Turkey using ISIL as pretext to attack Kurds: Pundit

Press TV has interviewed Omar Nashabe, a journalist and political commentator from Beirut, and Lawrence J. Korb, a U.S. foreign policy and national security analyst from Atlanta, to discuss the purpose behind Turkey’s incursion into northern Syria.

Nashabe described Turkey as one of the most powerful players in the region which adopts a confusing strategy, especially after the failure of plans to destabilize Syria. According to him, Turkey has the upper hand over countries which supported the uprising against the legally-elected government in Syria.

“The Turks are now saying that they want to protect their borders from terrorist groups such as ISIS; although, we all know - and it was very apparent - that during the past years, it was Turkey buying oil from ISIS who were controlling some parts of Iraq and some parts of Syria where there was oil,” the commentator told Press TV, adding that it is “a bit confusing” to see Turkey attacking the same forces that threaten legal government forces in Syria.

The journalist believes that Turkey uses the battle against the ISIL as a pretext to make an incursion into the Syrian territory, targeting Kurdish rebel groups. He considers the act as a violation of international laws.

Pointing to Turkey’s internal instability, the journalist stated, “The failed attempted coup in Turkey created a situation where they felt that they have to act and [since] they cannot say to the world that they want to attack the Kurdish forces, they have to go with the international direction; that is to be part of the international coalition against Daesh. They entered the Syrian territory under the pretext that they are targeting Daesh, whereas in reality, they are pushing the Kurds back in order to deprive them of reaching their objective which is to have a Kurdish independent state. Their biggest nightmare does not appear to be Daesh as much as it appears to be the Kurdish forces.”

Also attending Press TV’s program ‘The Debate,’ Korb stated that there is no doubt about the fact that some elements of the Kurds are a threat to Turkey and have been causing all kinds of violence in the country. He added, “They are also concerned not only with Syria, but once Mosul falls, you are going to see the Kurds are not part of Iraq. [They] really become independent and then they will try and join some of the Kurd in Syria.”

Being asked about Turkey’s right to intervene in Syria, the analyst replied, “Basically, because they have been attacked by ISIS elements in Syria, they have the right to respond to them. The Istanbul bombing and the killing and blowing up and what happened at the wedding a couple of weeks ago, that gives them the right to do it.”

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