Turkey: we will 'strangle' U.S. backed force

[Unusual Tournament]

Erdogan: we will 'strangle' U.S.-backed force in Syria "before it's even born"

BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Monday to “strangle” a planned 30,000-strong U.S.-backed force in Syria “before it’s even born,” as Washington’s backing for Kurdish fighters drove a wedge into relations with one of its main Middle East allies.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria/erdogan-we-will-strangle-u-s-backed-force-in-syria-before-its-even-born-idUSKBN1F41HJ

[Gromdor]

I wonder how the NATO pact will work out if the Turks and Kurds start shooting at each other.  It would be awkward having to pick sides on which ally to help kill the other, especially if other NATO members jumped in on Turkey's side.

[+and-then]

The idea is to attempt to prevent Iran from consolidating a land bridge from Iran to the Mediterranean.  If they achieve such an ability there would shortly be war with Israel.

[Gromdor]

2 minutes ago, and then said:

The idea is to attempt to prevent Iran from consolidating a land bridge from Iran to the Mediterranean.  If they achieve such an ability there would shortly be war with Israel.

Hate to say it, but with the way the chess pieces are falling, the Iranians are going to get their land bridge and everyone in the region is going to get an excuse to kill the Kurds.  Even the Iraqi's are eyeballing the oil rich regions in Northern Iraq under Kurd control. 

[Black Red Devil]

Politics!

"Erdogan said Turkey had completed preparations for an operation in Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria."

He didn't seem concerned on preparations when ISIS was attacking this region.

[+and-then]

10 hours ago, Gromdor said:

Hate to say it, but with the way the chess pieces are falling, the Iranians are going to get their land bridge and everyone in the region is going to get an excuse to kill the Kurds.  Even the Iraqi's are eyeballing the oil rich regions in Northern Iraq under Kurd control. 

That's a possibility but only if America lacks the resolve to stop it.  Erdogan is becoming an open, fundamentalist Islamist dictator.  Turkey is an ally in name only at this point and we need to be planning how to replace the capabilities that Incirlik has provided in the region.  I'm surprised he hasn't forced its closure yet.  The Trump administration has some hard choices to make and I think that support of the only Muslim population that has been most loyal to us since the first Iraq war should be a priority.  My guess is that they'd welcome a huge U.S. base in their Iraqi territory.  At some point, America will go to war with Iran or choose to leave Israel and the wider region to their fate.  

We seem to have chosen not to abandon the region to a Russian/Iranian alliance.  Israel has already struck nascent Iranian base construction in Syria as well as some recent arms shipments so the gauntlet is down and the next move is in the hands of Putin and Kdog.

[Only_]

Tillerson Calls For Indefinite US Military Presence In Syria To Remove Assad

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson unveiled an ambitious US strategy for ousting Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Wednesday that relies on an indefinite US military presence in the country, an insurrection within the Assad regime and a groundswell of support from the beleaguered Syrian people.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/johnhudson/tillerson-calls-for-indefinite-us-military-presence-in?utm_term=.wjGDLRlzn#.rsYkAEBjw

 

Here we go again.

Edited January 17, 2018 by TruthSeeker_

[SHaYap]

I thought they tossed out Hillary C's play book on Syria ... apparently not ...

~

[Unusual Tournament]

On 1/17/2018 at 3:25 AM, Black Red Devil said:

Politics!

"Erdogan said Turkey had completed preparations for an operation in Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria."

He didn't seem concerned on preparations when ISIS was attacking this region.

too right. during the siege of Kobane, Erdogan's Turkey even provided free access though Turkish territory for ISIS to attack the Kurds. Erdogan and his Islamists cronies are hell bent on destroying Kurdish nationalism.   

[Unusual Tournament]

On 1/18/2018 at 10:02 AM, third_eye said:

I thought they tossed out Hillary C's play book on Syria ... apparently not ...

~

yeah funny how another of Trump's red lines gets crossed by himself. maybe he should have given Hillary the job of secretary of state. 

[Unusual Tournament]

On 1/18/2018 at 9:55 AM, TruthSeeker_ said:

Tillerson Calls For Indefinite US Military Presence In Syria To Remove Assad

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson unveiled an ambitious US strategy for ousting Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Wednesday that relies on an indefinite US military presence in the country, an insurrection within the Assad regime and a groundswell of support from the beleaguered Syrian people.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/johnhudson/tillerson-calls-for-indefinite-us-military-presence-in?utm_term=.wjGDLRlzn#.rsYkAEBjw

 

Here we go again.

i don't believe that's what America really wants anymore. if America wanted that then Syria wouldn't be where it is now.i think that they're going to  partition Syria along ethnic lines and that's what is making the Turks crazy. 

[+and-then]

6 hours ago, Captain Risky said:

i don't believe that's what America really wants anymore. if America wanted that then Syria wouldn't be where it is now.i think that they're going to  partition Syria along ethnic lines and that's what is making the Turks crazy. 

I think the current administration understands the likelihood of a regional or greater war if Iran is allowed to have an uninterrupted logistics train from their border to the Mediterranean.  They've long made their intentions clear where Israel is concerned and if they are left unchallenged, Israel WILL attack them in Syria.  We should use what force we need to attempt to stop that from happening.  A shooting war between Russia, Iran, and Israel would probably escalate into something that none of us want to see.  The fact that Gen Mattis has advised Trump to stand up a force of 30K Syrian troops in the area tells me that he understands the consequences/lesson of Obama's withdrawal from Iraq.

[Only_]

1 hour ago, and then said:

The fact that Gen Mattis has advised Trump to stand up a force of 30K Syrian troops in the area tells me that he understands the consequences/lesson of Obama's withdrawal from Iraq.

Assad has won the war militarily. The only reason the U.S. wants to keep an indifinite military presence is to prevent the legitimate government of Syria from regaining control over the entire country.

Edited January 19, 2018 by TruthSeeker_

[+and-then]

11 hours ago, TruthSeeker_ said:

Assad has won the war militarily. The only reason the U.S. wants to keep an indifinite military presence is to prevent the legitimate government of Syria from regaining control over the entire country.

Assad's life and power were saved by Iran and Russia.  Now they both want something.  I'm not sure about Russia but I know that Iran seeks a secure land bridge to the Mediterranean and the ability to harass and eventually destroy Israel.  If someone doesn't interdict their buildup of forces, Israel WILL.  War is inevitable unless Iran stops its buildup.

[Van Gorp]

The attacker WILL be held accountable. It was so in the past, and will be in the future.

So next in line: Israel looses it's own determination power: how sad, but true.

Eventually it will get the government and support from all over the world. Be gratefull then, not the whole world is against a viable Israel, certainly not Iran in contrast of what many want to make others believe.

But you need to have some faith, many Israel supporters are lacking.

 

[+and-then]

And what constitutes a "viable Israel" in your opinion?

[Unusual Tournament]

well the latest is that Russian forces have left the area and Turkey has started its bombing campaign in the contested Syrian area. and a land operation to back up the bombing is massing on the Turkish border and is imminent. news has filtered through that among the areas targeted and bombed was the local airport that was the main re-supply line the U.S. used to equip and maintain local Kurdish forces and the border guards.     

[Van Gorp]

2 hours ago, and then said:

And what constitutes a "viable Israel" in your opinion?

In my opinon an Israel with a recognised right to exist.

[Unusual Tournament]

On 1/20/2018 at 3:17 AM, and then said:

I think the current administration understands the likelihood of a regional or greater war if Iran is allowed to have an uninterrupted logistics train from their border to the Mediterranean.  They've long made their intentions clear where Israel is concerned and if they are left unchallenged, Israel WILL attack them in Syria.  We should use what force we need to attempt to stop that from happening.  A shooting war between Russia, Iran, and Israel would probably escalate into something that none of us want to see.  The fact that Gen Mattis has advised Trump to stand up a force of 30K Syrian troops in the area tells me that he understands the consequences/lesson of Obama's withdrawal from Iraq.

yes Israel's security is important but i don't believe that Syria is all about Israel. i think Israel can look after itself. Syria seems to be on the verge of being portioned out into foreign spheres of influence including a western and Israeli one in the form of a new Kurdistan. looks like another "civil" war is on its way. this time in Turkey.  

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, Van Gorp said:

In my opinon an Israel with a recognised right to exist.

I see.  It has been a member nation of the UN for nearly 7 decades, yet you feel it is illegitimate? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_273

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, Captain Risky said:

i think Israel can look after itself.

To be sure, but at what cost to themselves and the wider region?  The list of threats grows daily.  Hizballah has over 100 thousand missiles ready to fire from southern Lebanon.  Iran has a nearly unlimited number to fire from their own territory and now the IRGC is establishing bases and munitions factories inside Syria.  If Iran is allowed a safe logistics train into Syria and no interference in their consolidation of their position there, Israel's options become few and the danger of a devastating war in the whole region becomes a near certainty.

[RAyMO]

Just now, and then said:

To be sure, but at what cost to themselves and the wider region?  The list of threats grows daily.  Hizballah has over 100 thousand missiles ready to fire from southern Lebanon.  Iran has a nearly unlimited number to fire from their own territory and now the IRGC is establishing bases and munitions factories inside Syria.  If Iran is allowed a safe logistics train into Syria and no interference in their consolidation of their position there, Israel's options become few and the danger of a devastating war in the whole region becomes a near certainty

But does any of that give a third party country the right to determine the national boundaries of another sovereign state - surely to do so is an act of war.

 

[+and-then]

2 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

But does any of that give a third party country the right to determine the national boundaries of another sovereign state - surely to do so is an act of war.

 

If the Turks, Russians, and Iran are willing to go to war to ensure an Iranian presence on Israel's border then so be it.  Ignoring Israel's security will lead to that.  The U.S. is trying to defend allies (Israel and the Kurds) and to defuse a serious crisis.  Time will tell how important this region is to others.  This could be the beginning of a very serious war.

[RAyMO]

Just now, and then said:

This could be the beginning of a very serious war.

It could very well be - but lets hope for all invoved it doesn't. Also at the minute the USA is diplomtically in a bad place with turkeys very recent actions - would you agree?

[+and-then]

Just now, RAyMO said:

It could very well be - but lets hope for all invoved it doesn't. Also at the minute the USA is diplomtically in a bad place with turkeys very recent actions - would you agree?

Diplomatically, yes.  The situation is serious enough that diplomacy is secondary, however.  It's called Realpolitik and it's becoming very dangerous for all of us.  I hope that Erdogan decides not to try to invade Afrin because it is apt to rupture NATO and potentially lead to Blue on Blue casualties.  Putin would benefit from a dissolution of NATO and Turkey might as well.