Erdogan: Turkey warships will escort any future Gaza aid flotilla

Haaretz ^ | 9/8/11 | Reuters

[Nachum]

Turkish warships will escort any Turkish aid vessels to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in remarks broadcast on Al Jazeera television on Thursday.

Erdogan also said that Turkey had taken steps to stop Israel from unilaterally exploiting natural resources from the eastern Mediterranean, according to Al Jazeera's Arabic translation of excerpts of the interview, which was conducted in Turkish.

[Argus]

If this SOB manages to gin up a war against Israel, does that mean Turkey’s fellow NATO members will have to support it (i.e. Obama’s Amerikkka)?

[Truth29]

They want a war. Erdogan needs to be told in whatever secure manner necessary, that he will be the first to die. Meanwhile, the Kurds need a major infusion of military assistance in their war for freedom against the Turks. And BTW, the Turks must apologize for the Armenian genocide.

[Travis McGee]

You can’t threaten a muslim fanatic with death. That’s the same as promising him an eternal 72 virgin orgy.

[MSF BU]

Israel needs to step up development of Leviathan. That gas can really transform the country.

[libertarian neocon]

Jeez how scary. I guess we should have let the Turkish army overthrow the democratically elected government when they wanted to. Since that missed chance the armed forces have been purged of all their secular stalwarts and its now firmly in the hands of islamists.

[tacticalogic]

Apparently Turkey has some spare warships they want to get rid of.

[Lazamataz]

This will not end well.

[Truth29]

“You can’t threaten a muslim fanatic with death. That’s the same as promising him an eternal 72 virgin orgy.

Good point, that does make it more difficult.
Maybe a good Kurdish all out fight for a homeland with Israeli backing would take up Erdogan’s energy. I only suggest this because it doesn't look like the Turkish military has what it takes to mount another coup and restore a secular civilian government in Turkey.

[Genoa]

So the Turkish navy runs the Israeli blockade, prompting military action by Israel, and Obama has a great excuse to side with our NATO ally Turkey against Israeli aggression. Right on schedule.

[Little Ray]

It looks like the Turks have a substantial advantage in terms of absolute numbers and displacement of naval units, while the Israelis have some advantage in terms of air power.

Turkish
14 Submarines
17 Frigates
7 Corvettes
27 Fast attack craft and missile boat
220 F-16
157 F-4

vs.

Israeli
3 Submarines
3 Corvettes
10 Missile Boats
58 F-15
25 F-15E
325 F-16

I don’t know what the differences are in training, morale, and technology, but they can only cover for so much.
It would be a hell of a fight - Turks are NOT Arabs. They won’t punch out because the missile warning light came on.

Also, if there really was a confrontation, you have to wonder who else would jump in.

[Aevery_Freeman]

Not a chance, too much in campaign donations from Jewish people in America. We would simply provide support for our European NATO allies - leading from behind, as it were.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"You can’t threaten a muslim fanatic with death. That’s the same as promising him an eternal 72 virgin orgy."

How about if we tell them the virgins will be Helen Thomas clones? And no, I'm decent enough not to post a picture of Helen Thomas... : )

[pogo101]

When exactly did Turkey become Syria, except bigger and with NATO membership? Someone?

[BenLurkin]

Act of war.

[ken5050]

Remember during the Iraq war, Turkey wouldn't let the 3rd ID invade Iraq through Turkey...Saddam was thus able to concentrate ALL his forces to he south, and it gave the terrorists time to organize around Bagdad. Turkey should have been kicked out of NATO at that time.

Maybe this, and Libya, will cause us to reassess NATO..maybe get out of it..

[dfwgator]

Israel to Erdogan, “Bring it on, bitch!”

[ZULU]

The Turks have a long history of oppressing non-Turks - murdering, enslaving, plundering them.

This all gives the lie to the concept of a “moderate” Muslim state.

They are all the same - our enemies - just like all Muslims.

[Mouton]

Torpedoes los

[SevenofNine]

OHH it is true Nachum I hear this morning on Al Jazeera English news which I get on KCET LA this morning