Ankara has urged Washington to unconditionally support the expansion of its battle against the terror threat, in particular Kurdish militias, warning that those hindering Turkey’s right to self-defense will be considered terrorists and acted upon accordingly. “The only thing we expect from our US ally is to support Turkey with no ifs or buts,” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference after a five-hour security meeting with cabinet and state officials. Following the car bomb attack on a military convoy in Ankara this week which left 28 people dead, a breakaway faction of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the attack, and Turkey has vowed to intensify its fight against the Kurds both at home and in Syria. “If 28 Turkish lives have been claimed through a terrorist attack we can only expect them [the US] to say any threat against Turkey is a threat against them,” Davutoglu stated. The US however considers the Syrian Kurdish YPG to be one of the main fighting forces against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in Syria. Yet on Friday, during a phone conversation between President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart, the US leader stressed that “YPG forces should not seek to exploit circumstances in this area to seize additional territory,” in northern Syria where the Syrian army and the Kurdish militia, aided by Russian air power, have been making large gains. Turkey in the meantime views all Kurdish militia that are also spread widely throughout Syria and Iraq as a direct national threat. Following on his earlier promise this week Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again reiterated on Saturday that Turkey will strike Kurds everywhere. US 'concerned' about Syrian Army & Kurdish Syria gains, urges stopping actions upsetting Turks “Turkey will use its right to expand its rules of engagement beyond [responding to] actual attacks against it and to encompass all terror threats, including PYD and Daesh in particular,” Erdogan said at a UNESCO meeting in Istanbul. Furthermore, Erdogan warned that those opposing Ankara’s fight with the Kurds will be deemed as “terrorist” by the Turkish state. “Whoever prevents us from using our right of self-defense, we will recognize it as a terrorist and act accordingly,” he added. Turkey’s presidential spokesman meanwhile said that supporting YPG in Syria against the Islamic State is making the situation worse. “Those who are supporting terrorist groups in the name of fighting Daesh are only contributing to an already-worsening situation,” Ibrahim Kalin said in an opinion piece in Turkey’s Daily Sabah newspaper. READ MORE: Turkey’s shelling of Syria amid ‘unique’ intl peace effort unacceptable – Russia’s UN envoy He accused the YPG of manipulating the war in Syria: “In the name of fighting Daesh, it is acting as a client organization to the US, Russia and Syrian leader Bashar Assad’s regime at the same time," the spokesman wrote. Kalin said that Ankara has “rightly reacted” to continued US support to the YPG, without elaborating further. But he did criticize the way events are unfolding in Syria presenting the Turkish version of the discourse of the war. “While the YPG attacks the other opposition groups fighting against Daesh, Daesh remains as powerful and operational as before and the Assad regime gets stronger by the day,” Kalin said. Earlier this week, the UN Security Council president released an unofficial warning to Ankara over its actions in the region, urging it to comply with international law and to stop the shelling the Syrian Kurds. On Friday however Washington rejected a Russian draft resolution which condemned any plans for foreign military intervention in Syria. Russia’s latest concerns are related to a dangerous escalation on the Syrian Turkish border amid Ankara’s alleged plans to put boots on the ground in northern Syria, which Damascus has called a violation of Syria's sovereignty. https://www.rt.com/news/333149-turkey-demands-unconditional-us-support/
These are the same guys who refused to let us use their airspace or access to their bases in our recent military efforts in the ME? (*)(*)(*)(*) those guys.
I think that the US geopolitical itnests in the region are valid. This is the way I see it. If the Muslims were "savage" natives of americas, then Russians would be like the French furtraders who prefer to trade and keep the cultural differences to themselves while the West is more like the Spaniards or the British that saw their culture as supirior and was more untreated in assimilation. This is the strategy that each side puts forth. Both sides have their merits. American policy, though causing chaos now, may lead to a more peaceful future. It's obvious that middle east is slowly taking on western values. Soudi Arabia for example, compare to what they are doing, they spear more conservative. Even woman are aloud to do....what was that article about again? .. Never mind. So the west seeks gradual assimilation of Muslims(an event that we can see today) by killing their leaders and westernizing them And Russia could care less for assimilation and instead cares more for trade. Like I said. Each side has its merrits. It's really a power game with each side using opposite strategies. But my opinion is irrelevant. Above all else, international law must be followed.
No sign of any significant US participation at all presently. If we're doing anything, it is below the radar. International law...hehe. You make me laugh.
Ankara is strenuously protected by the Turkish special services. Especially where explosion - near military unit thundered. Anyway, after explosion in Ankara, Turkey at once, without any investigation accused Kurds... [video=youtube_share;BOp_pmJNyQA]http://youtu.be/BOp_pmJNyQA[/video] Someone watch Solovyov? Good information program always...
The threat is simple in motive. Turkey can not finish the eradication i.e. Genocide of he Kurds while Americans are in the YPG ranks. Once the Americans are recalled, turkey will go full nazi blitzing on the Kurds. Turkey even plans to chase Kurds and kill Kurds in Syria this time.
Does this mean America must accept all the atrocities and genocides committed by Turkey, even the ones against the Kurds within Turkey like the burning alive of 150 Kurds in Cizre and the 200 that are now trapped in their basements and are afraid to leave for fear of being killed? Anyway Lavrov said that any incursion into Syrian territory is unacceptable, and I would not take his words lightly. Russia always acts on them.
America is kept in the dark about Erdogans atrocities. Completely innocent if (*)(*)(*)(*) like this happens half way around the globe and they are unaware. It is the treasonous and deceitful American government that is at fault. I would hang everyone of them that chose to abandon the Kurds and allow Turkey to finish the genocide it started.
I think we should draw a dividing line between the break away Kurdish workers party terrorists and the group who is fighting in Syria. Shouldn't it be clear that there are two separate factions here? Turkey has a right to go after this break away terrorist group at home but they should leave the Syrian Kurdish fighters alone.
In video which I gave, one expert speaks - it is necessary to give to the Syrian Kurds a lot of the Soviet simple weapon (especially including anti-tank) It is easy-to-use and in 2 hours it is possible to be trained as to use. I think it already occurs. If Turkey attacks by tanks the Syrian territory, Kurds will burn them. If the Turkish aircraft supports it, Russia will destroy this by S-400 (and probably together with the Turkish airfields)
Turkey was over run with Iraqi refugee in Gulf Wars 1 and 2... not they have 3 million Syrian refugees.
