Erdogan vows retaliation after Ankara attack: presidency

AFP ^ | February 17th, 2016 | Unattributed

[Mariner]

ANKARA (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday vowed that Turkey was more determined than ever to use its right to "self-defence" after a car bomb targeting military service vehicles killed at least 28 people.

"Our determination to respond in kind to attacks taking place inside and outside our borders is getting stronger with such acts," Erdogan said in a statement. "It must be known that Turkey will not shy away from using its right to self-defence at any time, any place or any occasion."

[cloudmountain]

Nonsense. Unaccountable leaders don’t need false flags. Erdogan has made everyone in his region and many in his own country into enemies. He’s restarted the live war with the PKK, he’s mercilessly bombed Kurdish rebel positions in Iraq and Syria, he’s at least nominally fighting Isis, he’s opposed to the Syria/Iran/Hezbollah Axis, he’s in a pissing contest with Sisi in Egypt, he’s in a mini cold war with Russia, he singlehandedly destroyed the Turkish relationship with Israel and he’s being a strategic adversary with Saudi Arabia(though he’s trying to improve relations with the last two) pushing a muslim brotherhood agenda in the Arab World and Palestine. There are easily a half dozen interests which wouldn’t mind sticking it to Erdogan and Turkey.

Now THIS sounds like the middle east of the last 3000 years. Some things won't ever change, I think.
Well put.

[Trumpinator]

In many ways Shia Iran is better than Saudi Arabia's Sunni system.

In Iran, you still have gender separation in public but women can go to school and universities and become doctors, own businesses and drive cars (though bike riding for women in Iran is somewhat scandalous) which is still better than Saudi Arabia.

Also, Iran's native Christians and Jews are tolerated and are allowed seats in the Iranian parliament - still not ideal but better than the Saudi version.

So if you had to pick a regional power based on their demented forms of Islam - Iran seems sensible compared to Saudi Arabia.

[cloudmountain]

The Muslims in the Eastern Province, where ARAMCO is, are SHIA. Their young men who celebrate their Shia holiday and pummel themselves in self-flaggelation always get busted by the Saudi soldiers.

The Sunni Muslims are in the rest of the Kingdom. My deal old Saudi boss was a Shia as were all of the Saudis in our organization.

[pgkdan]

I see. I LIVED and worked there for five years and YOUR knowledge of the family comes from the media...who ALWAYS tell the truth. :o)

No dum dum, my knowledge doesn't come from the media. I know you LIVED there for five years, and you're still completely ignorant of the real power structure there.

[ichabod1]

YEah, if it weren’t for that little problem of their bellicose and terroristic foreign policy, Iran’d be ok.

[cloudmountain]

No dum dum, my knowledge doesn't come from the media. I know you LIVED there for five years, and you're still completely ignorant of the real power structure there.

Ah, now you've degenerated into name-calling: the refuge of the weak-minded. Lol.

How do YOU know what I've seen, heard and lived? You DON'T know. You just screed for the joy of screeding.

Bye, bye pgkdanscreed.

[Blackyce]

“Who says its for the Turks benefit alone? He can invoke Article 5 of the NATO charter against the Kurds or whomever he will blame for this attack. For Article 5 to be invoked the Turks need to be attacked inside Turkish territory.”

There’s no need for a fake attack. He can invoke article 5 for all sorts of reasons. There are active conflicts throughout eastern Turkey and all along their Iraq and Syria borders. Turkey is in the middle of a strategic mess, mostly of their own making, there are plenty of excuses to ask for help. Article V isn’t a set of magic words. We can’t stop a civil war in Turkey. The US and Western europe are already engaged in Syria and Iraq. There’s no reason to expect much from the west absent a Russian invasion. As far as this attack goes, Ankara was bombed 4 months ago with 10 times as many deaths, that would have been a better strategic opportunity for them if you believe they want one. What they really need is to make up with Israel, Egypt and the Gulf states.

[Trumpinator]

None of these other activities would green light an attack into Syria. In my opinion that is. We shall see.

[Trumpinator]

YEah, if it weren’t for that little problem of their bellicose and terroristic foreign policy, Iran’d be ok.

And Waahabist exporting Saudi Arabia does not have a terroristic foreign policy?

[ichabod1]

I see, so they cancel each other out? I agree with you, I’d much rather go to Iran than SA.

[zek157]

Cloud, The House of Saud rules because of Cleric support. The day they don’t have that support is the day the House of Saud falls.

This is a large part of the reason Saudis have supported Wahabbi schools around the world for nearly 40 years. It was part of the agreement with the clerics to allow the military to regain control of the Grand Mosque in 1979.

The Siege of Mecca is a facinating book detailing the arrangement.

[DoughtyOne]