Roughly a millennium of on-again, off-again hostilities between Turkey and Greece seem to be ratcheting up again recently, as Greece has reported 138 violations of Greek airspace by Turkish warplanes flying over islands in the Aegean Sea.
Turkey is said to be angry over Greece’s refusal to extradite several Turkish military officers accused of being involved in last summer’s coup attempt, and Deputy PM Veysi Kaynak condemned Greece over plans to build islands in the Aegean into habitable territory, saying they will “not be permitted to open new areas.”
Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos accused Turkey of “cowboy antics” with the bellicose flyover, saying they will not allow Turkish planes to fly over their islands without being intercepted. Turkey of course is the much larger country, with the much bigger military, and that both are members of NATO likely reduces the chances of open warfare.
Turkey has been furious with a lot of nations, including the United States, over extradition demands for people they accused of involvement in the coup. After the coup failed, Turkish officials carried out a massive purge, targeting officials in both military and civilian positions around the country who they suspected of being in league with the plotters. The intensity of the purge produced a lot of international criticism, and several nations have been leery of extradition requests without substantial evidence.
Greece can’t do anything about it. Maybe attack Montenegro.
Two NATO members in armed conflict with each other should be Shakespearean in its irony. How would the “alliance” deal with that? Whose defense would they come too?
Congratulation for remembering that the Greek-Turkish conflict lasts for almost a millenium. Greece and Turkey are NATO members since 1952 after Greece ended its Civil War (1944-49). Today both countries are on the verge of collapse, Greece because of its unwillingness to to become a modern European state and Tuirkey because Ergogan is returning the clock back to an Islamic state. Turkey just seems to be strong. It is totten to the core due to its civil war with the Kurds, its inability to protect Alevis, and its alienation of its Kemalist tradition and its pro-western elites. Tehe western media controlled by the expediency of Turkey as a recipient of large western investments plus its NATO membership have silenced all news from southestern Turkey and the genocide against the Kurdish population.
What example does Turkey set when one Russian jet incidentally crossed into Turkish territory by 1.4 miles for 17 seconds was shot down (in Syria)? Perhaps Putin should offer Greece the S-400 air defense system to defend against territorial incursions.
No money to buy food no jobs, keep begging money from Europe,permanently
Parasite of Euro,then my question is this; why would Russians try to sell S-400 air defense system they can’t get the money,Greece is not Iran.
Is this a comment or wishful thinking?
What was Russia’s price tag for installing them in Syria?