Turkey has a 911-kilometer-long border with Syria in the south. Hence, the de facto situation in northern Syria, which has come under the control of terrorist organizations such as the PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) and Daesh because of the civil war, poses a threat to its security.
However, Turkey's operations in this region are met by adverse reactions.
Those reacting are not the Damascus regime that has lost control of the country. The regime has informed the U.N. in recent months that they consider Turkey's operations against terrorist organizations that threaten Syria's territorial integrity legitimate. Those who oppose Ankara’s exertion of its right to self-defense granted by international treaties are none other than the NATO partners of Turkey, which protects the organization’s dangerous southern border.
France, for instance, is 3,500 kilometers from Syria as the crow flies. Despite this distance from Syria, Paris is sending troops to the region on the grounds of “national security.” However, it declares Turkey’s military presence in the region unlawful, despite Ankara being within scorching distance of the fire and hosting 4 million Syrians who have fled conflict zones.
The situation is no different in the Mediterranean. Turkey is almost forbidden to even put its feet in this inland sea of which it has a coastline of 1,577 kilometers. In fact, it is even forbidden to make a deal with the countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Libya.
On the other hand, Greece, whose physical presence in the Mediterranean is limited to the Meis Island, which is 1.3 kilometers from the shores of Turkey and 588 kilometers from Athens, is almost the ruler of the sea.
Athens is sounding the alarm to the world because of Turkey’s commercial activities in the Mediterranean, which is right beside it. Greece could even pressure the U.S. to threaten Ankara with sanctions.
But, no one asks why the U.S., 10,000 kilometers away, could have a say on the Mediterranean, which is not of direct concern even to Greece.
You are right, the West is busy these days and cannot deal with these questions. It is busy granting the Nobel Prize in Literature to Peter Handke, who supported the civilian massacres in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in the heart of Europe.
Tell me, is there any other civilization on earth that is so close to everywhere but so far from humanity?
