by Stephen Lendman

Western media say little about what demands daily headlines. Erdogan and his regime are complicit with ISIS, supplying training, weapons, and acting as a conduit for stolen Syrian and Iraqi oil, profiting hugely from its sales.

Washington denies clear evidence of Erdogan’s rogue enterprise, together with his son, Bilal, and others. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov minced no words, saying:

“Maybe I'm being too blunt, but one can only entrust control over this thieving business to one’s closest associates.”

“In the West, no one has asked questions about the fact that the Turkish president's son heads one of the biggest energy companies, or that his son-in-law has been appointed energy minister. What a marvelous family business.”

“The cynicism of the Turkish leadership knows no limits. Look what they're doing. They went into (other countries - Syria and Iraq). They are robbing (them) without compunction.”

According to Russian military General Staff Deputy Head Sergei Rudskoy, “(o)ur reliable intelligence data (show) Turkey has been carrying out such operations for a long period and on a regular basis. And most importantly, it does not plan to stop them,” flagrantly lying to cover up its criminal enterprise.

Russia has clear evidence of three main Turkish smuggling routes from Syria and Iraq into its territory covertly, Antonov explaining irrefutable facts on the ground, “confirm(ing) a whole team of bandits and Turkish elite(s) stealing oil from their neighbors…in (industrial-scale) quantities,” transporting it via “live oil pipelines,” involving thousands of tanker trucks.

Turkey is the main buyer of stolen Syrian and Iraqi oil - Erdogan, his family and top regime officials “involved (directly) in this criminal” racket. His disclaimers otherwise are bald-faced lies. He’s been caught red-handed.

Russian airstrikes to date cut ISIS oil revenues in half - from around $3 million to $1.5 million daily, according to Rudskoy.

Moscow’s Defense Ministry published photographic and other documented evidence on its web site - some already up, more to come.

Despite US claims otherwise, Rudskoy explained Washington, Britain, France, and other coalition partners aren’t bombing ISIS’ oil pipeline or other sites.

Russia damaged or destroyed 32 ISIS oil complexes, 11 refineries, 23 oil pumping stations, and nearly 1,100 oil tanker trucks. It’s prepared to target Iraqi sites the same way, pending authorization from its government. Most in it want Moscow’s support.

Erdogan said he’ll resign if evidence proves his involvement in illicit Syrian and Iraqi oil sales. Russia has clear documentation.

An international arrest warrant should be issued for his arrest, along with his son Bilal and other high-level Turkish officials - involved in a huge oil smuggling racket, unrevealed publicly until now. Russia’s forthrightness deserves full credit.

-###-

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.