"All attacks on the city of Aleppo, in northern Syria, including air strikes, must be stopped immediately, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said on Monday.
“All attacks on Aleppo, including air strikes, must be discontinued immediately. Turkey’s support for the Syrian people will be continued,” the Anadolu news agency quoted the words of Cavusoglu.
The statement was made during the meeting between Mevlut Cavusoglu and the General Coordinator of the High Negotiations Committee (the main opposition bloc in Syria), Riad Hijab.
It seems that the resetting of relations between Russia and Turkey has ended before it could properly begin." South Front
————–
Or What? What on earth does this man think he can threaten Russia with?
https://southfront.org/turkey-demands-to-stop-attacks-on-aleppo-city/
I find this EXTREMELY worrying!
What it means is that Erdogan is in full panic mode and unable to settle for a consistent course of action, be it toward either side.
This guarantee that the shit will hit the fan one way or another.
Watch what we do not what we say (Richard Nixon)
rakesh wahi
“I AM NOT A CROOK!” (Richard Nixon
Col: Are the Turks just trying to save face?
There is insanity. And then there is real insanity. See https://www.brookings.edu/2016/08/01/what-to-do-when-containing-the-syrian-crisis-has-failed/
Kerry made exactly the same demand to Russia.
Notice that no major U.S. media, as far as I can tell, has reported that there is a major ongoing attack on gov held Aleppo by 5,000+ Jihadis.
AFP says Russia is continuing to defend against that “despite” Kerry’s crazy demand to hold “offensive” action. Do these journos think when they write?
The Jihadis seem to get a beating. What they took yesterday in Aleppo they mostly lost today. I hope that Syria/Russia has some forces in reserve when the Jihadis break off and retreat. Perfect chance for a wide ranging pursue run against a weakened enemy.
I wanted to believe in a Turkish pivot, but I plumbed for calling it a curve instead because it was the product of exigency, not choice. In other words, if those exigent circumstances receded, or were perceived to have done so, and/or ideological hubris achieved a sort of organic breakout; then Turkey would snap straight back to the course the sultan originally had her on.
The one alternative explanation is this is a bone that will be thrown to the (Islamist) masses every now and then while cooperation with Russia proceeds covertly. IDK.
you got me there
Patrick Cockburn is now reporting that maybe the recent coup was far larger than it appeared.
Many Turks have taken time to wake up to the seriousness of what has happened. But it is becoming clear that the attempted putsch was not just the work of a small clique of dissatisfied officers inside the armed forces; it was rather the product of a vast conspiracy to take over the Turkish state that was decades in the making and might well have succeeded.
http://www.unz.com/pcockburn/once-the-great-hope-of-the-middle-east-turkey-is-weak-and-unstable/
So perhaps Erdogan is making these demands so that he appears strong and deflects others from threatening his regime. Whether he expects Syria or Russia to heed his demands is another matter. Perhaps Assad and Putin have okayed this to help their new partner out. Erdogan’s biggest fear at the moment must be a “colour revolution” from the NED/DNI/IRI/CIA and let’s not forget George Soros now that Turkey is realigning with members of the Axis of Evil.
Col.,
I wonder just how many ISIS operatives were funneled into Europe by Turkey and if any of them might now be in Russia? Perhaps they even have some on holiday for the Olympic games in Rio.
Pat Lang,
Since he was speaking to the high poobah of the high negotiations committee, I suspect it was a meaningless show of support.
WPFIII
As pl points out, neither Kerry nor Erdogan is in a position to demand anything.
The demand is coming from the other side: ISIS/KSA are demanding that Turkey and the U.S. take a stand in favor of “Jihadi World”. Hard to believe that the U.S. is a Satrapy.
Tyler
I just watched it and have it in a post I am composing on her health. What else do you have? pl
Bill Herschel
“Satrapy.” No, “vilayet.” pl
Funneling into Russia is slightly more difficult than funneling into Europe. I know a person who recently applied for a visa to visit Russia. You have to have an invitation from an agency of some sort in Russia, and you have to provide every detail of your life.
I would guess that if you are discovered to be in Russia illegally, you have a serious problem on your hands.
A great pleasure to learn more.
Pure speculation but, given what we’ve been hearing about the possibility of a follow-up coup, which Erdogan sees as NATO-linked, he might want to appear to be backing off from changing his Syria policy until he is more confident of control?
In reply to b 02 August 2016 at 09:34 AM
Do these journos think when they write?
Opinion is divided between those who:
1) Believe that they think very hard about how to please their bosses.
2) Those who believe that they’re so indoctrinated that the stuff they write comes automatically.
3) Some combination of 1 and 2 above.
Why are we surprised when a mentally unbalanced leader behaves in a mentally unbalanced manner? That is because we all find it extremely discomforting to face a reality which our own logical minds cannot comprehend – and wherein even the immediate future is unpredictable.
All
If Trump can develop a friendly and cooperative relationship with Russia as he claims he will pursue, that IMO, is reason enough to vote for him. We can’t take the risk of a military confrontation with Russia which is a high probability event with the Borg Queen.
Bill,
“…. if you are discovered to be in Russia illegally…”
Yes, it is in the USA that you are treated better than an American taxpayer. Of course when you are looking to enter paradise though a suicide attack you have “no serious problem on your hands” when discovered by the Russian security forces you have your ticket to heaven punched.
This is disturbing news but it might also just be the difficult transition when one is forced to accept a new reality. Namely the Turks policy towards Syria was an unmitigated error and they want a little more time to accept that fact. A devastating defeat of their proxy forces in Aleppo might force them to accept that new reality a little sooner than they are psychologically equipped to do. Unfortunately the Russians and Syrians are facing a deadline. They better get this battle in Aleppo over before Hillary comes in so she won’t be tempted to call for “safe” and no fly zones over Northwestern Syria.
Erdogan is at odds withe USA, Nato, UE, maybe also KSA and the GCC, most internaly in power restauration mode by massive purges of all state structures. What remain as power base is the most exalted part of Turk nationalist population.
A consequent portion of it being rather approving of jihadists and even Daesh.
Within one week of his meeting in Russia, with all uncertainty and speculations associated, Erdogan had to take this stand. Also for him the fall of Aleppo is in this perspective probably premature.
“The one alternative explanation is this is a bone that will be thrown to the (Islamist) masses every now and then while cooperation with Russia proceeds covertly.”
For now, that’s the view that I’m taking. Otherwise it makes little sense.
Agree, words cost nothing and there is no need to take any action except for the photo shoot.
MB: Is this guy unbalanced as well? See http://us6.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7e381afc91d1b09aec08b492b&id=820a5c6db6
What is extremely discomforting is supposedly respectable states have no problem using proxies, no matter how monstrous.
From the recent Bloomberg article:
“This is the one area in northwestern Syria where non-jihadi groups have generally maintained an upper-hand” over Islamists such as Nusra Front in the fight against Assad, said Noah Bonsey, senior analyst for Syria at the International Crisis Group.
Is this true?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-01/russian-power-takes-assad-to-gates-of-rebel-stronghold-q-a
The Aleppo consensus was active until 2012 in the rif, until 2013 inside the city. It was destroyed by the ihadists, including the Chechens. I don’t believe there is an uppoer hand of FSA people. But the jihadists are smart enough to let the exhibits alone in Aleppo so they can simulate FSA control.
Fellow Pilgrims, Col. Lang;
re: “Or What? What on earth does this man think he can threaten Russia with?”
1-Ah, this tayyipist probably has not heard of King Cnut.
2-I wonder if tayyip and Vlad Putin will meet as planned.
Ishmael Zechariah
Egad man that story is so suspect that it is almost certainly not true. Two points: The non-jihadi groups are a fiction, that is why they are routinely referred to the unicorns. Second is that the International Crisis Group is an organization initially funded by Soros and today receives most of it money from Western governments. In short, ICG is a highly partisan organization that backs the ‘Assad must go line’.
Boney, ICG, have been pro-Jihadi for quíte some time. Just another Soros outlet to ignore.
To put it short: that this is where “non-jihadis” got the “upper hand” is absolute BS.
You probably heard of the repugnant snuff video that the islamist Nurideen az-Zinki crew filmed right there in Aleppo city recently. You also simply need to take a look at the roster of groups gathered within “Fatah Halab”, and consider their continuing cooperation with and appreciation of JaN-turned-JFS. That it is JFS and various other islamists which is driving the – now stalling – assault towards southern Halab also refutes that claim.
Not to mention the fact that the “non-jihadi” FSA Division 16 had this here stockpiled at Bani Zaid district whence they have recently been expelled:
https://twitter.com/IvanSidorenko1/status/758644933192478720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Couple photos around of those canisters:
http://i.imgur.com/SHqKwsP.jpg
which also show that they weren’t stocked up for winter:
http://i.imgur.com/mAw9c6C.jpg
Only point to those stockpiles was to continuously fire in the general direction of SAA-held Halab – and thus, on the majority of that city’s civilian population. With that in mind, trying to argue there is any meaningful difference between this “Division 16” and JFS is futile.
Barish et al
I “lost the bubble” last night while watching “Hinterland” and failed to comment on someone’s belief that in the combat area in west Syria the non-jihadis are the majority and predominate force. That is simply not true. Anyone who pays attention to the OOB involved can see that on an ever increasing basis the non-jihadis are irrelevant and a wasting element in the conflict. The notion that they are more than that is simply a memetic projection of Borgist dreams and schemes. pl
Col: Southfront Syria indicated that the Russian and Syrian air forces are interdicting re-supply from Idlib. Any idea if the jihadis are going “all in” on Aleppo?
Finally, is Aleppo the main base for the FSA or are they also present in strength in Idlib?
Matthew
there are very few secular moderate FSA left. The fighters in East Aleppo are mostly jihadis. pl