The Turkish Invasion Of Syria: Who Is Behind It And WhyBy Brandon Turbeville According to the BBC, A dozen Turkish tanks and other vehicles have rolled across the Syrian border after heavy shelling of an area held by so-called Islamic State (IS). Military sources told Turkish media 70 targets in the Jarablus area had been destroyed by artillery and rocket strikes, and 12 by air strikes. Al-Masdar reports on the progress of the Turkish military offensive by writing: The Turkish Special Forces, alongside the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Faylaq Al-Sham, reportedly captured their first village during this new offensive dubbed Operation Euphrates Shield. According to Faylaq Al-Shams official media wing, their forces captured the village of Tal Katlijah after the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) terrorists quickly abandoned the area in order to reinforce Jarabulus. ISIS has mostly abandoned the small area between Jarabulus and the Turkish border, leaving only small units to resist the advancing Turkish-backed rebels. The Turkish-backed rebels are now attacking the hilltop village of Tal Shaer, which is along the road to Jarabulus. The Turkish invasion is predicated on the basis of fighting ISIS, a wholly unbelievable goal since Turkey itself has been supporting, training, and facilitating ISIS since day one. Not only that, but Turkey is arriving in Syria with terrorists in tow since, as the BBC reported, Between nine and 12 tanks crossed the frontier, followed by pick-up trucks believed to be carrying hundreds of fighters from Turkish-backed factions of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA). If Turkey was interested in stopping terrorism, why would they lead the charges for more terrorists to enter Syria? Indeed, if stopping terrorism was truly Turkeys goal, it is capable of sealing the border from its own side without any need for invasion so why the war the party? Turkeys interests do not lie in stopping terrorism. Far from it. Turkeys foreign policy and military decision to invade Syria are based along three lines; its desire for more territory (which it believes was stolen from it long ago), its willingness to continue working with NATO in its attempt to destroy the secular government of Syria, and its concern over the Kurdish expansion. With this invasion, Turkey has solidified its willingness to risk outright war with Syria and perhaps even Russia in order to fulfill the goals of NATO and Anglo-American powers who have sought to destroy Syria from the beginning. Part of this strategy is the creation of buffer zones and safe zones in the north, precisely the concepts that were re-floated and discussed by the United States and U.K. only days before the invasion. Note that the invasion and operations are centering around Jarablus, the eastern border of the famed Jarablus corridor which, bordered by Afrin and Azaz in the west, make up the last fully functioning terrorist supply routes coming in from Turkey. These were precisely the dimensions that were discussed by Western think tanks and NGOs in regards to what a safe zone in Syria should look like. Although argued on the basis of giving civilians somewhere to go the zones were supposed to be controlled by moderate Western-backed terrorists and were clearly designed to prevent the Syrian government and Russian forces from closing the supply routes coming from the Turkish side of the border into Syria. This safe haven is also a way for the neo-Ottoman Erdogan to lay claim to more territory in order to placate his dream of becoming the 21st Century equivalent of the leader of the Turkish empire. At the very least, this desire for more land under the Turkish flag will lead to a situation similar to that of the Golan Heights, which Israel has illegally occupied for decades but which there is frequent threat of military action and controversy. Erdogan is also incredibly concerned about the growing Kurdish movement both inside Turkey and in Syria. With the Kurds gaining more and more territory in the north of Syria, in large part because of support being given by the United States, as well as Kurds in Iraq becoming more and more willing to work with YPG Kurds in Syria and the growing interest of dissent and military operations inside Turkey by the PKK, Erdogan is undoubtedly concerned that the Kurds could decide to unite and initiate a massive campaign for autonomy and independence or, at the very least, inspire Turkish Kurds to launch a revolution. While some may suggest that Turkey is getting off the reservation and simply acting on its own interests (i.e. rolling back the Kurds), Erdogan has long acted as a major tool of the NATO agenda against Syria. The very fact that the United States is aiding the Turkish operation with airstrikes of its own should go some length in demonstrating that the NATO powers are in full support of the military incursion. Still, others have a different perspective. Andrew Korybko of Katehon argues that the Syrians, Iranians, and Russians are tacitly supporting the incursion because it alleviates them of the responsibility of cleansing ISIS and Kurdish battalions from northern Syria. Korybko points to increased political talks between Syria and Turkey in recent days as well as the domestic climate of Russia in terms of support for increased military operations. Korybko suggests that the United States has been duped by Turkey into falling in line with the incursion which is, in reality, an agreement on strategy and policies related to Syria by the multipolar bloc. Korybko writes, . . . . . Damascus and Ankara have been engaged in secret talks for months now in the Algerian capital of Algiers, as has been repeatedly confirmed by many multiple media sources ever since this spring. Moreover, Turkey just dispatched one of its deputy intelligence chiefs to Damascus a few days ago to meet with his high-level Syrian counterparts, so this might explain the reason why Russia and Iran arent condemning Turkeys incursion into Syria, nor why the Syrian officials arent loudly protesting against it either. More and more, the evidence is pointing to Turkeys operation being part of a larger move that was coordinated in advance with Syria, Russia, and Iran. Nevertheless, for domestic political reasons within both Syria and Turkey, neither side is expected to admit to having coordinated any of this, and its likely that bellicose rhetoric might be belched from Ankara just as much as its predictable that Damascus will rightfully speak about the protection of its sovereignty. Whats most important, though, isnt to listen so much to Turkey and Syria, but to watch and observe what Russia and Iran say and do, since these are the two countries most capable of defending Syria from any legitimate aggression against its territory and which have been firmly standing behind it for years now, albeit to differing qualitative extents though with complementary synergy (i.e. Russias anti-terrorist air operation and Irans special forces ground one). This isnt in any way to excuse, apologize for, or explain away the US opportunistic and illegal inadvertent contribution to this coordinated multipolar campaign, but to accurately document how and why it decided to involve itself in this superficially Turkish-led venture, namely because it was cleverly misled by Erdogan into thinking that this is a precondition for the normalization of relations between both sides. Russia lacks the political will to cleanse the Wahhabi terrorists and Kurdish separatists from northern Syrian itself, and for as much as one may support or condemn this, its a statement of fact that must be taken into account when analyzing and forecasting events. With this obvious constraint being a major factor influencing the state of affairs in Syria, its reasonable then that Syria, Russia, and Iran wouldnt vocally object too much to Turkey tricking the US into doing this instead out of the pursuit of its own self-interests vis--vis the attempted normalization with Ankara. The major qualifying variable that must be mentioned at this point is that serious Russian and Iranian condemnation of Turkeys ongoing operation would signal that something either went wrong with their multilaterally coordinated plan, or that Turkey was just a backstabbing pro-American Trojan Horse this entire time and the skepticism surrounding Moscow and Tehrans dedicated efforts to coax Ankara into a multipolar pivot was fully vindicated as the correct analysis all along. Still, with all that in mind, it should be remembered that Washington has essentially led Erdogan by the nose through most of the Syrian crisis. Only recently has the neo-Ottoman shown signs of moving away from U.S. influence but, even those apparent moves are being questioned by researchers and analysts. At this point, we still do not definitively know if the United States was behind the coup in Turkey or if it was an inside job/false flag staged by Erdogan and the U.S. in order to justify a clampdown on Erdogans opponents. Judging by the fact that no diplomatic staff has been recalled, Incirlik continues to be use by the United States, and now joint military operations are taking place between the United States and Turkey, it is difficult to believe that Turkey truly believes the U.S. was behind an attempted coup against Erdogan. Regardless, Turkish incursions into Syrian territory on the basis of a false flag, all the while being supported by the West, are nothing new. Remember, in 2014, Turkey was exposed for planning to use an alleged attack on the tomb of Suleiman Shah as well as a false flag attack on Turkish territory in order to justify an invasion of Syria. In its article, Turkey YouTube Ban: Full Transcript Of Leaked Syria War Conversation Between Erdogan Officials, the International Business Times released the transcript of a conversation between members of Turkish leadership planning a false flag using their terrorist proxies in order to justify an invasion: Ahmet Davutolu: Prime Minister said that in current conjuncture, this attack (on Suleiman Shah Tomb) must be seen as an opportunity for us. Hakan Fidan: Ill send 4 men from Syria, if thats what it takes. Ill make up a cause of war by ordering a missile attack on Turkey; we can also prepare an attack on Suleiman Shah Tomb if necessary. Feridun Sinirliolu: Our national security has become a common, cheap domestic policy outfit. Yaar Gler: Its a direct cause of war. I mean, whatre going to do is a direct cause of war. With this in mind, it is interesting to note that an eerily similar type of opportunity took place right before the recent invasion. As the New York Times described, A bombing on Saturday night at a Kurdish wedding in Gaziantep, a Turkish town near the Syrian border, was one of the deadliest in a string of terrorist attacks that have struck Turkey. Since June 2015, Kurdish and Islamic State militants have staged at least 15 major attacks across Turkey, killing more than 330 people. The New Atlas also sees the Turkish invasion as part of the NATO goal of destroying the secular government of Bashar al-Assad. The website writes, Thus, Turkeys government and a complicit Western media have helped place the blame equally on both the Islamic State and Kurdish militants ahead of the now ongoing cross-border operation. The above mentioned BBC article would also note: Turkey has vowed to completely cleanse IS from its border region, blaming the group for a bomb attack on a wedding that killed at least 54 people in Gaziantep on Saturday. In the aftermath of the July coup, many were hopeful Turkey would realign itself geopolitically and play a more constructive and stabilising role in the region. Instead, while citing the threat of the Islamic State and Kurdish forces along its border, a threat that its own collusion with US and Persian Gulf States since 2011 helped create, Turkey has decisively helped move forward a crucial part of US plans to dismember Syria and move its campaign of North African and Middle Eastern destabilisation onward and outward. The response by Syria and its allies in the wake of Turkeys cross-border foray has so far been muted. What, if any actions could be taken to prevent the US and its allies from achieving their plans remain to be seen. While the toppling of the government in Damascus looks unlikely at the moment, the Balkanisation of Syria was a secondary objective always only ever considered by US policymakers as a mere stop gap until eventually toppling Damascus as well. Conceding eastern and parts of northern Syria to US-led aggression will only buy time. The idea of establishing a safe zone in Syria is, of course, not a new concept. In July, 2015, the agreement being discussed would have effectively created a buffer zone that would have spanned from the Turkish border line into Syria. It would have extended from Azaz in the West to Jarablus in the East and as far south as al-Bab. The width of the zone would have been about 68 miles and would have extended around 40 miles deep into Syria, right on the doorstep of Aleppo. The zone would have much smaller than that which Turkey and the United States have called for in the years prior and wouldnt have necessarily stretched the length of the Turkey-Syria border. But it is a start. True to form, the US and Turkey attempted to obfuscate the fact that their agreement was the creation of a no-fly zone by renaming it an ISIL-free zone. This is the same tactic used when the term no-fly zone and buffer zone began to draw too much ire from observers only a year ago. Then, the term became safe zone. Semantics have served NATO and the United States well over the years. After all, a simple name change of terrorist organizations has made the Anglo-American powers able to produce moderate rebels and the most frightening terrorist organization the world has ever seen while using the same group of terrorists. The description of the ISIL-free zone of 2015 was that it would be a distinguished area in which the Turkish and U.S. military would engage in aggressive operations against ISIS. It was floated that this area would have also functioned as a place where civilians displaced by the Syrian crisis may run to for safe haven and where moderate rebel forces can maintain a higher presence free from the battles with ISIS. Once the area is cleared, the plan is to give control to as-yet-unidentified moderate Syrian rebel groups. The United States and Turkey have differing interpretations as to which groups can be defined as moderate, the Washington Post reported. The reality, however, is that the ISIL-free zone would have been nothing more than a Forward Operating Base deeper into Syrian territory, working under the direct protection of the U.S. military and Turkish air force. That is exactly what the British and the U.S. are arguing for today. Going further back, public discussion of the implementation of a buffer zone began as far back as 2012 when the Brookings Institution, in their memo Assessing Options For Regime Change stated An alternative is for diplomatic efforts to focus first on how to end the violence and how to gain humanitarian access, as is being done under Annans leadership. This may lead to the creation of safe-havens and humanitarian corridors, which would have to be backed by limited military power. This would, of course, fall short of U.S. goals for Syria and could preserve Asad in power. From that starting point, however, it is possible that a broad coalition with the appropriate international mandate could add further coercive action to its efforts. The Brookings Institution went further, however, describing a possible scenario that mirrors the one currently unfolding in Syria where Turkey, in coordination with Israel, could help overthrow Assad by establishing a multi-front war on Syrias borders. Brookings writes, In addition, Israels intelligence services have a strong knowledge of Syria, as well as assets within the Syrian regime that could be used to subvert the regimes power base and press for Asads removal. Israel could posture forces on or near the Golan Heights and, in so doing, might divert regime forces from suppressing the opposition. This posture may conjure fears in the Asad regime of a multi-front war, particularly if Turkey is willing to do the same on its border and if the Syrian opposition is being fed a steady diet of arms and training. Such a mobilization could perhaps persuade Syrias military leadership to oust Asad in order to preserve itself. Advocates argue this additional pressure could tip the balance against Asad inside Syria, if other forces were aligned properly. Of course, the establishment of a No-Fly Zone is tantamount to a declaration of war. Such has even been admitted by top U.S. Generals when explaining exactly what a No Fly Zone would entail. As General Carter Ham stated, We should make no bones about it. It first entails killing a lot of people and destroying the Syrian air defenses and those people who are manning those systems. And then it entails destroying the Syrian air force, preferably on the ground, in the air if necessary. This is a violent combat action that results in lots of casualties and increased risk to our own personnel. General Philip Breedlove also echoed this description when he said, I know it sounds stark, but what I always tell people when they talk to me about a no-fly zone is . . . its basically to start a war with that country because you are going to have to go in and kinetically take out their air defense capability Regardless of the fact that the Anglo-American empire may very well be risking a direct military confrontation with another nuclear power, the NATO forces are intent on moving forward in their attempt to destroy Syria and its government. The major victories by the Syrian military that have taken place in recent weeks as well as the inability of the Wests terrorists to roll back SAA gains have obviously convinced NATO that more drastic measures are needed and that proxies are simply not enough to defeat a committed military supported by its people. Thus, we now see the plan so heavily promoted by Western think tanks and military industrial complex firms being implemented. Clearly, the Turkish agenda is not focused on combating ISIS. If it was, the Turks would have long ago sealed their borders with Syria as well as ceased their training and facilitation of terrorist groups flowing into Syria from Turkish territory. The Turks do not need NATO Buffer Zones to end terrorism within their own country. They need to seal the borders with Syria, immediately cease funding, training, and facilitation of terrorists operating inside Turkish borders alongside a massive sting operation netting and eliminating these organizations. Turkey would also greatly benefit by backing away from Erdogan, his idiotic policies, and his equally idiotic Islamist government. Turkey must put aside political Islam and return to a culture of secular governance. Lastly, Turkey must pursue a reasonable and fair policy toward the Kurds in its southeast. Of course, Turkey has sent every signal possible to announce that they intend to stick with the NATO line of destroying the secular government of Bashar al-Assad and replacing it with a government or governments beholden and favorable to Washington and the Anglo-American oligarchy. Obviously, a buffer zone and/or a no-fly zone, of course, is tantamount to war and an open military assault against the sovereign secular government of Syria because the implementation of such a zone would require airstrikes against Assads air defense systems. With the establishment of this buffer zone, a new staging ground will be opened that allows terrorists such as ISIS and others the ability to conduct attacks even deeper inside Syria. While the goal is clearly to establish such a zone before tightening the grip on Assad even further and ultimately leading to his overthrow, one can only wonder as to what pronouncement or policy will result from the Tuesday NATO meeting. Whatever it may be, the Syrian people will be the ones to pay the highest price. Brandon Turbeville article archive here is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President. Turbeville has published over 650 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbevilles radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com. This article may be freely shared in part or in full with author attribution and source link. There The globalist agenda has always been to split Iraq into three regions and give the Kurds a homeland as part of a wider plan to undermine the sovereignty of middle east nations. Note how the Kurds are being carefully directed into the role of heroic fighters against ISIS and Biden and others are working behind the scenes to ensure the Kurds and Turkish military forces stay in character and dont clash. Turkey wants Iraq to be split Erdogan and Barzani are partners. They want NE Syria to be a part of Kurdistan. They dont want anyone else in the area except who is loyal to N. Iraq and Israel. I hear you..but a Kurdistan allied to Israel/US will not be able to survive for long. The Syria/Iran/Russia alliance cannot be subdued. Excellent article regarding an extremely complex situation. you should write a child book. Your idea, your supportive adds all bs only children and jerry springer wievers belives what you saying. Just rethink your carier What? Your words are in English (sort of) but the words make no sense. Perhaps an immortal monkey got hold of your computer? What can we guess Erdogans final payoff will be for serving the NWO? Billions and a luxurious lifestyle for his entire family? Erdogan is well aware of the utility of synthetic terrorism given phase two of the Gladio operations were centered out of Turkey. When the USSR collapsed, Turkish generals fled to Russia for asylum and spilled the beans to the Russian govt on details of the Gladio operations. Eight years later in 1999, Putin and his cronies engineered a series of major false flag attacks in Russia, devastating large scale apartment bombings. In the aftermath, many of Russias guaranteed civil liberties under their 1993 constitution were trashed. The global elite use engineered conflict and terror to mold the world into their dystopian vision. The Syrian people are the victims, living in the cradle of civilization, probably chosen by the globalists to be the final big sacrificial inflection point to remake the middle east under the watchful eye of the UN. Problem with Andrew he is an American in Russia who thinks he knows more than he really does. He also steals information from other researchers, he should do his own research and not steal. Americans are like they, they get in the middle of our affairs and call others research their own and in the end they dont know what they are speaking about. That would be because they have their heads driven so far up other nations business they suffer from lack of oxygen to what little grey matter they have. Bonus; it makes it much easier for the Judas Class owners @ aipac to dupe us into spilling OUR blood/Money for their dreams of grandeur. Behind it on what level? NATO or the globalists that control NATO? Obamas Operation Euphrates Shield, a partnership between him and Turkey, proves the Turkey invasion into Syria is a SHAM. NO ISIS members are being killed or captured. Biden was sent to Turkey to do obamas bidding orchestrated by Erdogan. Biden said If the Kurds do not keep their commitment to return to their strongholds on the eastern side of the Euphrates, they can not, will not under any circumstances get American support. Erdogan said If the Kurds do not keep their commitment to return to their strongholds on the eastern side of the Euphrates, expect to receive the hammer. Turkey does not attack ISIS who is handing over villages to other islamist groups allied with Turkey. Not a single major news media has produced any serious evidence of any ISIS casualties simply evacuations. All the footages we see simply reveal explosions on empty hills. HILLARY CLINTON has long been a promoter of no-fly zones in Syria aiming to throw a monkey wrench into the Russo-Syrian fight against islamists. She and Obama support the Sunni islamist caliphate which is quickly becoming the one front to combat ALL opposition. The United States has been nothing but trouble from the start! All its ever done was overthrow legitimate government, replace them with illegitimate governments in their place, set up problem-reaction-solution scenerios to give themselves more power, help found the United Nations, which has never done anything but the same! The United States and the United Nations have no legitimate standing in the world! The United States has been nothing but trouble from the start! All its ever done was overthrow legitimate government, replace them with illegitimate governments in their place, set up problem-reaction-solution scenerios to give themselves more power, help found the United Nations, which has never done anything but the same! The United States and the United Nations have no legitimate standing in the world! 