Russia, Turkey Tensions Heating Up: Putin Surrounds Turkey with Military Presence

PJ Media ^ | 12-09-2015 | Michael van der Galien

[Michael van der Galien]

Vladimir Putin was dead serious when he warned Turkey that it would "regret more than once" shooting down a Russian fighter yet. Not only has the Russian president announced all kinds of sanctions against Turkey, but he's now also surrounding the Islamist-led country with his military.

As Hurriyet Daily News reports, Putin has sent 14 helicopters to Erebuni Air Base in Armenia. Half of these helicopters are armored Mi-24 attack helicopters, while the other seven are Mi-8 model transport helicopters.

Meanwhile, Putin has also sent a submarine called the 'Rostov-on-Don' to the Mediterranean. Russia has a naval base there, and the Russian president is apparently looking to give it a major boost: the submarine is armed with Caliber cruise missiles.

As if that doesn't make his aggressive intentions clear enough, Putin has also stepped up its presence at the Hmeymim Air Base outside Latakia in Syria. This air base is now home to 55 Russian fighter jets, 'including SU-30 fighter jets and SU-24, 2U-25 and SU-34 bombers along with seven Mi-24 and five Mi-8 helicopters.'

These jets are obviously weapons of aggression, not of defense. Putin says they'll be used against ISIS and other groups fighting against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, but their presence will undoubtedly make Turkey nervous, not in the least because Putin's also stepping up his military presence in other places in the region. And there's more: the air base is also fortified with Pantsir-S1, Buk-M2, S-200, Pechora-2M and S-400 air defense batteries.

[2banana]

Turkey thinks picking a fight with Russia will let them invoke “Article 5” of the NATO treaty.

There is no way Slovaks, Poles, Greeks, etc. are going to fight and die in Turkey against Russia so that Turkey can continue to fund and support ISIS.

[donozark]

Putin is coming, and boy is he pissed....

[demshateGod]

Erdogan’s control is weak. More than half of Turks hate him. He's like Obama: completely polarizing. And like Obama, he steals elections. The world, and Turks most of all, would benefit from a regime change.

[manc]

Greeks hate Turkey that much that they would join with Russia.
Turkey has been going into Greece, Syria, and Iraq’s airspace for years and now they have soldiers in Iraq who Iraq has said they want them out.

Turkey is the problem and should be kicked out of NATO and never allowed to be anywhere near the EU

[McGruff]

Turkey, it’s not just for Thanksgiving anymore.

[ontap]

What ever the wrong side of this argument is you can bet the bank the Kenyan will be there!! Personally I don’t see the down side in Russia going after these terrorist assholes!!!

[realcleanguy]

We should have stayed out of Syria. If we had not used Muslim terrorists to weaken Assad, ISIS wouldn’t have become strong, and this whole mess would have been contained. Thanks to the decisions made by the WH, we are on the brink of a nuclear war.

[Sacajaweau]

No one knows how Erdogan won....just like no one knows how Obama won...twice.

[armydawg505]

I hope the Turks are not expecting any help from Obama.

[lacrew]

True...but it would be a humiliating demonstration of just how useless NATO has become.

[JEDI4S]

I think if the Turks continue to bomb or otherwise attack the Rooskies new allies the Kurds, Turkey may find itself getting the stuffing knocked out of it.

Good thing we have our own turkeys here. It avoids a shortage for Christmas dinner.

Perhaps Spain will come to their defense.

I got your article 5 right here Turkey...it's where article 2’s exit is located.

:-)

[afsnco]

The Turks have been given access to 60-90 of our tactical nukes. They’re under US control except in time of war, but how long would our security forces be able to protect them if the Turks made a concerted effort to get at them? The US has a lot of assets on Incirlik where those nukes are located.

[amorphous]

our tactical nukes.

http://www.nti.org/country-profiles/turkey/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bombhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb

"Turkey continues to host approximately 60 to 70 U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on its territory at Incirlik Air Base."

This makes Incirlik AFB a prime first strike target for Russia. Therefore I'd bet Putin has a number of rapid launch missiles targeting Incirlik and plans to shoot down any aircraft capable of carrying a B61, if it appears to be leaving Turkish airspace.

[amorphous]

... of just how useless NATO has become.

Under Obama, NATO has morphed to become the North Africa Terrorist Organization - Israel better watch out.

We now protect Iran from attack!

[dangus]

The problem for Turkey is that as a result of the Crimean War, Russia has water rights THROUGH TURKEY! Ha ha, Erdogan, you porkwad.

[donozark]

Will the “White Swan” eat the “Turkey?”