and the Saudi project failed too in Syria as it reaped only disappointment…the Turkish and Saudi (threatened ground invasion) came after the failure of the terrorists” they support.
Israel “considers the developments in the region a golden opportunity to present itself as a friend” to Arab nations it otherwise considers longtime enemies. It’s allied with despotic Arab regimes “to hinder any settlement of the crisis in Syria.” Their complicity with Washington may unleash regional war.
Nasrallah reaffirmed his support for Syria, its people and national sovereignty. Obama opposes peace, stability and fundamental freedoms worldwide. [It’s as simple as that.]
America’s rage for global dominance is humanity’s greatest threat.
STEPHEN LENDMAN lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." ( http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html ) Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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