Turkish Aggression Continues Ahead of Putin/Erdogan Meeting

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Turkey's Erdogan escalated undeclared war on Syria he launched in cahoots with the US nine years ago.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported that an Erdogan regime missile downed a Syrian warplane "northwest of Ma'aret al-Nu'aman" in Idlib province while the aircraft was conducting a combat mission against US/Turkish supported jihadists, adding:

"Terrorist organizations which spread in Idlib receive direct support from the Turkish regime with different means and weapons as this regime mainly depends on the sophisticated drones to provide a fire cover to the terrorists to be able to launch their attacks, in addition to supplying them with shoulder-fired missiles to target the Syrian and Russian warplanes."

Erdogan regime warplanes, drones, and ground forces are aiding anti-government jihadists carry out attacks on Syrian soldiers and civilians — multiple incidents occurring daily.

On March 5, Erdogan will meet with Putin in Moscow to discuss the situation in Idlib, Sergey Lavrov saying the following on Tuesday:

"Regrettably," the Erdogan regime failed to implement agreements reached with Russia and Iran in Astana and Sochi. 

"I hope the meeting between Presidents Putin and Erdogan later this week will make it possible to change this situation and begin to move along the path of the implementation of what has been agreed."

Lavrov knows better. The same goes for Putin and other Russian officials.

Erdogan is a tinpot despot never to be trusted, his word never his bond. Like many times before, whatever he agrees to with Putin will be breached ahead, based on phony pretexts.

It's why treating him like a normal person and negotiating diplomatically with him is a waste of time.

During years of war in Syria, he backstabbed Putin time and again. Whatever benefits Russia gets by pretending he's an ally comes at an unacceptably high price.

Never trustworthy before, he's surely not now. He's an enemy of regional peace, stability and the rule of law — playing the Russian and US cards simultaneously for whatever he can get from both countries in return for broken promises.

On Monday, Syria's Foreign Ministry vowed a strong response to his ongoing aggression.

Neither country wants all-out war with the other. Russia surely wants it prevented, what could only benefit the US, Israel, and their rogue allies.

As long as Erdogan pursues his neo-Ottoman objectives, Astana and Sochi agreements are dead. 

Given his many breaches, at best they're on life support, a Syrian Foreign Ministry source saying:

"The Erdogan regime is not eligible to be one of the guarantors of the Astana process – alongside Russia and Iran."

"The Syrian Arab Republic, which has been fighting against terrorist groups and inflicting humiliating defeats on them is determined to firmly confront the outrageous Turkish aggression, and put a complete end to all Turkish activities in order to preserve the country's unity and territorial integrity."

While Russia wants confrontation with Turkish forces avoided, it will act appropriately against its aggression if its personnel in Syria are endangered.

AMN News reported use of Russian electronic warfare to disrupt Turkish aerial strikes on Syrian positions.

According to the Russian Avia.Pro publication, since last weekend alone, "Turkey has lost at least two attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Syrian airspace that attempted to strike at the positions of the Syrian Army," adding:

"As it became known, when entering the airspace of Syria, the drones were subjected to powerful electronic impact from the southwest direction, which resulted in Turkey losing control over them."

"One drone crashed in the Turkish province of Hatay, and the second in the vicinity of the city of Saraqib."

Since Erdogan escalated aggression in Idlib, numerous Turkish drones were downed.

Russian electronic warfare forced the Erdogan "to reduce (its) use of drones to a minimum," enabling Syrian forces to liberate more towns and villages, the report explained.

Despite Turkish aggression, they're steadily liberating more areas from US/Turkish supported jihadists.

On Tuesday, Russia's reconciliation center in Syria debunked Erdogan regime reports about "millions" of refugees fleeing the fighting in Idlib as fake news and a fake humanitarian crisis caused Syria's liberating campaign.

Around 35,000 people fled combat areas to Turkey, Russia's military said — mostly US/Erdogan regime-supported al-Nusra and likeminded jihadists.

Endless war in Syria continues. The only effective Syrian/Russian strategy is smashing US/Turkish supported terrorists.

The only way to defeat them is by eliminating them.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html