The time for U.S. President Donald Trump to start with his traditional Twitter attacks and take over Syria has come. It is unclear how much of it is the total of a serious diplomacy plan, how much is related to U.S. internal policy and how much of it can be risked/taken seriously, but there are “some novelties” on the chart.
The advantage of awareness is: If the White House is really serious this time, we can see that we are on the verge of a very dangerous area; a) the likelihood of it leading to a partial clash between the U.S. and Russia – which has always been negated because of the “balance policies” habits during the Cold War; b) U.S. likelihood of – according to Russia – “constantly” coming back to Syria; c) the opportunism of repeating the plan to first, as a classic method, get Western-type institutions in the region and the create a fait accompli.
The president tweeted: “Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price…”
The president’s next tweet, “We will be making some major decisions in the next 24 to 48 hours,” of course excited everybody.
Either way, “something” is going to happen.
He mentions Putin for the first time
There is such an intriguing “reference” in the content that the term “animal” stands out and clouds the rest of the text, that the statements criticizing Russia, exaggeratedly holding Moscow responsible in the name of destroying the bridge that Trump has been trying to build since he came to office, that nobody noticed that this was the first time Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name was included in such an accusation.
This is important. It is a rhetoric Russia will understand. It contains a message other than the “who should we believe” discourse aimed at Washington.
The second important, simultaneous development is a Tel Aviv operation that strengthens signals that the U.S. will punish the Damascus administration.
Israeli war jets carried out a missile attack on a Damascus regime military air base in Homs, Syria. As confirmed by Tehran, Iranian militias were also hit.
First, this base is known as the airport where the jets that carried out the attacks on Eastern Ghouta took off. Second, a new chapter is being opened in the process that emerged from the air operations between Israel and Russia and recently led to the downing of an Israeli jet. Third and most importantly, Israel notified the U.S. before attempting the operation.
Therefore, the Israeli attack can be considered as the advance guard of a military intervention the U.S. will make in Syria. Surely the U.N. Security Council meeting or Trump’s meetings with military officials may also be added to the list of clues, but I would say let’s count the drill conducted in late March in Greek skies, where Israeli and United Arab Emirates (UAE) planes were trained as a clue.
This means that the U.S. is the striker, but the Damascus base alone wasn’t struck. Both Iran and Russia are being struck. This is why the “decision [the U.S.] will make in 48 hours” is going to be a military step.
“… And can lead to very grave consequences...”
As the Kremlin also understood the situation like this, it is explaining via its political authorities what the U.S. is trying to do in the region: “The U.S. is constantly preparing the grounds to return to the region.” Meanwhile, making it official through its foreign ministry, it warns, “…and can lead to very grave consequences…” In other words, a military intervention through wrong excuses will lead to very grave consequences. Finally, its media publishes headlines such as, “Russia and U.S. are on the verge of conflict.”
Do you not wonder how Turkey walks so comfortably amid all this jam?
Turkey does not have any liability in even a second of the tragedy that happened in Eastern Ghouta. On top of this, Turkey’s rhetoric on this subject is never to protect “both its allies/friends.”
The US does not dare mention Turkey
The Cabinet assembly that was held on Monday buries both the U.S. and Russia – along with anyone else involved – in Ghouta’s grave of shame with respect to being responsible for what happened.
The conjuncture reached strengthens Ankara’s attitude with regard to Bashar Assad’s removal. But it doesn’t refrain from protecting its main source of prestige in the whole region, its fundamental principle of justice and “protecting people” to take advantage of the opportunity to play on this.
It not only criticizes countries but also openly accuses international organizations and institutions of being “nothing.” Just as the addressees of this accusation cannot find a response to this, they do not have the power to do so either.
The question, “Are those who are killed with chemical weapons different to those killed with normal weapons?” is actually a judgment hanging around the West’s neck.
Those who do not bat an eyelid for the babies that wash ashore are also unmoved by the fathers who apologize in tears over their children’s dead bodies crying, “I couldn’t protect you.”
At the time this article was being written, Russia was taking steps aimed at proving that what happened in Ghouta was not a chemical weapon attack. Whether right or wrong, we can’t know.
If it is right, there must be a Western trap behind it all. We shall see. As for the U.S., it has thrown Assad in the middle of the agreement reached at the Ankara Summit like a ball of fire. It thinks the Assad problem will break the trio. While it tells Russia and Iran to “catch,” it is telling Ankara to “run from the fireball.”
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