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Daily News Analysis

US-Turkey announce ‘no-fly zone’ over parts of Syria

Crescent International

In another act of illegality, Turkey and US have announced that they are creating a no-fly zone over Syria that would be 90 km long and will include territory 50 km inside Syria. The two predatory powers have vowed to attack any Syrian planes that enter this territory. Think of air piracy and gangsterism!

Istanbul,
Saturday July 25, 2015, 09:27 DST

As if their training of terrorists to fight against the government of President Bashar al Asad was not enough, the US and Turkey have also reached agreement to establish a ‘no-fly zone’ over parts of Syria. The Turkish daily, Hurriyet reported yesterday (July 24) that as part of a deal reached between Ankara and Washington to cooperate in their alleged “fight” against the takfiri terrorists (aka ISIL), a no-fly zone would also be established over parts of Syria. Syrian air force planes would not be permitted to fly in the 90-km no-fly zone that has been designated as stretching between the Syrian towns of Marea and Jarabulus and would extend 50 km inside Syria.

In total disdain for international law—an instrument often invoked by the Washington warlords whenever its suits their convenience—the Syrian government has not been asked for permission. The no-fly zone and US and Turkish planes flying over Syrian territory is, therefore, a clear violation of Syrian sovereignty and a crime under international law. Ankara has allowed US bombers to use its Incilik Air Base located near the Syrian border. Turkish officials confirmed this in statements yesterday.

“US planes equipped with bombs and missiles will be able to use the Incirlik Air Base,” and Turkey could back up their air raids with artillery, the Hurriyet newspaper reported. While claiming to be fighting the takfiri terrorists, the US has been training them in bases in Jordan since 2012. Now 120 US military trainers have arrived in Turkey as well for the same purpose. The plan is to train 15,000 rebels in three years to fight against the Syrian government. The question is: are Turkey and the US fighting the terrorists or creating and training them?

Turkish air force planes have also been involved in carrying out attacks inside Syria, ostensibly against the takfiri terrorists but how much credibility can one give to such reports when the Turkish intelligence agency MIT has been involved in ferrying weapons to the same terrorists? When Turkish prosecutors arrested people involved in these illegal acts and some journalists reported the story earlier this year, they were all arrested. Turkish government hypocrisy knows no bounds. While theoretically, the government is headed by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the real power lies with President Recep Tayip Erdogan.

According to the Turkish Constitution, he should not be interfering in the day-to-day formulation of government policy but Erdogan is not constrained by such legal niceties. He wants to dictate policy despite the fact that the Turkish people repudiated his party, the AKP in last month’s parliamentary elections, denying it a majority in the National Assembly that it had enjoyed since 2002. A major reason for this repudiation was the Turks’ unhappiness with Erdogan’s Syria policy. Far from respecting the people’s wishes, he wants to continue with the illegal policy.

END


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