Turkey aiding Western expansionism?

Interview with Middle East affairs expert Christopher Walker from London

An analyst believes that NATO-member Turkey could be encouraging the unrest and instability in Syria to strengthen the West’s expansionist policies in the Arab world.

In an interview with Press TV, Christopher Walker, a Middle East affairs expert, discusses the growing opposition to the West’s expansionist policies.

Press TV: Russian and Chinese presidents have warned the West, in a declaration, that they oppose outside interference in the unrest in the Arab world. Isn’t it a bit too late?

Walker: In a way it is when you think how many months this has been going on. It is a stronger expression of a feeling that both Russia and China have voiced more … in the past. And in fact, it was probably due to their intervention in 1973 that the UN resolution on Libya was phrased, as it was, and contained ambiguity.

Their unhappiness has been growing. But on the other hand, rather in the same way as the United States on the other side of the coin, they can’t perhaps see exactly what to do.

I very much doubt that this joint statement, important as it is, will have a great effect in Washington or, indeed, in the other Western capitals because, very much, it is Russia and China voicing their own, quite distinct opposition to the sort of intervention that is coming from the other side, but without any great suggestion on a different type of initiative apart from letting things take their course.

Press TV: Looking at Libya, the US and its coalition partners unleashed a war via NATO – the “weaponized arm” of the UN.

Let’s put things in perspective here: you have the United States, you have the UN, and then you have NATO; you have three countries in the Mediterranean, from what I understand, out of the twenty nations that are still not full members of NATO – Libya, Lebanon and Syria. They’re using those two under their influence to pretty much conform and go into Libya or certain regimes in the region. Is that a good way of breaking this down?

Walker: What we are failing to notice is that, as you said, America started alongside France and Britain in the attacks on Colonel Gaddafi; but very soon, they were rowing back and letting Britain and France take the frontline.

I don’t think the Americans are quite as keen, due to their own public opinion, as they might have been in the old days for these foreign wars with Iraq and Afghanistan still blazing away in the background.

The American public is not so keen and, in fact, there has been criticism amongst some of the so-called rebels in Libya, those in the east of the country, saying that NATO, which is in a way an American-dominated organization but not totally, hasn’t been doing enough. And everybody is asking the question again and again.

Press TV: I beg to differ there!

Syria’s case has been marred by outside influences, with Turkey creating a buffer zone within Syria – a unique situation. Given that Turkey is a NATO member, do you think that we are being set up by Turkey, in terms of them coordinating with the United States and then, eventually, making a call to NATO based on a somewhat similar situation that we’re seeing in Libya – the Benghazi area, the oppositions and defections going on inside Libya against Gaddafi – and the same thing happening in Syria right now?

Walker: I think there is some truth in that. Turkey is fighting to increase its influence in the region. And this, in a way, fell in its lap because the rebellion against the Syrian regime was very strong in those areas close to the Turkish border.

There is a question whether Turkey did encourage it. In fact, I have heard reports that the opposition forces held some of their meetings across the border in Turkey before these refugee camps, and these graphic scenes, have been on our screens.

One thing we have to notice is that, in a way, [Syrian] President Assad has played into Turkish hands by banning foreign reporters from Damascus while Turkey has welcomed them.

Certainly in Britain and most across Europe, the reports about what’s going on inside Syria are now coming from the Turkish border which is doing much to strengthen the image of Turkey.

And it is a bit of a “[score on your] own goal” for Syria because it keeps all those reporters out.

MN/GMA/HGH

via PressTV – Turkey aiding Western expansionism?.