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Could the Kurds beat Turkey in Syria?
Washington Examiner ^ | Jan 22, 2018, 4:46 PM | Michael Rubin

Posted on 01/22/2018 8:10:29 PM PST by Texas Fossil

After a multi-day artillery barrage, the Turkish Army has begun its push into Afrin, a district of Syria which has been governed by Syrian Kurds ever since they defeated al Qaeda and Islamic State terrorists. Turkish officials say they plan to set up a buffer zone extending almost 20 miles into Syria from the Turkish border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a blistering speech threatening Turkey’s Kurds if they speak up on behalf of their Syrian counterparts and promising victory within “a very short period of time.”

That may be a fatal miscalculation, one which could cripple Turkey. Erdogan’s paranoia and political meddling in the military have taken a toll. Once the pride of NATO, the Turkish military and security services are a shadow of their former self. They lack the experience, training, and discipline of their predecessors. One in four Turkish pilots is in prison; many Turkish F-16s are grounded for lack of trained pilots. In 2012, Syrian forces downed a Turkish F-4, and Kurds have downed Turkish helicopters.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afrin; armenia; attack; erdogan; europeanunion; hassannasrallah; hezbollah; iran; iraq; isis; israel; jerusalem; kurdistan; kurds; lebanon; letshavejerusalem; receptayyiperdogan; russia; syria; texastroll; turkey; waronterror; watchungtroll
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And Michael Rubin is not the only person wondering about Turkey's actions.

Time to Kick Turkey Out of NATO?

1 posted on 01/22/2018 8:10:29 PM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: Texas Fossil

Let the Kurds have their way


2 posted on 01/22/2018 8:12:05 PM PST by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #cishet #MyPresident #MAGA #Winning #covfefe)
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To: BeauBo; Candor7; ColdOne; Navy Patriot; caww; huldah1776; dp0622; Gene Eric; Freemeorkillme; ...
Syria Ping
3 posted on 01/22/2018 8:12:53 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Turkey should have never been allowed into NATO in the first place but that is just me. And the Kurds could hold their own with our help and material aid (that being on a level far more than what we currently give them in material aid).


4 posted on 01/22/2018 8:13:13 PM PST by cranked
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To: Texas Fossil

Turkey has no right to be inside Syria.

Buffer zone should be on their side of the line if they want a buffer zone.

A lesson from the Ottoman Turks thru history.... They don’t honor borders. They’re just invaders!


5 posted on 01/22/2018 8:13:36 PM PST by Future Useless Eater (Congress: Add clarification that CO2 is a PLANT FOOD, not a pollutant covered by the Clean Air Act)
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To: Texas Fossil

It’s long past time to kick Turkey out of NATO.


6 posted on 01/22/2018 8:14:00 PM PST by House Atreides (BOYCOTT the NFL, its products and players 100% - PERMANENTLY)
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To: NonValueAdded

For me it’s simple.

I have Kurd friends. I really like the ones I know. They are brave as it comes and fought ISIS when none would even try.

Turkey? I was neutral on that out of ignorance, until I was exposed to this situation about 3-1/2 years ago.

I’m no longer a supporter of Turkey (NATO or not) as long as Erdogan is the ruler.


7 posted on 01/22/2018 8:16:31 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Future Useless Eater

“invaders”? Yes, Monguls.


8 posted on 01/22/2018 8:17:13 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: House Atreides

You will appreciate Totten’s article at the link.

He is an experienced war correspondent.


9 posted on 01/22/2018 8:18:10 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Revenge of the Kurds: Kurdistan’s Future in Bible Prophecy
http://blogs.christianpost.com/geopolitics-and-bible-prophecy/revenge-of-the-kurds-kurdistans-future-in-bible-prophecy-14247/


10 posted on 01/22/2018 8:19:57 PM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12")
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To: Texas Fossil; Honorary Serb

Go Kurdistan!

Free Constantinople!

Restore the Great Church!


11 posted on 01/22/2018 8:20:22 PM PST by lightman (ANTIFA is full of Bolshevik.)
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To: NonValueAdded

That could be a tuffet job.


12 posted on 01/22/2018 8:22:02 PM PST by PlateOfShrimp
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To: cranked

Yes, Turkey internally has been out of sync with NATO from the beginning, but it was hidden to the outside.

Kemal was a very successful military officer, and was secular. But that does not mean they practiced a democratic government. They were militaristic, Nationalist and authoritarian.

They have a hidden dark side that has been there from the Beginning of Turkey. It is called Massacres and Genocide. It is a hidden and denied fact.


13 posted on 01/22/2018 8:25:14 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Future Useless Eater

Turkey is in Syria because Putin says they can be.


14 posted on 01/22/2018 8:29:42 PM PST by GoldenState_Rose
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To: Texas Fossil

We need to recognize Kurdisatan and help them. Arm teh Kurds. Do it directly. And heavily.


15 posted on 01/22/2018 8:38:06 PM PST by TBP (Progressives lack compassion and tolerance. Their self-aggrandizement is all that matters.)
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To: Texas Fossil

Turkey is no longer an ally since this leader took over. US might consider assisting the Kurds with military gear and material support.


16 posted on 01/22/2018 8:39:25 PM PST by Pirate Ragnar
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To: Pirate Ragnar

They have. Mostly since Trump was in office.


17 posted on 01/22/2018 8:41:56 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: cranked
Turkey should have never been allowed into NATO in the first place but that is just me

I was neutral about it, until I went to Incirlik AB, in 1982. Ever since then, I have been anti Turkey. Even more so now. I thought the biggest problem with Turkey, is that there are too many Turks there. 😊👍 I hated the place, and figured the only way they would ever get me back there, would be in a straitjacket. 👎

18 posted on 01/22/2018 8:43:44 PM PST by Mark17 (Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning GOD....And the rest, as they say, is HIS-story)
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To: TBP

We have done some, probably not enough. But we went as far as we could and not have direct break with Turkey.

The fact that we are discussing this, is an indication of how urgent a problem this is.


19 posted on 01/22/2018 8:44:52 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Mark17

I know a retired pilot here, who served for a time at Incirlik and expressed about the same dislike for it.


20 posted on 01/22/2018 8:47:26 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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