Tag Archives: ISIS

Η Τουρκική Επέμβαση στη Συρία – Συνέντευξη στην Εφ. “Αλήθεια”

Η πιο κάτω συνέντευξη δόθηκε στον δημοσιογράφο Χαράλαμπο Χαραλάμπους, για την εφημερίδα “Αλήθεια” που εκδόθηκε την Κυριακή, 28/08/2016, σ.9.

interviewΠοια είναι η νομική υπόσταση της στρατιωτικής επιχείρησης της Τουρκίας στη Συρία, έρχεται σε αντίθεση με το ψήφισμα 2254 του ΟΗΕ και το Διεθνές Δίκαιο;

Η νομική υπόσταση των τουρκικών επιχειρήσεων στη Συρία είναι ιδιαίτερα αμφιλεγόμενη για δύο βασικούς λόγους. Πρώτον, η Τουρκία έχει παραβιάσει τα σύνορα με τη Συρία χωρίς να μπορεί να υποστηρίξει ότι οι επιχειρήσεις της είναι αμυντικού τύπου λόγω κάποιας επίθεσης στα δικά της εδάφη. Δεύτερον, το καθεστώς του Μπασάρ αλ Άσαντ, το οποίο παρά το έλλειμμα νομιμοποίησης παραμένει η μόνη νόμιμη κυβέρνηση, έχει καταγγείλει την τουρκική επέμβαση ως παραβίαση της συριακής κυριαρχίας, σε αντίθεση με την αντίστοιχη ρωσική την οποία είχε προσκαλέσει. Εντούτοις, η Τουρκία φαίνεται να κεφαλαιοποιεί το γεγονός ότι το ψήφισμα 2254 επιτρέπει την καταπολέμηση π.χ. του «Ισλαμικού Κράτους», του Μετώπου αλ Νούσρα και «άλλων τρομοκρατικών ομάδων», κατατάσσοντας το κουρδικό κίνημα της Συρίας σε αυτές τις ομάδες και τα ταυτίζοντας το με τις τζιχαντιστικές οργανώσεις. Παρόλο που αυτό δεν νομιμοποιεί τις επιχειρήσεις της σε συριακά εδάφη. Continue reading

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On Bombing Syria

The United Kingdom and Germany have been the latest powers to join the war in Syria though Germany’s contribution will be in ground forces and aerial reconnaissance operations. The UK’s decision has stirred up a heated debate about whether this is the right line of action that should be followed from London, or any other country for that matter.

International bombing operations in Syria have been taking place at least since September 2014 in the context of the Western anti-ISIS “Coalition of the Willing” led by the United States. States like the U.S., France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Qatar, Germany and the UK are participating in one way or another in this coalition. On the other end, Russia and the Syrian regime are also conducting large scale military operations. (See map below)

zones in syria

Source: geopolitical-info.com

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Talk – The Impact of ISIS on Middle East and Turkey Politics

Talk (Video & Text) delivered at the conference “EU Foreign Policy and Humanitarian Aid: Developments in the Middle East”, on October 16, 2015. Organized by The European Parliament Offices in Cyprus & Greece, The Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus & the Diplomatic Academy of the University of Nicosia. 

Introduction

A lot can be said and speculated about the roots and the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh. It is, however, undeniable that its military advances and territorial gains in Iraq and Syria have had a great impact on the politics of the greater Middle East and beyond. Its presence, operations and organizational character have changed the geo-political landscape of the region and the strategic calculations of many states around it and across the world. At the same time it gave new meaning and significance to transnational asymmetrical security threats. Continue reading

Shifting the Balance against ISIS, or Why Turkey Changed its Mind

Source: Reuters

When the international anti-ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) coalition was formed back in September 2014, Turkey was thought to be a pivotal participant. However, the international initiative divided Turkey’s political scene which appeared reluctant to follow in the footsteps of its traditional ally, the United States (US). Even after October 2, 2014, when the Turkish parliament voted on a motion that would authorize the government to conduct operations in Syria and Iraq as well as provide Turkish soil and military bases for allied operations, Ankara kept resisting any kind of meaningful military engagement of ISIS. Not only that, but it seemed to be turning a blind eye on foreign fighters crossing into Syria through its borders. Continue reading

Assessing ISIS one Year Later

Source: Reuters

A year ago the world witnessed the swift advances of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria. Though the emergence of the group was somewhat expected for those who have been following the regional developments of the past years it caught most of the world by surprise. At the same time, its brutal tactics,military victories, resilience, evolution and extreme ideology have led many to characterize it as the greatest regional and international security threat at the moment or the most dangerous Islamist threat contemporary history has seen. Continue reading