Syria Support Movement solidarity with the Syrian people
Aug 16, 2015, Press TV
Press TV has conducted an interview with Daniel Patrick Welch, a political commentator from Boston, to ask for his insight on Turkey’s real objective in its so-called fight against the ISIL terrorists.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: More Turkish soldiers are killed as a result of clashes with the PKK. How worse can the situation get in Turkey?
Patrick Welch: This brings to mind an old saying that was popular on the revolutionary left, which is “payback is hell.” This is absolute fruit from the tree of Erdogan’s tinkering with the Western so-called coalition of the willing, killing, shelling, however you want to put it, in terms of the pretence of fighting ISIS (ISIL) across the border, and allowing the Americans to use the airbase at Incirlik , he has revived his own war against the Kurds. And he’s bombing them on the other side of the border, and so this violence flares up on his side of the border. It’s completely obvious; one plus one equals two.
Press TV: Of course, regarding Turkey’s new stance against ISIL terrorists. Will there be backlashes against Turkey by those terrorists Ankara has been supporting?
Patrick Welch: You mean this certainly backlash from the PKK. It’s hard to say, because I don’t think Turkey or the US are serious at all about fighting ISIS. Up until a few weeks ago Turkey was one of the main backers along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States and the Western intelligence agencies, these are all kind of extension of these Frankenstein monsters that have been unleashed with these death squad terrorists. So, I don’t know if there will be a backlash from ISIS, because I still don’t think that they’re clear about it. They want to create these safe zones. Let’s be honest, the objective is still and always has been to topple the government in Syria. The regime in Washington and the regime in Ankara want to topple the government in Syria. Also, Erdogan has his own beef with the Kurds and the Americans want to use that and his kowtowing to the West to isolate and attack Assad. So, I’m not sure how a backlash from ISIS effects them all that much, because they’re still not that opposed to of what ISIS is doing.
