Turkey is Not Neutral to Syrian Intentions - and Vice Versa

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jun 25, 2012 at 19:30

Only in a non-Western perspective does one get the feel that Turkey is still influenced heavily by western ideologies; that many try to discount the decidedly Islamist friendly stance of the current Turkish regime of PM Erdoğan. But in trying to say, 'Turkey will get this one right,' a concern of how true this might be something to be analyzing, especially if one is looking at the Russian influences being expended for reasons only the Russians can elaborate upon.

Turkish-Syrian tensions have waxed and waned over the last decade or so and only the resurgence of Islamically driven ideologies in Turkey those past years have changed the character of how Turkey might continue in its quest for regional relevance. One can make bank that PM Erdoğan was materially involved in searching out Syrian defensive postures on the Turkish border so that if the opportunity presented itself, it could have been conceivably acted upon.

But the West had better take notice as well-for even if Article 5 is not implemented, the West may still become involved, because all it would take to get Turkey involved in an international incident is to engage in a trade of exchanged fire that gets some Russians casualties and the whole thing will become the worst scenario imaginable and western intentions of trying to solve Syria's internal issues of mortal citizenship will become academic.

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