Tensions between Turkey and Russia continue to rise today after Turkish fighters destroyed a Russian bomber earlier this week. Military sources say Turkey has moved another 20 tanks to the Syrian border related to the rising tensions.
The tanks had been in the western provinces and are being sent by rail to Gaziantep area, where they’re being moved toward the border. In addition, Turkey has added 18 more fighter jets to its patrols along the border.
Russia has also been building up its military footprint in the area, adding anti-aircraft missiles to control the airspace in the area, and pledging to escort all bombers on future runs with fighters of their own to try to dissuade Turkey from taking any more shots at them.
Though Turkish President Erdogan insists he wouldn’t have had the plane shot down if he new it was Russian, he also ruled out ever apologizing under any circumstances. Russia, for its part, seems to be moving toward imposing economic sanctions over the attack.
I should think Paul would consider Trump a ideal presidental candidate . From what Paul says we might need a man with a lot of experence in bankruptcy
This could get interesting. Turkey invades Syria, Russia calls for resolution at UNSC directing all governments to support Syrian government against Turkish aggression. Do the NATO countries vote in support of Turkish aggression which means they're complicit in it along with Turkish support to ISIS and other terrorist groups? Perhaps they should declare Turkey a state sponsor of terrorism now but then they would also have to declare themselves as state sponsors of terrorism. Life is tough in a Manichean world.
Other reports of this "massing" suggested it was just 20 tanks in one combined arms battalion.
Without aircover, those tanks are going to be sitting ducks for Russian anti-tank artillery and it looks like Erdogan now has his no-fly-zone over Syria, it's just not the one he hoped for. Ha f$%^£ng ha!
"Turkey suspends Syria flights after crisis with Russia" http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-suspends-…
So now the YPG can go west, cross the Euphrates and close the Turkish-Syrian border for ISIS.
BTW, I'm beginning to understand why Putin is going easy on Erdogan – with such an arrogant idiot in charge, the Turkish government is Putin's best (unintentional) ally,
If Putin attacks the tanks, he triggers Article V of the NATO Treaty. Russia has attacked a NATO member. If Obama leaves Turkey in the lurch, he destroys NATO (i.e the forward base for the defence of Israel). If Putin attacks into Turkey, he'll be bogged down in an even bigger guerilla war and, with the Straits closed to Russian shipping, how could Putin maintain his war effort? The nearest accessible Russian port is Murmansk! Who exactly is the YPG?
Same error as in the previous article: Erdogan didn't say that. This is all probably pousturing, on both sides. Since Putin has capitulated and will probably neither attack the Turkmen nor allow his pilots to take the short cut back to Latakia, while pretending he's doing nothing of the sort. As a practical matter, if Putin wants to have his rickety cold-war bombers escorted by rickety cold-war era fighters, how's he going to get the fighters into Latakia? They certainly won't be allowed to overfly Turkey! Or Bulgaria and Greece, both of which he'a also antagonized. So they have to come in via the Caspian, Iran and Iraq and then, fly all the way accross Syria. And if Putin attacks Erdogan, Turkey will, at very least (to say nothing of Article V!), close the Straits to Russian shipping. How does Putin then supply Latakia? Particularly in winter, when Russia's only ice-free port is Murmansk. Putin will growl and snarl, but, ultimately, he has no choice but to knuckle under. What the domestic political effect of such an enormous humiliation (coming on the heels of the Crimean blackout) remains to be seen. Any bets on Putin gone by New Year?
CIA/NSA drone above forgets that all Putin needs are the Kurds, whom Erdogan has declared open war against. YPG = Kurdish People's Defense Units. The Yankees THINK they're going to subvert them and control them. Ha ha ha! They are so wrong. As in mujahadeen turning into al-Qaida wrong. The only groups working for the Yankees are ISIS/FSA/al-Nusra — i.e., the terrorists. Oh well, Mikey, there is one consolation prize for you: General Dynamics gets to make some money replacing shot down Turkish F-16s.