According to some, August is a “vacation” month. For example, because Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's mayor is Ekrem İmamoğlu. Who cares about any disaster in Istanbul? Istanbul has a mayor that cannot be reached when called, who comes and goes as he pleases, and then continues his “holiday.” How lovely.
What was that Orhan Veli quote?
“A mirror in one hand, tweezers in the other, who gives a care about the world?”
İmamoğlu’s is similar. He said, “August is a holiday month for me buddy. It is my legal right and I will use it. What is it to anybody,” and is continuing his vacation in Bodrum. Happy vacationing Mr. İmamoğlu.
He is not concerned about the disaster in Istanbul, the east of the Euphrates, or the humanitarian crisis in Idlib. He has a sole concern, and that is the suspension of mayors with links to terrorism.
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According to some, “15 days of August is summer, 15 days winter.” For example, for those in my hometown, it is the time to prepare for fall and winter. The people of Anatolia harvest in August. They prepare for winter.
AUGUST IS THE MONTH OF EXPEDITIONS, VICTORIES, TESTS
For the people of Turkey, August is a month of expeditions, a month of victories. Aug. 30 Victory Day is just around the corner. Everything from the Battle of Manzikert, Battle of Mohacs, Battle of Marj Dabiq, to the conquest of Cyprus, the Cyprus Peace Operation, happened in August.
August is also a month of arduous tests. Just as it is the case now.
I say now, because we are going through another great test as a nation and state.
A giant operation has been launched within our borders in coordination with Operation Claw, which is being conducted in Northern Iraq, against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization that we have been fighting against for the last four decades.
“Operation Kıran” is being carried out in rural Hakkari, Şırnak and Van.
There is also an urban aspect of the operation. The mayors of Diyarbakır, Van and Mardin prvinces were discharged by the Interior Ministry for having “ties to terrorism.” A trustee was appointed in their places. Additionally, a large-scale operation has been launched against the PKK-affiliated Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK). There is quite a large number of detainees.
DO İMAMOĞLU, BEKAROĞLU NOT KNOW THE MARTYRS WHOSE NAMES ARE GIVEN TO THE OVERPASSES ALONG THE COASTAL ROAD IN BLACK SEA?
The first support for the Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) municipalities, who were suspended based on the grounds of having ties to terrorism, came from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) of course. I just mentioned İmamoğlu. Let us talk a little about Bekaroğlu now. Both are originally from the Black Sea region. The irony is that they are both from the region that has given the most martyrs in the fight against terrorism.
These two politicians are the first from Karadeniz to support the HDP/PKK. (Author’s Note: If you ever passed the Black Sea costal road, you will see that each overpass is named after a martyr.)
AS GÜL REMAINS SILENT ABOUT IDLIB, EAST OF EUPHRATES, HE SPOKE UP ABOUT DISCHARGED HDP MAYORS
The second round of support came from Turkey’s 11th President Abdullah Gül.
Are we surprised? Of course not.
We were not surprised when CHP spokesperson Faik Öztırak criticized the suspensions by saying, “The same thing that was done in the coup period is being done.”
Just like we were not surprised when Mr. Gül tweeted saying, “The suspensions of newly elected mayors ‘in this manner’ is not right for our democracy.”
Because unfortunately, Mr. Gül and the CHP have a lot in common with respect to the HDP and PKK.
I will not go into the details, but those following this column will remember, I wrote articles saying, “Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu remaining as head of the CHP is necessary to continue relations with the HDP. Mr. Gül has also made suggestions in this direction.”
Let us also reiterate that Mr. Gül is yet to declare any opinion on matters such as Syria’s Idlib, the east of the Euphrates.
IS IT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE TO PASS 2 MAJOR TESTS WITH HONOR?
Remember how we said August is a month of tests? Two of those tests are perhaps the most difficult.
The first is the attitude Turkey will take with respect to the latest incidents in Syria’s Idlib. The Syrian regime escalated attacks against Idlib. ;Yesterday they attacked a town called Khan Sheikhoun. Turkey has two observation points there. In fact, the regime also attacked our convoy. There are casualties among civilians. The crisis in Idlib is deepening.
This is due to two reasons. The first is the armed groups in Idlib, the “stateless” in particular, not leaving the area. In the same context, it is the “stateless” terrorist groups’ homelands supporting their elimination there.
The tragic aspect of it all is that civilians are the ones harmed most by this. The current population in Idlib is unknown. There is a buildup on the Turkey border in the face of the regime’s attacks. Turkey stated before, “We can neither handle another wave of migration, nor can we tolerate it.”
It seems that Russia is responding to Turkey’s “taking a step” with the U.S. in the east of the Euphrates. Even though it does not provoke the regime in Idlib, it gives it free rein.
Turkey is trying to solve the humanitarian tragedy beyond the border. The north of Idlib excluded, it is being targeted by the regime. “Idlib” is about to come between the guarantors of the Astana process.
Our second test, of course, is the step we are going to take with the U.S. in the east of Euphrates. We have been criticizing from the very beginning that the “deal” is going to be in favor of the U.S. and the PKK-affiliated People’s Protection Units (YPG).
We expect the initiative developed with the U.S. in the context of alliance to bring “calm” to the region soon, however, we are concerned that in the medium and long terms, Turkey is going to face great troubles.
We are on the watch.
