What if Turkey asks NATO to intervene in Syria
Dan Pipes has it right on what ought to happen if Turkey asks NATO to intervene in Syria. How should Western states respond to this crisis between Ankara and Damascus, one which has the potential to grow into a war between two states? More specifically, what if the Republic of Turkey invokes Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which in the case of "an armed attack against one or more of them … shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them … will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking … such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force"?Indeed. Hey- wouldn't it be great if NATO refused to get involved and Turkey withdrew as a result?
Because both sides in the Syrian conflict represent hideous alternatives, I argue that Western governments should stay out. I repeat that, with all the greater urgency, during this crisis. The West has no interest in supporting an aggressive Turkish government; quite the contrary, it needs to send Erdoğan & Co. a clear signal rejecting their bellicose and quasi-rogue foreign policy. As for Article 5, it's clearly inoperative here, what with the recent history of Turkish aggression against Syria, culminating in the warplane's intrusion. Again, stay out.
Labels: NATO, Syrian uprising, Turkey
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:16 AM
2 Comments:
"wouldn't it be great if NATO refused to get involved and Turkey withdrew as a result?"A nice thought, but not with this President in the White House.
Not all NATO powers were involved in Libya or even Afghanistan. Seemingly Muslim states are allowed to opt out when it suits them. There's no rule set in concrete that an attack on one is an attack on all, in practice. For example I really can't see Norwegians putting down their al Qaeda flags and Jew hatred long enough to go to war with another Arab Muslim nation. I do see them flinging open the doors to allow 10's or hundreds of thousands of Syrian 'refugees' into Norway though. And why not; they're antisemites and they have lots of oil.
So if Turkey wants to go to war with Syria and by extension, Hezbollah and Iran, as well as covert support of Syria from Russia, I say go for it. There is no better scenario then Syria becomes a graveyard for everyone concerned.
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