Will Turkey’s Parliament Back Attack on Syria?
Turkey’s participation in a “coalition of the willing” for military action in Syria may face resistance in Turkey’s parliament.
All eyes are on Turkey as signs of a military operation by a US-led “coalition of the willing” against the Syrian regime increase following the alleged use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians by forces loyal to the regime.
Russia and Iran, the two key supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, continue to insist there is no proof that the regime is culpable and suggest the Syrian opposition could just as easily have been the guilty party in a bid to spur the world into military action against Syria. While UN inspectors try to verify the truth of the matter, Washington and Ankara, among others, have little doubt that Assad is guilty.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been clamoring for international action against the Syrian regime for some time now, and the use of chemical weapons in Guta, near Damascus, may have brought him a step closer to his wish. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, for his part, has expressed enthusiasm for Turkish participation in any military action against Syria, whether this is sanctioned by the UN or not.
Answering questions for daily Milliyet on Monday, Aug. 26, Davutoglu insisted that the UN Security Council must adopt a resolution enabling the international community to act.
