Puppet Masters
"They give support to terrorist groups including Daesh (Arabic for IS)," Erdogan said.
Saying that the US have accused Turkey of supporting IS, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday the Turkish leader blamed the US-led coalition for assisting terrorists themselves.
Apart from IS, he also mentioned Kurdish People's Protection Units in northern Syria (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD) as groups supported by the coalition.
"We have confirmed evidence, with pictures, photos and videos," he added.
On Tuesday, Moscow also accused Washington of "sponsoring terrorism" in Syria.
Commenting on the latest National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Barack Obama, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the new bill "openly stipulates the possibility" of delivering more weapons to Syria.
Those arms "will soon find their way to the jihadists," ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, adding that America had "refused" to fully cooperate in fighting terrorism.
Comment: More on Erdogan's statememt:
Which, incidentally, should also not come as a surprise in light of the May 2015 declassified Pentagon report, which claimed that ISIS was created as a Pentagon tool to overthrow Syria's president Assad.Update (Dec. 28): The United States has denied what it calls "ludicrous" claims by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Western coalition forces are backing "terrorist" groups in Syria, including the Islamic State (IS).
Nevertheless, the "pot calling the kettle black" comes at a sensitive time for both the US and Turkey, which are both pivoting aggressively, one internally from Obama to Trump, while the other is shifting its foreign geopolitical allegiance from the US to Russia, which may also explain today's outburst by Erdogan.
Saying that the US have accused Turkey of supporting IS, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday the Turkish leader blamed the US-led coalition for assisting terrorists themselves. Apart from IS, he also mentioned Kurdish People's Protection Units in northern Syria (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD) as groups supported by the coalition.
Earlier on Tuesday, Moscow accused Washington of "sponsoring terrorism" in Syria. Commenting on the latest National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Barack Obama, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the new bill "openly stipulates the possibility" of delivering more weapons to Syria, and added that those arms "will soon find their way to the jihadists," which Russia would view as a "hostile act."
Erdogan's comments echoed those from the Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, who told RT that Washington appears unready to play a serious role in fighting Islamic State, as it has fostered terrorists itself and now wants them to remain in the Middle East.
"The Western coalition is of a formal nature, they have no real intention to fight neither in Syria nor in Iraq. We don't see any readiness on their part to play a truly useful and meaningful role in fighting IS, because it's them who have raised terrorists and they are interested in keeping them there," Dehghan said.
According to the Iranian defense minister, Tehran has never coordinated its operations with the Americans and "will never collaborate with them."
He then slammed the US' motives behind the "war on ISIS' saying that "maybe the coalition forces would like to see terrorists weakened, but certainly not destroyed, because those terrorists are their tool for destabilizing this region and some other parts of the world."
One wonders how long before Putin is blamed for this latest political scandal, because if indeed Erdogan does provide proof of US support for the Islamic State, then the Pentagon will need a back story very fast, and what better scapegoat than the Russian president.
Erdogan said on December 27 that he has evidence that, rather than supporting Turkey, the West is backing IS, which has been the target of U.S. air strikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014.
Erdogan made a similar claim on a visit to Pakistan last month, alleging that "the West stands by Daesh right now" and that its weapons were Western-made.
U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner called those accusations "ludicrous" and said there was no basis in fact for them.
Reader Comments
graeme15b* -
Re your "US plan for a Kurdistan along its borders”, I offer a bit of constructive criticism/editing; to wit: I believe it might be more accurately phrased as "The long held Israeli - and thereby the USA’s - plans for for a Kurdistan . . ." (Note: Given your prior posts, I doubt I am saying anything you are not already well aware of.)
ALL of this IS a part and parcel of a 1980's or 1990's Israeli version akin to - but far predating - PNAC’s pre-9/11/2001 pronouncement proclaiming ‘we need a new 'Pearl Harbor'” - {a/k/a, let’s make it /let it (a New Pearl Harbor) happen use it to force the isolationist US POPULACE into a global war; be it, WWII or the never ending one 'on terror.'
In the Israeli version of what PNAC later copied, THEIR pronounced goals were, as I recall:
- the setting off of a war between Iraq and Iran. (Check.)
- the destruction of Libya. (Check.)
- The elimination of Iran as a country of power, whether nuclear or simply economic; (Still in 'pro'gress/ 're? gress' whatever)
- Breaking up Iran into three countries, as its continuing existence tended to disprove the Israeli claims that 'All Islamics are terrorists', as there was in Iraq a country (pre US invasion) which held - for the Middle East - a relative balance between the Shia, Sunni and Kurds. This split is still being 'worked on.' Seek, e.g. Mosul.
- The reduction of Afghanistan to a stone age society. (Nearly done...)
- The captivity and slavery of of Syria - to make it more like Jordan (and of course involving another oil pipeline) just like Afghanistan’s "You will receive a carpet of gold, or bombs’ your Choice.”
(US/Unocal Pipeline negotiation) (No ‘Check’ there, thanks to Russia’s timely ‘mate.’)
Etc., etc., et al.
R.C.
*A Question: Is there any rhyme/reason behind your name tag here? I think some are rather obvious, (e.g., AmeriKan Gulag, mine, etc.) - but yours I find quizzical. I wonder if there’s some Monty Python aspect there, akin to Brazil’s ‘twenty-seven-B-stroke-six.’
If that question’s best answer is a “don’t worry about it;” fear not: I shan’t.
May we all have a great 2017- we deserve it.
RC
Regarding the US/Israeli plan for a Kurdistan, in Iraq, Iran, and Syria, and perhaps Turkey? well yes i am aware of the greater Israeli project as you mention. I assume that others are aware of that too, and that is my excuse for being lazy sometimes. lol.
As far as the destruction of Iran goes, they seem to have a problem, considering they can't even finish off Syria.
Russia has sold Iran S 300 missile system, and as far as i know the Iranians are seeking the S 400 system as well as fighter jets and more. Much to the displeasure of uncle sam and Israel. Russian bombing missions in Syria from Iranian air bases recently was a statement of intent, as far as i can tell.
The Israelis were calling for Iraq to be partitioned pre 2003 invasion as you rightly say.
I reckon Afghanistan is strategic, i.e. close to China, Russia, India, among others for all sorts of nefarious reasons, not just the heroin.
I believe it was Russia, and Pakistan that recently stated that ISIS is a growing in Afghanistan. So the Israeli project ultimately could spawn further than MENA. (what a gruesome thought)! As i see it, the pipelines are a means to an end, not the end in itself. Bring the Russian Bear to its knees!
Maybe the Israeli project is really about extermination of the people in the region, and concentration camps for the rest?
Eventually on a global scale perhaps?
My understanding is that this is really a war by psychopaths against humanity. So far humanity falls for all the mind control, and brainwashing. So i am not too bothered what anyone calls it. A turd is a turd, no matter how well it is polished.
My name tag is nothing more than that. No hidden meanings or connection to Monty Python. (a tiger in Africa?)
So fear not, lol.
Have a great 2017 RC and everyone.
More twists and turns, this will be very interesting to say the least!
Maybe Erdogan now has woke up to that reality that terrorism in Syria poses a signifcant threat to Turkey.
Not to mention the failed coup in July, and the US plan for a Kurdistan along its borders.
Also the Russian jet shot down over Syria by "Turkey" and the recent assassanation of the Russian ambassador.
If this story is true then the jhadis in Idlib and Aleppo province are toast.
Might even see Turkey withdraw from Nato, that would be something.
With friends like these, who needs enemies!