AKP Deputy Chair Kurtulmuş: We are Going to War After All

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Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chair Numan Kurtulmuş spoke to Bülent Aydemir from Habertürk TV last evening (October 7).

"If God permits, our soldiers will make the Fountains of Peace in Northern Syria flow in the swiftest way possible", Kurtulmuş said.

It is rumored that the cross-border military operation to be launched into Syria will be called Fountain of Peace (Barış Pınarı).

'They seem to turn a blind eye to operation'

Sharing details about the imminent operation, Kurtulmuş also touched upon Turkey-US relations within this context:

"Will the US cooperate with Turkey, the most stable country in the Middle East and its ally with 82 million population, or cooperate with the PYD, which has 5-10 thousand militants? When it is told to choose between the terrorist organization and Turkey, the US will prefer Turkey.

"In the last analysis, yes, they seem to be turning a blind eye to the operation to be launched by Turkey. But, the PKK still has the weapons given to them by the US. So, we know that it is, in itself, one of the most important risks posed by the operation.

"Other elements in the US might have other attitudes, but I do not think that they will take a step back after the directive of the President".

'30-kilometer safe zone'

Other highlights from his statements are as follows:

"The intention of Turkey is quite clear. We will never be in Syria with the intention of occupation. We will not be present in Syria in favor of any ethnic group and against another one. Our main objective is to ensure that Syria will be designed in such a way to provide a free life to Syrian people and to fight off terrorist organizations in Syria.

"PYD/YPG, PKK and the elements engaging in terrorist activities under other names need to be removed. The territorial integrity of Syria should be protected. Turning the 30-kilometer part of it into a safe zone, as announced by our President at the UN General Assembly, will give the Syrian refugees, the majority of whom we have, to return to their country.

'We are faced with a war'

"We are going to war after all. A war where the terrorist organizations will be removed from here... We are faced with a war, albeit with definite boundaries, and, god willing, we will win this war, if god permits.

"What weapons are kept by the terrorist organizations and where have been detected by the intelligence units. We are not going on a cruise there after all. We are entering an operation. We want to eliminate the risks or, at least, to minimize them, our people should see it like that.

'Parties should meet on a common ground'

"We are talking about an operation which is about to start. Turkey has a struggle against terrorism. What we mean by the normalization of politics is that all political parties at the Parliament build insurmountable walls between themselves and terrorism.

"Waging a legal struggle at the Parliament with opinions is something else. For instance, the HDP could in no way build thick and insurmountable walls between itself and terrorism. Building these walls is inevitable for the normalization of politics in Turkey and normalization of HDP.

"Other political parties should stand on a common ground when it comes to national issues. We can be different, they can confront each other in every possible way, but we can meet on a common ground in national issues, it can strengthen Turkey and normalize politics". (AS/SD)