"Before the Russians moved into Syria, Erdogan wanted to use the refugee crisis as an excuse to move Turkish troops into Syria and create a no-fly Zone and a safe zone, and in the process attacking the Kurds who have been gaining ground and have been a formidable force against his Islamic extremist proxies," Ribal Assad said.
He claims Erdogan sought to let the Turkish-supported Islamist "gain as much territory as possible in Syria and Iraq." The international community would allow Turkish forces to "move in and impose order" under the pretext of the Islamist takeover.
Syria, formerly a part of the Ottoman Empire, is a "natural place" for Turkey to attempt to spread its influence south into the Arab world. The consolidation, under Erdogan of a Sunni Muslim new Ottoman Empire would effectively block any further spread of Iranian Shia influence, he explained.
"He wants to recreate the Ottoman Empire," Ribal Assad said of President Erdogan. "He sees himself today as the leader of the Muslim Sunni world, against the Iranian led Shia-axis."
Ribal Assad suggested that Russia ruined Erdogan’s plan after Moscow deployed S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems in Syria, and built military facilities in the war-torn country.
Russia moved S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems to Syria to protect its air assets following the downing of a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft by a Turkish F-16 fighter over Syriat its air assets following the downing of a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft by a Turkish F-16 fighter over Syria.
