Newsweek:

Turkey appears to be leveraging its position as a deciding factor in the U.S.-led NATO military alliance’s attempts to counter Russia’s war in Ukraine by planning a new operation in northern Syria, where factions backed by Washington and Moscow both oppose Ankara’s aims.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared his opposition to the bids of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, arguing that the two countries offer safe havens for supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a separatist group that has waged an insurgency for Kurdish autonomy for more than three decades. The Turkish leader’s approval would be necessary for the Western bloc to greenlight its latest expansion.

The people who control our government, and the ones who disseminate its talking-points, want you to be outraged by the fact that Russia is currently reclaiming historically-Russian territories lost in the 1900’s. This is, after all, why you are supposed to accept the fact that your cost of living has skyrocketed. We must have all these sanctions to fight back against Russia because our way of life is being threatened by Russia’s behavior.

Simultaneously, if the Turkish state moves on territory in Syria which it lost in the 1900’s, then that is not a problem, because Turkey is a Western democracy.

The Independent:

Turkey is preparing for yet another large-scale incursion into northern Syria, in what would be its fifth major military offensive into its southern neighbour in six years.

Asharq Al-Awsat:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent statement led to a dispute with the US concerning the safe zones in Syria.

Erdogan on Monday said Ankara would soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to create safe zones 30 km (20 miles) deep to combat what he characterized as terrorist threats from these regions.

Erdogan has said the National Security Council would make decisions on military operations at its Thursday meeting.

Recent reports stated that Turkish armed forces and the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army might be targeting Tal Rifaat, Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), Ain Issa, and Manbij.

Turkish sources said that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the US on October 17, 2019, has not been implemented. It addresses the withdrawal of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the largest component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to 30 km from the southern Turkish border.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the MoU was signed to stop the military operation “Peace Spring,” which Turkey launched on October 9, 2019, in the SDF-controlled areas east of the Euphrates.

They explained that the withdrawal process was scheduled within five days, but it never happened.

Earlier, the United States warned of any new attack in northern Syria, saying it would undermine stability in the region and endanger its forces.

See also: Turkey’s Plan To Forcibly Relocate Syrian Rrefugees Gains Momentum

Reuters:

Syria’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it would consider any Turkish military incursions into its territory as “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said Ankara would soon create safe zones 30 km (20 miles) beyond its southern borders to combat what he characterized as terrorist threats, in a likely reference to Kurdish armed groups in northern Syria.

Ankara has already conducted three incursions into northern Syria since 2016, mainly targeting the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG.

Damascus sees the incursions as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Wednesday, Syria’s foreign ministry said it had sent a letter to the United Nations secretary-general and the Security Council, describing Turkey’s actions as illegitimate.

“They amount to what can be described as war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

See also: US Concerned About Turkey’s Plans For New Offensive Along Syria Border

Al-Monitor:

The United States on Tuesday warned Turkey against launching a new military operation in northern Syria, saying the uneasy NATO ally would be putting US troops at risk.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that Turkey would soon launch a new military operation into northern Syria to create a 30-kilometer (19-mile) “security zone” along the border.

“We are deeply concerned about reports and discussions of potential increased military activity in northern Syria and, in particular, its impact on the civilian population,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

“We condemn any escalation. We support maintenance of the current cease-fire lines,” he said.

The illegal and unnecessary presence of all NATO forces in Syria should be ended at once.

PBS:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Monday to launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkey’s southern border.

Speaking following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan said the aim of the operation would be resume Turkish efforts to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along its border with Syria.

“We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30-km deep safe zone we established along our southern border,” Erdogan said.

See also: Syria: Russia Redeploys Forces To Ukraine

The Jerusalem Post:

Turkey’s ruling party is claiming it will return Syrian refugees to Syria. This could include resettling a million people in Idlib, an area in northern Syria where Ankara has influence but where extremist groups tend to run the show. This could create conflict and chaos and it could also result in the violation of the rights of refugees.

However, Ankara has in the past abused Syrians and gotten a pass because it hosts millions of them, and human rights groups are afraid to critique Ankara. The Turkish ruling party also has close relationships with some western media and is able to use them to spin its policies.