Monday, July 08, 2019

Reversing 1911

I didn't take Erdogan's threat regarding Libya as meaning a Turkish expeditionary force, but who knows?

Last week, though his military forces are deeply engaged in next-door Syria's ruinous civil war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch a military campaign in another former Turkish Ottoman Empire colonial possession: Libya.

I doubt Turkey wants a new war so far away given the problems with Syria and the Kurds in the region that demand military attention. Although it is possible that, post coup/purge, Erdogan might want to send suspect commanders as far away as possible.

And recall that Turkey issued Assad an ultimatum way back when and didn't make good on it.

Still, if Erdogan wants to restore control or influence in Libya which the Ottoman Empire once formally ruled (until 1911 when Italy took the place from Turkey), he can be comforted that we had our modern Tripolitan War in 2011.