Posted on 11/26/2015 7:10:50 AM PST by Strategy
Ankara: Turkey has moved 20 tanks to her border with Syria as tensions with Russia continue.
Military sources from Turkey said the tanks were moved by rail to an armored brigade at the western border with Syria.
Reports also say 18 fighter jets were sent on a patrol exercise near the border.
A military source told Turkey's Anadolu agency: "Accompanied by police and gendarmes, 20 tanks were sent by rail from Turkey's western provinces by railway to Gaziantep in the south of the country, and then redirected to the Syrian border."
(Excerpt) Read more at standardmedia.co.ke ...
Well said!
Should Americans die for Erdogan and Turkey?
The Turkish Armed Forces collectively rank as the second largest standing military force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces, with an estimated strength in 2015 of 639,551 military, civilian and paramilitary personnel. Turkey is one of five NATO member states which are part of the nuclear sharing policy of the alliance, together with Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. A total of 90 B61 nuclear bombs are hosted at the Incirlik Air Base, 40 of which are allocated for use by the Turkish Air Force in case of a nuclear conflict, but their use requires the approval of NATO.
Would this bracing be on account of the shoot down or the stabbed in the back comments which followed it?
I think we must remember that daddy Assad cam to power in a military coup where they overtook the Baath party, a socialist group. (The non-military elements of the Baath party moved to Iraq, where they were again ousted by a military coup after gaining power, specifically by some chap named Hussein.)
I believe that the former KGB major, currently running Russia, likely has a long and deep seeded affinity for the socialist and progressive Baathist Syrian power block. (By the by, those are their own party descriptions not mine - the accepted parties in Syria are the Baath socialists, and the National Progressive Front.)
However, the Assads, as Alawis, have never gained the acceptance of the larger Arab community, despite their pan-Arab populist rise to power. This is largely due to their religious holdings, which while ostensibly Shia, are seen by most Muslims (both Shia and Sunni) as heretical.
The islamists see Syria as an opportunity. With more than 80% of the country holding a more traditional Muslim view, they see a future for Islam on the doorstep of Europe through both the land bridge and their Mediterranean ports.
Putin sees the same opportunity, and is in my opinion, intending to complete the work started in ‘63: to finally and fully establish Syria as a dependent socialist puppet. Oil, a southern vector to Europe, and a Mediterranean presence are the gems that make an otherwise desolate desert shine for the opportunists.
Where the Islamists view opportunity in the majority non-Alawi Muslim population, Putin sees the chance to prop up a minority dictator, offering him protection from the gathering masses.
...
The fact that our current leadership can’t see this amazes and appalls me. I must conclude they are either willfully ignorant, completely incompetent, or they have chosen the traditionalist Muslim solution without due regard for the consequences of a Mediterranean theocratic Islamic state. A combination of the three is also a possibility...
We are seeing some amazing things these days. ;-)
That was not what was said, unless you believe that obama is the US.
Obama has never been held accountable for anything. He now finds himself in a position where his opponent is not scared of his skin color. Therefore, he is firmly behind one of his own red lines.
No, the US should not grovel, but the US hasn’t knowingly been pushing the caliphate. Obama has.
Putin is a better leader of the free western world than Obama. He and Trump will get along fine. Rubio is making a big mistake bashing Putin every chance he gets.
America should be looking out for its own interests. At the same time, we should try to reduce the number of American casualties. I see no present need for Americans to "die for Erdogan and Turkey." I sincerely hope that that will not be necessary.
There is no need for America to grovel and scrape before Putin.
Hmmm, Russia might have its’ hand full with the Turks.
You have no disagreement with me about that.
Nope. But I do disagree that Jim said the US should grovel.
Happy Thanksgiving, FRiend.
During the First World War, the Turks were backed by an important military power- the second Reich. In the present, ostensibly they are backed by NATO- but I would submit that our current president would not necessarily honor that agreement. In my opinion, Russia holds more military power than Turkey and would likely win such a conflict unless NATO intervenes.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – The United States and NATO denounced Russia on Monday for violating Turkish airspace and Ankara threatened to respond, reporting two incursions in two days and raising the prospect of direct confrontation between the former Cold War adversaries.
NATO held an emergency meeting in Brussels of ambassadors from its 28 member states to respond to what Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called “unacceptable violations of Turkish airspace†after a Russian jet crossed its frontier with Syria on Saturday.
A Russian warplane again violated Turkish airspace on Sunday, a Turkish foreign ministry official said late on Monday, prompting Ankara to summon Moscow’s ambassador.
It had done the same following Saturday’s violation, and said Russia would be held “responsible for any undesired incident that may occur†if it were repeated.
NATO members “strongly protest†and “condemn†incursions into Turkish and NATO territory, the alliance said after the first incursion was reported.
“Allies also note the extreme danger of such irresponsible behaviour. They call on the Russian Federation to cease and desist, and immediately explain these violations,†NATO said in a statement after the meeting.
The White House called the Russian move a “provocation,†and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said it illustrated concerns about an escalated Syrian conflict.
“Had Turkey responded … it could have resulted in a shootdown, and it is precisely the kind of thing we warned against,†Kerry said during a visit to Chile.
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that an SU-30 fighter aircraft had entered Turkish airspace along the border with Syria “for a few seconds†on Saturday.
Moscow’s unexpected move last week to launch air strikes in Syria has brought the greatest threat of an accidental clash between Russian and Western forces since the Cold War.
Russian war planes as well as those of the United States and its allies are now flying combat missions over the same country for the first time since World War Two, with Moscow repeatedly targeting insurgents trained and armed by allies of Washington.
TURKISH JETS SCRAMBLED
Turkey, a NATO member with the alliance’s second biggest army, scrambled two F-16 jets on Saturday after a Russian aircraft crossed into its airspace near its southern province of Hatay, the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he had been told by Russia that the violation was a “mistake†that would not happen again.
“Turkey’s rules of engagement apply to all planes, be they Syrian, Russian or from elsewhere … Necessary steps would be taken against whoever violates Turkey’s borders, even if it’s a bird,†he said on HaberTurk TV.
That would be quite an accomplishment - and one that I would favor.
Turkey warned the Russians days before for previous incursions including calling in their Ambassador to issue them a stern warning. The Russians continued and paid the price. Now they will stay away from the Turkish border. Message semt, message received.
"So, Turkey should beg forgiveness and the United States must grovel and scrape before Putin?"
I do not think that the USA should or must grovel and scrape before anyone and I am confident that no one here seriously believes that we should or must. At least, I hope not.
A Happy Thanksgiving to the both of you. Put the fork down early. ;-)
What the Hell is wrong with you and some of these other FReeper apologists for this KGB thug who invaded Ukraine, seized a piece of the country (Crimea), and shot down a civilian airliner. Putin is still involved in Ukraine providing weapons and volunteers to the so-called rebel forces. Putin is allied with Iran in Syria and building three more nuclear plants in Iran. This is the leader of the free western world?
Putin is in Syria to prop up his puppet Assad. He is not defending Western Civilization.
Putin will win because he will not blink.
Having his plane and ‘rescue’ helicopter plays into his hands. He was goading Erdagon as he has been goading the U.S. by infringing on our own Alaskan and West Coast air space with both fighter jets and heavy bombers. He has done so on several occasions in the last six months alone. Most notably a large showing of bombers on our West coast on July 4, 2015.
He has no need to sweat. He enjoys an almost 90% approval rating in Russia. He also doesn’t care if he takes some casualties. It would give him cause to continue to stir the shit, which is his entire end game. Stir the shit, grab some land and influence and shame Obama and America.
His plan is working.
OPEN YOUR EYES! Putin walked into Crimea and annexed it in direct contradiction to an international agreement that required us to protect Ukraine’s territory. Putin went even further and continues to occupy part of Ukraine outside Crimea.
He knows Obama would NEVER act directly against him. Particularly in any Military sense. He took the measure of the man and found Obama lacking.
HE laughs at Obama openly and by proxy into our collective faces.
Do you honestly believe that he is in any way nervous, much less afraid of Obama?
Why would he be?
Putin is no free World leader. He is a fascist and thug plutocrat! Yet, he is most certainly a better leader and man than Obama will ever be.
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