Erdogan:Turkish Military Authorized Against Future Syrian Attacks

The growing conflict between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkish government and Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime worsened on Friday following the shooting down of a Turkish jet by Syria. Erdogan stated that Turkey will no longer tolerate security threats from Syria along its border.

Turkish PM Erdogan spoke to a cheering crowd in the Turkish parliament in Ankara who chanted to him, “This nation is proud of you!” throughout the Erdogan’s speech. Erdogan began by stating, “Turkey is a nation which every neighbor, every friend, every brother can depend on. But I’m drawing a very thick line under this point, as awe-inspiring as Turkey’s friendship is, Turkey’s wrath is equally as awe-inspiring.”

Erdogan described what he called Turkey’s “special rights” in the eastern Mediterranean region in this manner, “My dear friends, the eastern Mediterranean, especially for Turkey, has become a highly sensitive region. We must know that generally speaking we have special rights in the eastern Mediterranean.”

In describing the Friday aircraft shooting Erdogan stated that Turkish and Syrian relations had come to a new position. Said Erdogan, “After this most recent event we have now passed into a new sphere. From now on any actions by the Syrian regime which would threaten safety along our border will no longer be tolerated in any way shape or form. And we will not stand down if anything happens again.”

Erdogan went on to describe the new rules of engagement the Turkish military will be applying in the wake of the aircraft shooting. Said Erdogan, “The rules of engagement for Turkish forces have now been changed since this recent development. Actions from Syrian forces which would threaten safety along our border will be responded to as a military action against Turkey and each Turkish soldier is hereby authorized to react in military fashion to any further Syrian aggressions.”

Erdogan stressed that Turkey would not submit to any outside pressure when he said, “Turkey is not a nation which surrenders its borders in friendship or animosity. If there is anyone who doesn’t understand this then we will unflinchingly prove to those disbelievers that Turkey is not a nation which can be taken apart.”

In outlining what Turkey plans to do in the future Erdogan said, “Speaking from Turkey’s perspective, we will not fall into the war provokers’ trap. Don’t worry about that. However, when our aircraft is shot down over international waters we are not a nation which can sit by without a reaction, without a voice, clinching our fists but doing nothing. We will seek justice by going forward with a case in the international courts.”

Erdogan concluded his talk with these pointed words, “Turkey and the Turkish people will continue to provide all support until the people of Syria have been saved from this tyrannical, murderous, bloody dictator and his gang!”

<Cihan>

news@theasian.asia