It’s often hard to know what is driving the policies of Turkish President, Recep Erdogan. Is it hatred for the Kurds, his desire to control more of Syria, or simply a general drive to amass more power for himself. Whatever it is, we can be confident that his latest proposal to help rebuild Aleppo is not driven by a love for his Syrian sisters and brothers. As Steven Sahiounie writes, his plans for Aleppo seem more like a vision of annexation.
Turkey plans to annex Aleppo
by Steven Sahiounie
In the first few years of the conflict, Aleppo did not participate in the US-NATO attack on Syria for regime change. Jibhat al-Nusra saw the opportunity to surround and occupy the eastern section of Aleppo. This cut the huge city of 4 million into two: the free western section under Syrian administration, and the eastern section under the occupation of various Radical Islamic terrorist groups supported by the US and Turkey.
During the conflict years of 2014 to 2016 the terrorists dismantled the factories in Aleppo and transported the materials to Turkey where they were re-assembled by Erdogan loyalists and cronies.
After Erdogan’s terrorists destroyed the economy in Aleppo and stole the factories, now he suddenly proposes to rebuild factories and boost the economy of Aleppo. But, Erdogan is not proposing to fund or support existing Syrian businesses in Aleppo, instead under his plan Turkish businesses along the border region will develop Turkish businesses and employ Syrian workers. The workers will have an income, but the Syrian businesses will be targeted for extinction. It appears Erdogan is proposing an annexation of Aleppo and more regions in Syria.
The Syrian refugees returning to Syria would be working for Turkish businesses with no benefit for Aleppo.
Erdogan has repeatedly voiced his wish to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Damascus has said their condition for the meeting is the complete military withdrawal of Turkish military in occupation of area in Syria, and the removal of Radical Islamic terrorist groups which Turkey has employed in Syria.
read the full article on Mideast Discourse here.
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