At a time when we are focused on Idlib, history’s greatest crisis is about to break out in the East Mediterranean. Idlib is now starting to turn from a Syria issue to an Eastern Mediterranean issue. The Syria war is starting to turn from a Syria issue to an Eastern Mediterranean showdown. Idlib’s fate is merging with the “terror corridor” that is trying to be established in northern Syria, making it the Eastern Mediterranean in the complete sense.

A global-scale fight to share the trillion-dollar-worth natural gas reserves is approaching step by step. All of the world’s countries and their fleets are gathering in Syria’s west and Turkey’s south. As aircraft carriers, warships, missile ships, drill ships, states, power companies, intertwined partnerships and enmities attack this enormous wealth, a great regional, as a matter of fact, global conflict is approaching step by step.

This crisis will be bigger than the invasion of Iraq. It will be bigger than the Syrian war. This crisis will be as unsettling for Turkey as the total of them all. The East Mediterranean is the center of regional security for us. This line, which starts from the Iranian border, from Qandil, spreads throughout northern Syria and reaches the Mediterranean, was planned as a “front” aimed at ruining all of Turkey’s 21st century plans and confining it into Anatolia.

The Iron Hammer operations launched right after the 1991 Gulf War were the first steps of the threats we are facing today. The 2003 invasion of Iraq and the northern Iraq plan that was formed after it were phases of the big project. The Syrian war that started after Iraq was the third stage of the regional map plans.

The “terror corridor” that is wanted to be formed in northern Syria is a project to connect northern Iraq with northern Syria. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) Syrian affiliate, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), settling in the region with the U.S. and the referendum held in northern Iraq are also part of this project. Now, the East Mediterranean leg of this project is being activated.

Let us look at it more closely: Afghanistan was invaded immediately after the September 11 attacks. Taliban and al-Qaida were the justifications for this. Of course, this justification was a complete lie. Afghanistan is the most important gate in Central Asia. Afghanistan was invaded in the East, Iraq was invaded in the West. Iran, which lies between them, was also going to be destroyed.

A line, a zone, a map of garrisons from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean was going to be formed. Then, all the countries around the Persian Gulf and all the countries around the Red Sea were going to be destabilized.

Even the Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi coup in Egypt is a part of this great strategy. The new axis established today by the U.S. and Israel with countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a part of this project. The great attack that took place on July 15, 2016, aimed at destroying Turkey, is also part of that region plan.

Because the two countries, Turkey and Pakistan, were moving away from the West axis for the first time in their history, and because they had seen the danger. All native elements were activated to prevent this axis from shifting, and especially to take control over Turkey. The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and PKK were some of these, while there were and still are others.

Every area between the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and the East Mediterranean are included in this big plan. The PKK trying to move toward the Black Sea is the planning of the same forces. The demographic movement north, toward the Caspian, parallel from Turkey and Iran, is within this context.

The Turkey leg of the project failed. Both FETÖ and the PKK failed. The Gezi events, the Dec. 17-25, 2013 judicial coup and the July 15, 2016 coup attempt were all attacks made within this context. The terror corridor was a map plan within this context, and a hundreds-of-kilometers-long “Turkey front” was going to be opened. Turkey resisted, thwarted the attacks and dealt heavy blows to the project.

The Euphrates Shield and Afrin operations were among these blows. Opening a new connection route to Baghdad with the Ovaköy border gate project was another. The awakening to Barzani’s referendum was within this context. Whoever opposed all these attempts from Turkey, those are the groups that are partners in both the attacks targeting Turkey and the regional invasions. They will continue to act and take position in accordance with that “great plan.”

The project is continuing. This is exactly why Idlib became a huge problem. As they are unable to reach the Mediterranean from Afrin, from Hatay, they want to break the Idlib wall. If this wall falls, so will Afrin, so will Hatay. This is crystal clear. Hence, “even if it means suicide,” new interventions should be urgently carried out in the east of the Euphrates. There is no other way to solve this.

Every attempt that we fail to do today or postpone will make it easier to lay Anatolia on the table. If we don’t do it, the great plan that has been ongoing since Iron Hammer will continue, leading to the “Turkey front” being opened in the following step.

After the invasion of Iraq and the Syrian war, the East Mediterranean showdown is now starting. One of the world’s richest natural gas beds are in this region. Everyone from the U.S. to Europe and Asian countries are in this region. It is as if preparations are being made for a doomsday war. This is where the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) will undertake a role that will save Turkey. The geopolitical gains of the 1974 Peace Operation are just emerging.

All these are both energy fights and geopolitical showdowns. They are major future-oriented plans. Turkey is now a high-staking country. Its claims, defenses and anger are all great. Its opportunities and deterrent force are also great.

What’s most important is that this is the first time Turkey’s political mind is so strong, its regional perspective is so local. The region’s entire power map has spread. All fault lines have become activated. Now, no problem is local anymore. No problem is just Idlib.

Our presence in Idlib is a very important position for us in the showdown of Eastern Mediterranean. But if we just take Idlib into consideration, we would be blinding ourselves. We must take a vast area into consideration, take very expansive measures, make great preparations and assume a long-term position.

Focusing on every problem individually will leave us to face difficult consequences. Some groups in Turkey are insistently trying to trap the country into confined spaces. Our greatest misconception and betrayal lies here.