The War on Syria, Waiting for “Washington’s Green Light”: “We Want a Ground Operation. … Turkey will Take Part.”

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

The War on Syria, Waiting for “Washington’s Green Light”: “We Want a Ground Operation. … Turkey will Take Part.”

Erdogan Defies Security Council Call to Stop Shelling Syria

Global Research, February 17, 2016

Turkish cross-border shelling of Kurdish PYD forces and civilian areas in northern Syria continued for the fifth day, showing no signs of stopping.

An unnamed Ankara official said “(w)e want a ground operation. If there is consensus, Turkey will take part.”

“Without a ground operation, it is impossible to stop this war” – code language for Russian air power and Syrian troops turning the tide of battle, perhaps decisively, Washington and its rogue partners desperate to change things in their favor, unable to so far.

Neither Turkey or Saudi Arabia intend launching ground and/or air operations without US permission, an American proxy force if unleashed, a reckless act, upping the stakes hugely, risking war with Russia.

Its forces will challenge any threat to their security, authorized by Moscow, local commanders given discretion to act on their own. Make no mistake. They won’t hesitate.

According to Turkish deputy prime minister Yalcin Akdogan, Ankara want to annex a 10 km “secure strip” inside Syrian territory, further aggression if attempted, on the phony pretext of creating an area “free from clashes.”

Government ground forces, likely supported by Russian air power, will contest any lawless Turkish attempt to seize Syrian territory, a potential flashpoint, risking dangerously escalated war.

On Tuesday, Security Council members met in closed-door session, requested by Russia, current SC president Venezuelan envoy Rafael Ramirez, saying:

SC “members are concerned with the Turkish attacks on a number of Syrian regions. (They) agreed to ask Turkey to comply with international law” – a hollow gesture without teeth.

US veto power blocks responsible action, including holding Washington fully responsible for waging war on Syria, using ISIS and other terrorist groups as proxy foot soldiers.

Following the closed-door session, Syria’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari minced no words, saying:

“Turkey (is) push(ing) all sides to escalate (conflict) in Syria.” Its “hostile acts (got some of its allies) to express concern.”

He explained “the complicity of Turkey with Qatar and Saudi Arabia (along with Washington and other rogue partners) against Syria and its allies.”

These “terrorism-supporting countries are suffering from hysteri(a) due to the Syrian army’s progress on all fronts” – effectively smashing ISIS and and other terrorist fighters.

Addressing followers in Beirut on Tuesday, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah highlighted the steadfastness of Syrian forces to defend their national sovereignty against US/Turkish/Saudi/Israeli-supported foreign terrorist invaders, saying:

“Syria will remain for its people who will determine their destiny and decide Syria’s future, constitution and leadership, and it will remain the pole of the resistance tent in the region.”

“The project of Turkey to establish Ottoman Empire has failed, and the Saudi project failed too in Syria as it reaped only disappointment.”

“Turkish and Saudi (threatened ground invasion) came after the failure of the terrorists” they support.

Israel “considers the developments in the region a golden opportunity to present itself as a friend” to Arab nations it otherwise considers longtime enemies.

It’s allied with despotic Arab regimes “to hinder any settlement of the crisis in Syria.” Their complicity with Washington may unleash regional war.

Nasrallah reaffirmed his support for Syria, its people and national sovereignty. Obama opposes peace, stability and fundamental freedoms worldwide.

America’s rage for global dominance is humanity’s greatest threat.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

The original source of this article is Global Research