Turkey’s war in Libya

December 5, 2014 By administrator

Turkey had initially opposed NATO’s intervention in the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in Libya to prevent France from playing a prominent role. But within a month, Turkey gave NATO the green light and allowed Izmir to become the command center of the NATO operation. Now, Ankara is griping about foreign intervention in Libya. Of course, this attitude is not prompted by the foreign policy principle of maintaining neutrality. On the contrary, Turkey has not abandoned its policies that are dragging it into a war of proxies because of its backing of the Muslim Brotherhood. On one side Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have joined forces to squash the Muslim Brotherhood and on the other side are Turkey and Qatar. Sudan has joined the Qatar-Turkey bloc by playing a role in Qatari weapons shipments to Libyan Dawn, a superstructure of militia forces dominating Tripoli.

Report by Fehim Taştekin

Media expert: Videos allegedly showing Karabakh helicopter downing were from Syrian war

November 15, 2014 By administrator

The videos allegedly showing the Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter downing, released by Azerbaijan several hours after the incident, were filmed during the Syrian war, media expert Samvel Martirosyan told reporters on Saturday.

According to him, after the incident, Azerbaijan started to disseminate video recordings to show that allegedly there have been military operations. Two videos were released, which actually were from the Syrian war, Mr Martirosyan noted.

The media expert praised the Armenian media for their coverage of the recent events.

Source: Panorama.am

Azerbaijan unlikely to take special steps to establish control of Nagorno-Karabakh airspace – Alexander Krylov

November 14, 2014 By administrator

In response to Tert.am’s question concerning Azerbaijan’s determination to keep its promises to shoot down Armenian helicopters and airplanes in the Nagorno-Karabakh airspace, Russia-based political scientist, Doctor of History Alexander Krylov said:

“Considering bellicose statements and militant rhetoric prevailing in that country, I am sure that many other servicemen may try to follow Muradov’s example. I think that Azerbaijan’s leadership is less likely to take special steps to establish control of the Nagorno-Karabakh airspace. However, if the conflicting parties and mediators fail to defuse the tension, more skirmishes will occur.”

The downing of the Armenian helicopter during a training flight threatens with tensions and even hostilities. Do you think the situation will develop into large-scale hostilities? What is your opinion on the Azerbaijani foreign office’s statement declaring Nagorno-Karabakh’s airspace a no-fly zone?

For years, Baku has been trying to force the Armenian side into capitulation by pressing and “wearing out” the Armenian armed forces. It is no coincidence that I speak of ‘capitulation’ because it is not a matter of mutual concessions. Azerbaijan’s only aim is the capitulation in question, as well as re-establishing control of the territories Azerbaijan considers “occupied.” It is with that end in view that, from year to year, especially this year, the military component of this policy has shown an upward tendency. I mean the August events, and a helicopter has been shot down.

I do not think this tension will develop into new war because Ilham Aliyev can only launch a real offensive if Azerbaijan’s victory is guaranteed. This, in turn, is only possible if Azerbaijan has decisive military supremacy over Armenia, that is, international support, Turkey’s military support, as well as consent by Russia and other international actors. Otherwise, resuming hostilities would be a perilous adventure on Ilham Aliyev’s part. However, it does not mean that a new war is impossible. First, tension is most dangerous in that the situation might get out of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaderships’ control and develop into a spontaneous process.

I consider especially dangerous Azerbaijan’s statements on its intention to shoot down all the helicopters and airplanes in the Nagorno-Karabakh airspace, which will make the Armenian side retaliate.

What are the reasons for Baku to show it is not inclined to a peaceful settlement by escalating tensions?

First, I should note that Azerbaijan’s social and economic situation is not at all in harmony with the revenues the state has due to its natural resources. And it is no secret that a great number of Azerbaijani citizens have to emigrate to Russia to earn their living. We should not forget that a substantial proportion of Azerbaijan’s population reside in rural areas and have low incomes.

What is your opinion of Azerbaijan’s determination to keep its promises to shoot down Armenian helicopters and airplanes in the Nagorno-Karabakh airspace?

Considering bellicose statements and militant rhetoric prevailing in that country, I am sure that many other servicemen may try to follow Muradov’s example. I think that Azerbaijan’s leadership is less likely to take special steps to establish control of the Nagorno-Karabakh airspace. However, if the conflicting parties and mediators fail to defuse the tension, more skirmishes will occur. It is in this case that a situation is much more likely to develop into a spontaneous process, which I have mentioned.

Iran accuses Turkey of prolonging civil war in Syria

October 28, 2014 By administrator

ANKARA – Reuters

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. AFP Photo

Iran has accused Turkey of prolonging the three-year conflict in neighboring Syria by insisting on President Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow and supporting “terrorist groups,” the official IRNA news agency has reported.

Tehran and Ankara back opposing sides in the civil war, which pits rebel forces including radical Sunni Muslim fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) against Assad, Tehran’s closest regional ally.

“Ankara’s interference in Syrian internal affairs has unfortunately resulted in prolonging the war and extensive deaths of innocent Syrian civilians,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted a senior Foreign Ministry official as saying.

“The crisis in Syria could have ended three years ago if Turkish officials stopped demanding regime change and supporting terrorist groups in Syria,” the official said.

The comments appeared to be a response to remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was quoted by Turkish media on Oct. 27 accusing Iran of playing on Syria’s sectarian divisions.

“When we have bilateral meetings with Iran, they agree on solving this issue together. When it comes to action, unfortunately, they have their own way of working,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying.

October/28/2014

Foley’s beheading ‘declaration of war’ on US: Rep. King

August 21, 2014 By administrator

Congressman Peter King says the beheading of American journalist James Foley by the ISIL terrorist group is “a declaration of war” on the United States.

“The president has to announce that this is a basically almost a declaration of war on the United States,” the Republican from New York said in a phone interview with The Hill on Wednesday.

King, the chairman of the Homeland Security subcommittee on counterterrorism, said that the US war in Iraq is an unfinished business that poses a threat to the United States.

“We don’t have the luxury of just saying, ‘The war is over. The war’s not going on,’ ” he continued. “There is a war. It’s a threat to the US, and we have to fight back.”

The video of Foley’s execution, dubbed “Message to America,” came almost a month after US President Barack Obama authorized the use of airstrikes on ISIL in northern Iraq.

Rep. King said the video should be “a dramatic wake-up call” for Americans and members of Congress who oppose stepping up military action in Iraq.

“This should show us just how vicious and evil ISIL is,” King continued. “They are a threat to the homeland of the United States, a threat to American interests around the world, and American security around the world.”

On Wednesday, the White House confirmed the authenticity of the video.

The video shows an ISIL militant beheading Foley in retaliation for US airstrikes against the group in Iraq. It also warned that the group would slay kidnapped American journalist Steven Sotloff if the US president did not halt the air campaign.

Foley was on assignment for AFP and the Boston-based media company Global Post when he disappeared in Syria in 2012.

President Obama addressed the world on Wednesday, saying the US would eradicate the “cancer” of ISIL.

“The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people. We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done and we act against ISIL standing alongside others,” the president said.

Karabakh Cease-fire: the information war rages despite two decades of truce

July 24, 2014 By administrator

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan ArmeniaNow

During the Karabakh war and 20 years of cease-fire that followed the war of information was a “buddy” constant conflict.

Angela Elibegova, a specialist in Azerbaijani studies based in Yerevan, said the winning side in the war Armenia has not paid attention to the confrontation of information for a long time, however, when the Azerbaijan began to intensively distortions of various facts about the conflict and the war and issued Armenia began to develop a wide range of policy tools at an official level.

Since 2009, a large group of multi-specialists began working in Armenia. They managed to coordinate information on the Karabakh conflict and present through books, websites and scientific work.

“For example, the draft xocali.net collected all the photos the Azerbaijani side has used in various brochures, posters and discovered that they have no connection with the events in Khojaly. Thus, Azerbaijan has not used photographs in their brochures and posters. In addition, the portal karabakhrecords.info was launched. It contains comprehensive information on the events of 1987-1992 in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh and other programs as well, “said the expert.

Expert in business information Vrtanesyan Karen said there was little information in the early days of the conflict, and even before, during the Soviet years, mostly expressed through scientific articles. In recent years, pirate attacks on the Internet have become an important part of the information confrontation, which runs on some important days in the history of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

“After the war, the Armenian side has started to address its internal problems and the Azerbaijani side started to be active. Plus they have recovered more they acted proactively in the informational sphere. Thus, the more we started the war, more intensive campaign Azerbaijan has increased. If we follow the rhetoric it seems that the active war is not over yet, “says Vrtanesyan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in his public speeches often uses military rhetoric – it is generally said that sooner or later will return Karabakh to Azerbaijan, he also likes to mention indices emigration from Armenia stressing that Azerbaijan exceeds Armenia by both the population and its natural resources, so they can easily conquer Armenia. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE on the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict in all their ads do not encourage them to use the rhetoric of war, stressing that this creates additional tensions. Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian is normally reserved in his statements and most often on the international scene, he emphasizes Aliyev uses bellicose rhetoric, saying that the Azeri leader openly preaches hatred and animosity.

In February at the meeting of the Union of Yerkrapah Volunteers President Sarkisian turned to Azerbaijan with a detailed discourse. He spoke limits incidents, civilian and military casualties as a result of violations of the cease-fire and said that “it is murder and the Azerbaijani campaign presents it to their nation as a struggle for Karabakh” .

“The killings follow another purpose – to intensify the situation regularly and maintain the fire of hatred to all Armenians. The anti-Armenianism is the idea around which they want to collect the new Azerbaijani nation and around which they want to train their so-called “national ideology”. Hatred towards Armenians becomes synonymous with patriotism, “said Sarkisian.

Armenian experts believe that Aliyev’s military rhetoric is very effective, especially for the internal public.

“I normally call it a campaign in wartime. Firstly, one of the objectives of the campaign is to keep them mobilized nation, led to the Armenians and Armenia. Each problem is explained in Azerbaijan by Armenians, even in internal struggles when they want to get rid of someone, they say that the mother or father of the person is an Armenian. The other purpose is to divert attention from domestic problems to the external enemy – the Armenians, “says Karen Vrtanesyan.

Elibegova also emphasizes that Aliyev’s military rhetoric is very effective for the internal public. “They have learned to their electorate to believe in everything, everything that comes from above, television and never analyzed. For 20 years, they said that they would soon liberate Karabakh, and all these 20 years, they believed in it. But, for example, the younger generation who has never met or known one Armenian Karabakh is quite indifferent to the question, “said the expert who closely follows the Azerbaijani media.

Experts consider a serious problem in the information war between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the fact that the Armenian media often reproduce false Azerbaijani information without checking the facts, without seeking information more valuable to a third source. However, Elibegova Vrtanesyan and say that this trend was more prevalent there a few years ago, today the Armenian media are more cautious.

“Our information field is very diverse, there is the media of different political orientations, there is the media for promotional purposes which do more harm to Armenia that Azerbaijan itself. Azerbaijani media often use the statements of Armenian politicians who are supposed to be directed to the internal public, but become very convenient for Azerbaijan. In particular, Azerbaijan is working very hard on the thesis of the devaluation of the Armenian victory in the war. One of these theories is that Russia fought for us, but for Russia, Azerbaijan would have won, and this thesis has recently been heard in the Armenian media as “said Vrtanesyan.

Vrtanesyan also note that, unlike the Armenian media there is a tight vertical supervision on Azerbaijani media. “The whole information field is carefully controlled, and it’s all done in a very coordinated manner, we feel that in the morning they receive a document that has everything to say and with a slight change the same thesis campaign is distributed. “

“In Azerbaijan, you can clearly see the hierarchy, how the orders come from above, how they get spread, what happens to journalists who do not agree with the rules of the game, as Rauf Mirkadirov (he was arrested on charges of spying for Armenia), Khadija Ismayilova (she was repeatedly blackmailed, and spied a video on his personal life has been found on the net). The rules are very clear – either you are either with the system or you are destroyed “said Elibegova.

According to the latest Freedom House report, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain among countries “not free press.” According to the report in 2014, the Azerbaijani indications seem very negative while the country is advertised as going in a wrong direction. It is especially important to silence independent voices, the voices that are heard on the Internet. The situation in Armenia is better. “

Moscow urges UNSC to discuss Syrian rebels’ siege of Christian town of Kessab

April 2, 2014 By administrator

April 01, 2014

RT Russia urged the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Syria’s Christian majority town of Kessab, after Al-Qaeda-linked militants reportedly attacked the town, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

“The UN Security Council should discuss the situation in Kessab and give it a principled evaluation,” it stated. “We condemn extremists’ actions in Syria. We believe that the Syrian government and the opposition should join efforts to eradicate terrorism on the Syrian land.”

On March 21, jihadists reportedly crossed into Syria from Turkey and seized the town in Latakia province, home to over 2,000 ethnic Armenians. The attack caused hundreds of local families, mainly Armenian, to flee their homes and seek shelter in the city of Latakia.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry noted that there were no military objects on the attacked territory and added that the only fault of the families, who were forced to flee, was their loyalty to Syria’s government.

Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, told RT Arabic that Syria is hoping the UN will help resolve the situation in Kessab. In the past week, Syria sent five letters to the UN Security Council and the General Secretary. “These letters contain detailed information about Turkish direct involvement in the crisis by providing protection to terrorist groups that are operating in the Kessab area,” Jaafari said.

He further added that military groups managed to get to Kessab under the cover of Turkish artillery strikes, Turkish aviation, and tanks, which were all used as a distraction.

“This allowed the terrorists to avoid direct clashes with the Syrian army…unleashed [the terrorists’] hands to carry out their heinous, unspeakable crimes.”

Earlier, the Armenian government also called on the UN to protect Kessab, evoked the Armenian genocide of 1915, and accused Turkey of allowing jihadists cross its border to attack Kessab. In turn, Ankara slammed the accusations and condemned the charge as “confrontational political propaganda.”

The attack on Kessab was reportedly carried out by fighters from the Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group in Syria, and the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham brigade, part of the Islamic Front alliance.

Earlier this week, the Syrian army launched an operation to force the militants out of the town.

The situation escalated on March 23 when Turkey shot down a Syrian Air Force jet at the Kessab crossing. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the plane was intercepted after it violated his country’s airspace.

In response, Damascus accused Ankara of “blatant aggression,” saying the fighter jet had been over Syria. The Syrian pilot said a Turksih aircraft fired a missile at him while he was pursuing terrorists within Syrian territories, SANA news agency reported.

Turkey is at war with Syria, Erdoğan says in post-election speech

April 1, 2014 By administrator

31 March 2014, Monday /TODAY’S ZAMAN, ANKARA

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has surprised many after his party’s victory in the local elections by declaring that Turkey is at war with Syria. Experts, however, say the declaration is problematic in a legal sense.

Onur Öymen, the former deputy chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), told Today’s Zaman that Erdoğan’s remarks about declaring war on Syria do not comply with either national law or the principles of international law. “Turkey cannot declare war on a country unless an attack happens first. This [declaring war] is not possible without a reason,” said Öymen.

During his “balcony speech,” Erdoğan, surrounded by a former Cabinet minister and family members who have been implicated in alleged corruption, stressed that Syria is in a state of war with Turkey. He also criticized the leaking of a recorded conversation concerning whether Turkey should conduct a military operation in Syria ahead of Sunday’s elections, allegedly between Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and certain government officials.

“How can you threaten our national security? Syria is in a state of war with us. They are harassing our planes. They have martyred 74 of our brothers, and the Tomb of Süleyman Şah is our land. An attack on there is an attack on 780,000 square kilometers. Can we remain silent about such a thing? But these traitors wiretapped this meeting and leaked it to the world,” the prime minister said in his speech.

The audio recording, which was uploaded to YouTube on March 26, reveals a top-secret conversation allegedly between Davutoğlu, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) head Hakan Fidan and Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler. Today’s Zaman could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio nor could it determine when or how it was recorded.

In his remarks, Öymen recalled that in October of last year Parliament approved a government motion to renew a mandate to send troops to Syria in case of a possible attack. “Unfortunately, Erdoğan is using the war argument for his domestic political agenda,” Öymen added.

During the vote on the motion, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voted in favor of the motion, while the main opposition CHP and pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) voted against.

The one-year motion was first endorsed by Parliament last year by a vote of 320-129 after mortar shells from Syria killed five civilians in the border town of Akçakale. The government then said it had no intention of going to war with Syria, although it did blame Syria for the incident.

The proposal read: “To enable our country’s security against all possible threats, to protect Turkey’s surplus profits efficiently, in order not to be faced with a situation from which it will be difficult to recover in the future, to help the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] employ a fast and dynamic policy, I submit Motion No. 2025, dated Oct. 4, 2012, for the approval of Parliament for the right to allow the TSK to be sent to foreign countries and the necessary regulations that will enable this, the limit, scope, extent and time of which will be decided by the government, to be prolonged for one more year as of Oct. 4, 2013, according to Article 92 of the Constitution.”

Associate Professor Cenap Çakmak, a lecturer in International Law and Politics at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, pointed out two important aspects of declaring war. Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Çakmak said that firstly, according to the norms of international law, the declaration of war is a banned act, referring to United Nations Charter Article 2, which states, “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”

In the second place, Çakmak maintained that according to Turkish constitutional law, the sole authority that can declare war on another state is Parliament, adding that most of the motions approved by Parliament are to send Turkish troops abroad on missions that are in line with the norms of international law. “In this regard, Erdoğan’s remarks do not have any legal validity,” Çakmak added.

Prior to the local elections, Erdoğan confirmed the occurrence of the security meeting at a public rally in the city of Diyarbakır, saying that the wiretapping of his foreign minister’s office was “immoral,” “cowardice,” “dishonest” and “mean.”

The conversation in the audio recording focuses on whether the Turkish military should enter Syria to protect the tomb of Süleyman Şah, the grandfather of Sultan Osman I, founder of the Ottoman dynasty.

The tomb used to be located at Jaber Castle, a historic castle within Syria’s borders, which is a highly sensitive location protected by a contingent of the Turkish army. It was later moved to another location after the castle was flooded due to dam construction.

According to the Treaty of Ankara, which was signed on Oct. 20, 1921 between the colonial power France and the Turkish Parliament, the compound housing the tomb of Süleyman Şah is considered Turkish territory.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the audio recording, saying that the recording of this highly sensitive meeting attended by people responsible for the security of Turkey had been tampered with.

It said the senior officials had met to make a contingency plan in the case of an attack on the tomb of Süleyman Şah, and it reaffirmed Turkey’s determination to defend the tomb.

The statement also said that eavesdropping on conversations in the foreign minister’s office is an attack on Turkey’s national security, an act of espionage and a serious crime.