Headlines 08/06/2016

Headlines

• Blowback in Turkey

• Syria 5 Years on

Details

Blowback in Turkey

A bomb attack targeting a police vehicle in a central Istanbul district has killed at least 11 people, including seven members of the police force. The explosion took place near the Vezneciler metro station, which is within walking distance of some of the city's main tourist sites, including the Suleymaniye Mosque. This makes it the third attack on Istanbul this year. Not only is Turkey dealing with an external threat caused by the military assistance Turkey has given to the US in support of the bombing campaign of Syria and Iraq, it is also dealing with an internal threat with its Kurdish minority that have been given new hope of establishing a Kurdish homeland. The Kurdistan Workers Party has, according to Turkish officials already carried two bombings in the capital this year, ironically the separatist movement has been rekindled and accelerated via the very same ally Turkey has allowed to use its airbases, the US. The US has used the Kurdish minority to fulfil its interests in the Middle East, arming the movement in the hope that it would deal with ISIL. President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday the country's fight against armed groups will continue "to the end". Speaking to reporters after visiting some of the injured in a hospital near the site of the blast, Erdogan said the attack was "unforgivable". Despite the rhetoric Turkey looks set to fall into the abyss of internal tensions and conflict just like Pakistan has due to its involvement in the so called War on Terror. The conflict from the Levant has spilled into Turkey and the blame rests on Turkey and its allegiances to the US, the interests of which are contradictory to Turkey's.

Syria 5 Years on

In a televised speech on Tuesday 7 June, before the country's new parliament, Bashar Assad vowed to "liberate" every inch of the country lost to rebel groups the same way his forces recaptured the historic town of Palmyra. "As we liberated [Palmyra] and before it many areas, we will liberate every inch of Syria from their hands. Our only option is victory, otherwise Syria will not continue, he said" These comments a far cry from remarks he made last July when he conceded that his army was facing a series of setbacks on the battlefield and was being forced to relinquish certain areas. But the Russian intervention saved Bashar’s regime from complete collapse and the intervention of the US and regional powers on a political solution which has handcuffed many of the rebel groups.

Bashar’s arrogance belies the reality on the ground, without foreign help, his regime is bleeding to death. This is a reality no amount of TV appearances will ever hide.