Syrian government ultimate target of Turkey: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with James Jatras, former US Senate foreign policy analyst from Washington, to ask for his insight on Turkey’s raids on what Ankara calls ISIL positions in Syria as well as militant targets in Iraq.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Turkey claims it is hitting ISIL targets. But the pattern since yesterday all point to Turkey being targeting Kurdish militants more than hitting Takfiri terrorists. How much do you think Ankara is using the ISIL as an excuse to pursue its anti-Kurdish agenda?

Jatras: Clearly, that is part of what their agenda is, but this could end up being a very significant shift up untill now. Turkey’s price for agreeing to the use of its airspace and bases for the anti-ISIS (ISIL) coalition, so-called, from Washington, has been the establishment of a no-fly zone, which was directed against not ISIS, and not even against the Kurds, but rather against the Syrian government. And it’s interesting, as far as I can tell, there has not been any reaction from the Syrian government. It served the dog that didn’t bark and I wonder if there’s some kind of a tacit deal here, because up to now, Turkey’s main concern has not certainly been ISIS, that they see as more of an asset than an enemy, or even the Kurds, but really the Assad government, which they were deemed the most necessary to overthrow. The question now is because of bombing in Suruc recently whether there has been now a shift in Turkish policy, where they’re going to focus on the Kurds, on ISIS and not getting rid of Assad is not so much on their agenda now.

Press TV: There are reports of Turkey and the US having agreed to announce a no-fly zone on Syrian soil near the Turkish border. How much do you see a plot to invade Syria similar to what happened to Iraq prior to its invasion?

Jatras: It’s certainly been the fear all along, but that’s interesting that Washington is denying there’s been an agreement on a no-fly zone, where as the Turkish media claims there is one running for about 90 kilometers along the border. So it is may be something that really is not agreed upon, I think we will have to see in the coming days, what does really turns out to be, who the real targets are and what the significance is in the broader sense in this Syrian war.

Press TV: Now in case of any foreign plot to attack Syria in order to topple the Syrian government, is there any chance that Russia and China would interfere?

Jatras: I don’t think that they would interfere directly, but I think this also relates to the broader change in the way of the land in the Middle East. And that’s with the nuclear deal with Iran that all the media here in Washington are certainly reporting and some of them are in great dismay that with Iran deal, it’s far or less likely that Assad will be overthrown, that the global and regional balance of power is shifting in Assad’s favor. So I think that maybe decreases the possibility that Turkey is now blatantly seeking a backward way to intervene in Syria against Assad and I think it’s even less likely the Americans would go along with it.

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