The Arab League did not have the guts to insert a sentence concerning Gaza into this draft text, which could pave the way for a military operation against Syria.
Such a sentence would not only help to reveal the real US policy towards the region, but also make it harder for Russia and China to veto it.
The draft has made it crystal clear that the Arab League’s initiative against Syria was not sincere and was not the result of humanitarian considerations, as the League just sat on the sidelines and watched the tragedy unfold in Gaza.
Now, the Western media is criticizing Russia and China for their veto.
But, since 1988, the United States has been vetoing every draft resolution against Israel, citing that they do not criticize terrorist groups sufficiently.
Thus, the US veto at the UNSC always works in favor of Israel.
This does not mean that we should support the Bashar al-Assad regime, but it does mean that countries may turn a blind eye to fundamental human rights violations and even to massacres in the interests of their own strategic goals.
As an organization created in the atmosphere of the Cold War, the UN is no longer capable of issuing decisions that relieve the conscience of the international community.
And it is not realistic to expect such a structure to develop this capability in future.
Turkey will be walking on thin ice while the balance of power in the region is being reshaped in a Cold War-like atmosphere.
On one hand, Russia and Iran, which back the Assad regime, are our two major neighbors.
On the other hand, there is the Kurdish issue, which may spread to Syria.
There is also the likelihood of a Sunni-Shiite conflict as a result of any military operation against Syria.
The ongoing protests in Bahrain are proof that Iran can play this card at the drop of a hat.
Stability in Syria will be hard to attain without eliminating Iran’s concerns and considering Russia’s demands.
The country with which we have the longest common border is on the way to descending into a civil war that may last for many years to come.
A civil war in Syria is likely to cause much trouble for Turkey, given the fact that it has long suffered from the violence originating from this country.
Today, one-third of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) consists of Syrian Kurds and the top positions within the organization are held by Syrian terrorists. And there are rumors that an independent Kurdish state will be established in northern Iraq in March. All these suggest that Turkey is heading toward a very critical period.
Unlike the US and Russia, Turkey sees the developments in Syria as a domestic matter and recent developments indicate that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s concerns about the region were correct.
Clearly, it would be to the benefit of all players in the region if Russia finds a formula that can secure its own strategic position.
