Why you talk like HTS is not enemy of Turkey? HTS is included into the Turkish terrorist organizations list. What happens in Idlib is concerning Turkey because it happens because Turkey is allowing it but when some terrorist organization is attacking the future of the Turkish interests in Syria then the situation is becoming even more dangerous. All of the parties are concerned about the HTS in Idlib including Turkey. Nobody wants them there including FSA. They are the authorization for Russia, Assad to bomb even FSA factions and the main obstacle for starting of the political process. HTS is the cancer of Idlib that must be exterminated.No It's ASSad who broke it and continue till now, Even TR-RU spoke about it in the beginning.
But since each side begun to retaliate things went down...
Why a full war is problematic? well it's simple, both sides aren't TR direct enemies and the result will be Idlib lose and beyond.
It's not about TR power to deal with it or not... since it isn't in Turkey, it's made of Syrians in a war torn country... Things will escale and extremism will pop out everywhere, South, West, North etc... (Since annexation isn't on the menu).
And you can't put YPG and HTS situation side by side... and even in case of YPG a full scale war in East Syria is the "Last" resort. That's why there is all those "deals" to transfer power etc...
A full scale war in East Euphrate will just lead to ASSad/RU having it all... With TR getting only the few pockets she was able to get in the first Op wave. (it will be a Race... TR/FSA vs RU/ASSad/YPG...who get more till the "truce")
And what? YPG/PKK will still be active under ASSad at TR border... and what about Syrians in TR? Wasn't all this work and money to get ride of YPG/PKK and relocate Syrians somewhere they can return too?
It's not about having the "Power/Army" to do so... ofc TR can just enter and take it all...but she isn't alone in Syria... She want something that the other side also want... it's isn't a race against "Militias"... it's a race against other Powers in the region...
The nearest image is " Like having a bucket filled with water and got holes at the bottom, and you have to block those holes with your fingers... But each hole you can't block, water will get out and fall into "another bucket" of someone else..."
Fingers are the Powers involved... Water is land/influence/ressources... and Holes are Militias/Groups/Factions...
Turkey doesn't have the ambition to control all of Northern Syria. You must understand that Turkey is not there from imperialistic motive. Turkey wants to secure the border, cut the YPG cantons from one another, make the base for securing Sinjar and the following operations in Northern Iraq. By securing a zone 40km deep Turkey will leave YPG in a territory which was mostly inhabited by Arabs and then they will allow Assad forces to control the territory together. In the Kurdish majority towns along the Turkish border Turkey will leave alternative representative of the Kurds. Turkey want to make sure that there is big enough buffer zone between the Turkish border and the enemy because the preventive measure is the best measure and by preventing measure I mean the prevention of new situations like the Kilis daily rocket shelling, tunnels made by terrorists entering Turkish territory which are securing illegal smuggling of living goods from and to Turkey and also military equipment that can be used for another uprising like in 2015-2016.
If you want to look at Turkey as imperialistic state then you should look at Idlib, the support for FSA and the political process. As soon as political process starts which include Assad, moderate Turkish supported opposition and minorities like the Kurds then the imperialistic wish of Turkey will be completed and that is to have a word into the Syrian internal affairs trough political parties and proxies.
You will see that Syria will end up in federation and the only ones that doesn't have any place in that scenario are even not PYD but HTS. There are three main dangers for the future of Syria according to Turkey, Russia and Iran and those are DEASH, HTS, YPG and there are four for Assad (just add the FSA into the list). The realistic outcome of this would be for DEASH and HTS to be exterminated and for PYD to have a deal with Assad for a federation which would trigger a federation model also for Idlib and the Turkish secured territories. At the moment the biggest opposition for that political process is HTS (I don't count DEASH). Why? Because they live in a jihadist utopia that thinks Assad and his supporters will step down of power and all Syria will be left in the hands of the superior Sheikh which will give fatwas left and right and the traitors will be beheaded in the center of Damascus. This is absurd. This is awkward and ridiculous. There is not a movie in which the opposition wins that war and control Damascus. Even if there is confederation model Idlib will be the biggest sh!thole on the earth comparable only to Afghanistan maybe but the one after the US intervention and no Turkey will not be able to save it. So the best variant of HTS is put down weapons and give up to FSA and Turkey otherwise the situation will become unmanageable and either Turkey or Assad will take Idlib and when I say take Idlib that is for certain and even not a drop of hesitation. Turkey wants political process which is being sabotaged by HTS terrorist organization in order to secure the place of the Syrian opposition in the political process because that is the only logical way for the normalization of the situation in Syria so HTS must go. As I said the talented and loyal they must take with FSA and the others are not even worth a jail. They must be massacred in combat or in secret. The mercenaries/terrorists of the Saudis are not welcome and Turkey will take care for Idlib and the future of the opposition not the false Muslims (I tell it for a second time in all of my life but lanatullahi alayhum. May be it over all the terrorizing, warmongers and transgressors)