The first four volumes of the dossier on the Invasion of Cyprus in 1974, and the events that led to it, have finally been released after 44 years.
They cover the role played by the Greek military junta (1967-1974) in the coup on the island to overthrow the legitimate government of Cyprus, but most importantly, the role of the CIA Station Chief in Athens who at the time boasted that he held the fate of both Greece and Cyprus in his hands. The coup in Cyprus, took place on July 15, just 5 days prior to the Turkish invasion and that coup provided the pretext for it.
The Greek Colonels at the time were assured by the US, that Turkey would not get involved in Cyprus if the Cypriot President was overthrown and even when Greek military intelligence revealed that there was a Turkish military buildup across from Cyprus, the Americans justified it as a scheduled NATO exercise and that the Turks should not be fired at.
The US State Department described the Turkish invasion/occupation of the Island as folows:
"In 1974, the Turks won the first prize in the lottery.
There was no recognised government in Cyprus, (due to the CIA instigated coup, 5 days earlier), and Greece was governed by a (CIA-backed) Military Junta that was internationally despised and no country wanted to support.
Under these circumstances, nobody could have prevented the Turkish invasion. And this, was a unique opportunity."
The report mentions that in Cyprus and Greece, they were convinced (assured by Washington) that the Turks were only conducting a NATO exercise and took no serious measures to prevent the Turkish advance.
And that, my friends, is how the Turks achieved their "great victory" in Cyprus, which they called a "Peace Operation." A Peace Operation that took the lives of thousands, turned 40% of the population into displaced persons and divided the island into two and all that, actively (militarily) aided by the US and the UK and made possible thanks to the betrayal of the Greek ruling Junta.
For the invasion, 55,000 Turkish troops were deployed that outnumbered the Greek Cypriot National Guard by more than 4 to 1. The Turks used their airforce and navy, neither of which is available to the Cypriots.
I do not have a high opinion of the Turkish military, because I have seen its incompetence in action. They rely on overwhelming numbers and not on brilliant strategy or exceptional bravery by their troops. They keep coming in waves and suffer greater casualties than their adversary, but they feel they can afford it as they have an inexhaustible supply of "cannon fodder" and very little regard for human life.
That is why every Turkish threat begins with "Fear us, we are many and have more weapons than you..."
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