The Islamic State performed a suicide-bomb attack, in Kabul International Airport, causing the death of 103 people. The target of the attack was the American troops, with 13 American soldiers (10 of which were marines) among the casualties.

In the eyes of any sane and rational human being, all lives are equally important regardless of nationality, religion, social class etc.

The reason we underlined the fact that 13 American soldiers were among the casualties is that there are certain events that cannot be interpreted or explained easily.

Regardless of the existence of reports indicating that the American intelligence agencies contributed to the creation of ISIS, something that cannot be proved of course, the United States army and government were in charge of the war against the Islamic State, with Washington leading the International Coalition against ISIS, since it started becoming an international security threat.

According to American military and diplomatic officers, the Syrian Kurds proved to be the most trustworthy and efficient force in the fight against the Islamic State and a force that has been cooperating with Washington since 2014.

Actually, the first strategic defeat the Islamic State’s jihadists suffered, was a result of this coalition, when American and Kurdish forces successfully defended Kobani, after ISIS had surrounded and sieged the city.

During the same period, on October 7^th 2014, in the nearby town of Antep, Erdogan stated (seeming rather joyful) that Kobani will be in the hands of the jihadists in any minute.

It is also noted that during the siege, the jihadists were using Turkish territory, not only in order to resupply and treat their injured, but also to perform attacks against those defending Kobani.

The city was ultimately saved when on October 20^th 2014, military transport airplanes dropped care-packages for the defenders, supplying them with weapons, ammunition and other resources. With the supply and air cover provided by the US and bombings against the jihadists that had surrounded Kobani, the city was ultimately liberated on January 26^th.

It was at that moment that the jihadists retreated and suffered their first strategic defeat, as they were prevailing over everyone else up until that point.

ISIS suffered a series of further defeats against the Kurds on the ground and the US in the air.

This is how Manbij, Raqa and Deir ez-Zor were liberated, forcing ISIS to gradually lose control over the territories east of the Euphrates.

Russia’s air cover for Assad’s troops played a huge role in the region west of the Euphrates, nevertheless the operation would be way more difficult (if not impossible) if the Islamic forces had not suffered a significant defeat against the US-Kurds coalition forcing ISIS to lose its capital, the benefits of trading oil with Erdogan and the strategic advantages of controlling the heartland.

Since the beginning of the fight against ISIS, the Kurds have payed a huge death-toll while the US had minor casualties. A total of 14.000 Kurds lost their lives while 20.000 people have been injured since the beginning of the conflict, all of them boys and girls of the Kurdish youth.

Turkey has been one of ISIS’ main supporters for all these years. Islamic State’s officials were hosted by the Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) in 5star hotels, while companies from the Turkish president’s environment were buying oil from ISIS controlled fields, profiting both sides with tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars.

Even the leader of ISIS, Ebubekir el-Bagdadi, had found refuge in the Barisa village near Idlib, an arm’s reach away from the Turkish border and in a region controlled by the Turkish military and MIT.

He was located by the Kurds, who passed on the information to the Americans, ultimately neutralised by US special forces on October 27^th 2019.

With regards to the support that was provided and the cooperation between Turkey and ISIS; the Russian Deputy Minister of Defence, Anatoly Antonov, stated during his interview on December 2^nd 2015 on the BBC:

“According to the information that we have, the biggest buyers of Syrian oil that was stolen by ISIS, were high ranking members of the Turkish government. Erdogan and his family have committed numerous criminal activities.”

Additionally, according to the Turkish press, Russia has filed a memo to the United Nations, making its case for Turkey’s involvement with ISIS.

Here’s the outrageous part:

While American marines were dying due to an ISIS suicide bomber’s attack, and only hours after Secretary Blinken praised Turkey’s eagerness to help the US in Afghanistan, Turkish drones were murdering Kurdish military commanders, the very same men responsible for ISIS’ crushing defeat in Syria. Those men kept fighting against ISIS, which until today poses as a threat for Syria, until the moment they were killed by Turkey’s murderous operations.

Putting it simply, by killing Kurdish military officers that fought jihadists, Erdogan is showing he has ISIS’ back, while at the same time the latter, is killing American troops in Afghanistan. This is the harsh reality.

We’ve seen and lived through a lot; therefore, we think it’s the time to separate the sheep from the goats.

Washington has to understand that Erdogan and his 20-year old version of today’s Turkey consider Islam as a strategic weapon. This is why they will use it in a fight against anyone, in order to position Turkey as a leader in the Muslim world and ultimately emerge as the biggest power in the world.

Regardless of what they say in the diplomatic talks, this is their real plan. Despite of the reassurances Turkey gives the West, we can’t forget that the Taliban are Erdogan’s and Turkey’s strategic allies; not the US’ and NATO’s.

Turkish politicians, military officers, diplomats and the people itself hate the US and NATO; they hate anything Western and non-Muslim. Turkey is just exploiting these relationships until it is possible to rely on its own power.

That will be the moment Turkey’s true colours will be revealed.

Now that the US mourn for the heroic marines, who lost their lives while implementing their task, it would be a good time for Washington to reconsider about those they are supporting and the ones they are abandoning.

Published in: Kiriakatiki Dimokratia newspaper and pontosnews.gr

Translated in English by Nick Christoforidis