Alwaght- One again, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyib Erdoğan, issues statements which include sectarian remarks that reflect the true political identity of his Justice and Development Party, and the racist and sectarian orientation adopted by the administration in dealing with region issues, particularly in the light of the ignition of war and conflicts by Erdoğan against Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian President.
Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition including the Gulf states (except for Oman) as well as Egypt, Sudan, Morocco and Jordan to rout the Shiite Ansarullah Movement.
This time the sectarian speech of Erdoğan involved the Yemeni situation and the Saudi aggression against the oppressed Yemeni people. During a Television interview on France 24 on Thursday, the Turkish President demanded that the Islamic Republic of Iran and – what he called – "terrorist groups to withdraw out of Yemen." He added that his country might consider providing a logistic support in the aspect of equipment and supplies for the aggression operation against Yemen which is now known as "Decisive Storm." In the same context, Erdoğan doubted the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region and in fighting terrorism in Iraq. "Iran's goal is to increase its influence in Iraq," he said. "Iran is trying to chase ISIS from the region only to take its place," he added.
He commented on the ongoing process of restoring Tikrit province, "the Iranian side is stressing the sectarianism; they want to fill the void left by ISIS." A similar position by Ankara but with less severity regarding the Yemeni events, where it demanded that Ansarullah Movement – and those who support them – should refrain from their approach that is threatening the security of Yemen and the region."
It is clear that the Gulf oil money has succeeded in attracting a country such as Turkey into the war against Yemen, where Ankara has declared its support to Riyadh despite the prevailing disputes between the two. These disputes involve the Muslim Brotherhood issue, where the rug was pulled from under the feet of Turkey and the groups that it supports in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt, and placing the Muslim Brotherhood movement on the list of terrorist groups. However, these disputes have been placed aside for now. The oil money and the sectarian motive are the two main factors that triggered Turkey and other countries to jostle toward Riyadh and its U.S-supported sectarian policies. What's odd about this? Isn't Turkey a prominent part of the sectarian project which aims to divide the region and cause dispersion in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and now Yemen? Has not Turkey been trying since long to trigger a situation of division, dispute, wealth looting, and confiscation of decision and sovereignty of those countries, particularly Syria and Iraq, for the advantage of the U.S? The extent of the Turkish involvement in the support of the terrorist groups is evident. It has supported and facilitated the crossing from around the world toward Syria and Iraq under the protection of the Turkish Intelligence. This was confirmed by the Turkish Courts which appear to have been bribed by Erdoğan just recently. In January 2015, the Turkish Army discovered that trucks carrying seven containers filled with rocket-propelling grenades, accompanied by the Turkish Intelligence. Back then, the Attorney General, Aziz Takji, ordered that the containers are to be inspected and confiscated. Erdoğan justified his objection as the action of inspecting the containers was illegal since it is under the authority of the Turkish Intelligence. Takji was immediately deposed from his position under direct order by Erdoğan. He was sentenced twenty years of imprisonment along with thirteen other militants under the charge of "conspiracy."
On the other hand, the issue of the Turkish support of the extremist terrorist groups does not end at this point. It extends to reach a strong and suspicious ties with Erdoğan himself with the Saudi "Yassin Al-Qadhi", one of the thirteen most prominent Saudis accused of financing Al-Qaeda, and who is placed on the American black list since April 2013. In addition, the Turkish administration has been transferring modern means of transport for the terrorists. The latest was what happened on Otma crossing, where reports spoke about heavy and diverse armory in the hands of thousands of terrorists within the "Syrian opposition". These have entered the Syrian territory with the support of the Turkish Intelligence. This in the end aided the terrorists in gaining control over Edlib city. Not to mention the establishment of training camps in cooperation with the U.S. on the Turkish territory.
The facts prove that there cannot be an equality between the Turkish positions which are pro-terrorism and are supportive, and those of the Islamic Republic of Iran which has provided consultancy and logistic support in the context of the war against ISIS. Turkey has not provided an acknowledgeable support in an attempt to defy terrorism; however, it is doing the exact opposite. The Islamic Republic of Iran has merely responded to Erdoğan's recent comments by summoning the Turkish chargé d’affaires to inform him with the Iranian objection. "We are summoning the Turkish charge d'affaires... to register Iran's objection to Erdogan's comments and to seek a clear response," spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said.
