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Turkey downing of Russian jet, staged provocation: Analyst

Thursday, 26 November 2015 6:43 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 26 November 2015 6:43 AM ]

A file picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers standing on an airfield at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. (AFP photo)

Press TV has conducted an interview with Webster Griffin Tarpley, an author and historian in Washington DC, and Brent Budowsky, columnist of The Hill in Washington DC, to discuss Turkey’s recent downing of a Russian fighter jet in Syria.

Tarpley states that Turkey shot down the Russian jet in an attempt to sabotage a “possible convergence” of Russia with the United States on fighting the Daesh terrorists.

He also maintains that the incident was obviously “pre-planned” and a “staged provocation”.

The analyst further noted that Daesh could not survive without Turkish deliveries, adding that if its supply line from Turkey is blocked, this terrorist group will “wither on the vine.”

"If you block that supply line, the person that will come after you then is [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan because Erdogan is simply the kingpin of ISIS (Daesh). He is the boss. Some people would say the true secret caliph of this entire thing is Erdogan,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Tarpley argued that the United States is not after destroying the Daesh Takfiri terror group because Washington regards it as a “CIA secret army” which can be used against many countries throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

He also emphasized that if there is going to be an anti-Daesh coalition, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must remain in power.

“Without Assad, without the Syrian government, without the Syrian Arab army the entire thing would descend into hopeless chaos like Libya,” he said.

Budowsky, for his part, believes the problem with Russia’s bombing campaign is that it is aimed at defending Assad not defeating the Daesh terrorist group.

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