Erdogan-Assad rapprochement ????

                 
Pic above - Flashback from the recent past.  Battle of Aleppo 2015.  Frontline Turkish border.  A cordial handshake with senior Nusra Front terrorist.  Source of image:  Forum timeline Sultan Erdogan Arab Spring.  A pro-Erdogan thread shamelessly proud of this mafia chief hohnobbing with nasty thugs and violating the sovereignty of neighbors.



Rai-al-Youm is an Arab online daily based in UK that recently presumed the near-future resumption of normal ties between Syria and Jordan.  It presumes again, this time the presumption more far-fetched, if not absurd.

There was a (secret) consultation between Saudi Arabia and Turkey mutually agreeing that it isn't possible any longer to topple Assad.  Bin Salman is also supposedly disheartened over Saudi Arabia's failure in Yemen and wants better relations with Iran.   Thus, Abdel Bari Atwan - editor in chief of Rai al Youm - foresees Erdogan visiting Damascus to say "hello" to Assad.   Some recent stories Atwan takes as reasons for his guesswork are:

- Visit of Iranian military chief to Ankara ..
- Iranian government's threat of 20% enrichment if US trashes JCPOA ..
- Erdogan no longer paying monthly salary of $320,000 to the Syrian National Coalition (political wing of FSA based in Turkey). This story is a very dubious assumption. It's not reported anywhere yet.

Quoting Atwan: "And now in this new arrangement, friends and foes might exchange their positions. Although it is true that Assad has given harsh words to Erdogan in his comments, the Turkish president may still visit Damascus after mediation by Russia and Iran and this is the nature of politics." 

It's terribly unclear how or why the factors taken into account by Bari Atwan should make it necessary for Assad to welcome Erdogan in Damascus.   If Iran is interested in improving ties with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, why should that be a compelling factor for Syria to follow suit?   Unless Atwan's perspective is meant to carry a comforting message for the aggressors that sovereignty in terrorist-ravaged Syria is no more and the wishes of the Syrian government don't matter.

Otherwise ....

As commander-in-chief of the longest and bloodied invasion in Syrian history, on what grounds can Erdogan establish the slightest rapport with his Syrian counterpart?  The Kurdish issue?  That's it?   Apart from ignoring the radicalized political ghetto where he was groomed, "opinion of the day" overlooks the circumstances that have forced a political divorce between Erdogan and ISIL.  This too could be temporary considering the US government's recent statement that it won't quit Syria after the defeat of ISIL.  That's because the Americans need to stay in Syria until the job is done.   The White House is completely backing Al Nusra, and so is Turkey.