Continuing with Enemy Boots?!

Yesterday marked the 4th anniversary of Operation Peace Spring.

In a post shared on the Ministry of National Defense's social media account, it was stated that “our heroic Mehmetçik dealt a major blow to the PKK/YPG and DAESH terrorist organizations with Operation Peace Spring,” and our martyrs and veterans were commemorated.

I wish they hadn't made such a post, as it only leads to the remembrance of other realities regarding this operation.

The letter written by then-US President Trump to Erdoğan, saying “Don't be a fool, be smart”... The fact that he attached the letter of terrorist leader Mazlum Kobani to his own... The fact that then-Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Pompeo came to Ankara and, while meeting with our officials, acted as mediators by speaking on the phone with terrorist leader Kobani.

The termination of the operation through a so-called agreement where the US called it a “ceasefire” and Ankara called it a “pause in the operation”... The failure to keep promises such as pushing the PKK/YPG 32 kilometers back, collecting their weapons, and lifting the sanctions imposed on Turkey...

More importantly, hasn't it been brought to mind that no answer other than “We threw it in the trash” could be given to that disgraceful letter from Trump?!

AS THE SYRIA MOTION ARRIVES

This week, the Iraq and Syria motions will be discussed in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). In the motion sent by the Presidency, which envisions extending the duty period of our soldiers for another 2 years, it is stated that “terrorist organizations, primarily the PKK/PYD-YPG and DAESH, continue their actions against our country, our national security, and civilians,” while the following expression was also included:

“It is also important to continue the activities in which Turkey participates within the framework of the international coalition formed to combat DAESH and other terrorist organizations.”

Furthermore, as in previous ones, it mentioned “the deployment of the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) to foreign countries to conduct cross-border operations and interventions when necessary, and the authorization for foreign armed forces to be present in Turkey for the same purposes.”

Let's go back to the emergence of the motion 2 years ago. When the CHP did not support it, the People's Alliance said they were “fulfilling the wishes of the HDP-PKK.”

Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, linked his reasons for opposition to the “foreign soldier” expression in the motion and asked, “I never want a foreign soldier's boot on these lands... Who are these foreign soldiers?”

The answer to Kılıçdaroğlu came from MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli and the then-Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar.

The “foreign soldier” referred to the “Global Coalition to Defeat DAESH.”

Yes, Turkey is a member of this coalition. The place it is affiliated with, meaning its boss, is the US, which provides all kinds of support to the PKK/YPG. Naturally, we have been in such a grave contradiction for years:

On one hand, we are fighting the PKK/YPG... On the other hand, we are allowing these “foreign soldiers” to be stationed in our country in cooperation with that coalition, which acts as a protector and guardian of the PKK/YPG under the guise of fighting DAESH...

WHAT WATER HAS PASSED UNDER THE BRIDGES?

While Ankara persistently closes its eyes to this picture and continues to remain in the coalition, let's give a few examples of what has happened in the last 2 years.

General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to which the coalition is affiliated, went straight to terrorist leader Mazlum Kobani as soon as he was appointed. Afterward, he went to Syria many times and discussed the fight against DAESH with the leaders of the organization again.

Following Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's visit to Baghdad and Erbil in August, General Joel B. Vowell was appointed to replace General Matthew W. MacFarlane, the commander of the Coalition to Defeat DAESH. At the handover ceremony held on the day Fidan was in Baghdad, the new commander Vowell expressed his “mission” as follows:

“We live on the knife's edge of freedom. Our mission here is to continue to defeat DAESH, to help our partner forces recover and become independent. This will be my focus.”

One of those meant by “partner forces” was, of course, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is used as a cover for the PKK/YPG.

As is known, clashes occurred between PKK/YPG terrorists and Arab tribes in Deir ez-Zor at the beginning of September.

While Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, “This is just the beginning,” General Joel B. Vowell, along with other US officials, stepped in. In the statement made by the International Coalition, it was reported that “the focus on working with the SDF continues,” while it was “reaffirmed that the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve provides advice, assistance, and enablement to partner forces in the enduring defeat of DAESH.”

IS THIS NOT A GOAL EITHER?

After Ankara closed its eyes to all of this, what happened last week?

The US shot down our SİHA (UCAV) conducting an operation against the PKK/YPG in Syria!..

While the Pentagon described shooting down our UCAV almost with relish, what did this coalition we are a partner of do? Even though they deleted it later, they threatened Turkey from their social media account as follows:

“We oppose actions that will disrupt the security and stability of the region; that will endanger the safety of our forces, civilians, and our partners; and that will distract us from our goal of defeating ISIS... We always reserve our right to self-defense when we encounter threats that put our forces in danger.”

Our question is this:

Is the “foreign soldier” expression, which refers to this coalition, going to remain in the Syria-Iraq motion and be accepted in the TBMM as well?!

At the very least, can't the US be responded to with a stance shown on this issue?

Since Erdoğan, who spoke for the first time after yesterday's Cabinet meeting regarding the shooting down of our UCAV, said, “We could not prevent an unpleasant incident that was, in the words of our counterparts, 'regrettable',” and then referred the incident to our “national memory,” saying “when the time comes, the necessary action will certainly be taken,” it is understood that we will continue to host enemy boots.

It is not just our lives, but so much of our national honor that is being lost...

Are we aware?!