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U.S. pulling missile defense batteries from Turkey
Washington Examiner ^ | 10/12/15 | Jacqueline Klimas

Posted on 10/12/2015 7:12:03 PM PDT by markomalley

The U.S. is moving forward with plans to remove its Patriot missile defense systems from Turkey despite recent escalations in the region, including Iran testing a new long-range ballistic missile over the weekend.

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan announced on Sunday the successful test of the newest Iran-made long-range missile, dubbed the "Emad," or Pillar, that could likely reach Turkey. In addition, the Russians are playing a greater role in the Syrian civil war, raging along Turkey's border.

Despite that, the U.S. is continuing with plans made in August to remove all Patriot missile defense systems from Turkey, a defense official said Monday.

"We, Turkey and NATO have more than adequate capabilities to defend Turkey's airspace," the official said.

A Turkish diplomat had a different take, however.

"We do not think this is the best time to withdraw these batteries," the diplomat told Defense News. "This is a delicate time for our border with Syria."

The Pentagon said this year that the battery of missile defense systems, originally sent to Turkey in January 2013, would take a one-way trip to the U.S. in October for upgrades. The threats Turkey faces have changed since 2013, the Pentagon said in August, as the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used up the majority of its missile stores.

Michael O'Hanlon, a national security analyst at the Brookings Institution, said removing the Patriots presents only a "modest" threat increase because of other deterrents.

"If Assad started threatening Turkey with missiles, we could bring Patriots back — and if Assad actually attacked, he'd invite NATO retaliation which would be foolish, so I don't expect it," O'Hanlon said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Syria
KEYWORDS: missiledefense; natoturkey; obamaerdogan; turkey; turkeymissiledefense
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1 posted on 10/12/2015 7:12:03 PM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

“Hey there, NATO ally! You’re on your own!”


2 posted on 10/12/2015 7:13:24 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (I've switched. Trump is my #1. He understands how to get things done. Cruz can be VP.)
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To: markomalley

"Son....you're on your own."

3 posted on 10/12/2015 7:15:11 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: markomalley

Well, the way Turkey has been killing Christians and aiding terrorists, I can’t feel too badly about this.


4 posted on 10/12/2015 7:18:22 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: All
Just as well. Sooner or later, Erdoğan will announce officially that he has allied with ISIS, and if those things are still 'in country', he will use them AGAINST us.
5 posted on 10/12/2015 7:18:56 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: markomalley

Overlooked, they are not just for ballistic missile defense, they also make fine anti aircraft missiles. In fact that was their original mission. bammy clearing the way for Putin. He sure has shown himself to be Putin’s bitch.


6 posted on 10/12/2015 7:19:37 PM PDT by ThunderSleeps (Stop obarma now! Stop the hussein - insane agenda!)
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To: markomalley

Turkey is now ruled by a Muslim autocracy. As such it is a mortal enemy of western civilization. It’s really that simple. Turkey should not be a member of NATO, or be trusted as a part of the free world.


7 posted on 10/12/2015 7:20:02 PM PDT by VR-21
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To: Cicero

“Well, the way Turkey has been killing Christians and aiding terrorists, I can’t feel too badly about this.”

The antimissile batteries protect more than Turkey.


8 posted on 10/12/2015 7:22:26 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: KC_Lion; GeronL

Ping.


9 posted on 10/12/2015 7:25:45 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: markomalley

Interesting timing


10 posted on 10/12/2015 7:25:51 PM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: markomalley
From the campaign trail, 2008...

Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs

February 29, 2008 :: News
MissileThreat.com

A video has surfaced of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama talking on his plans for strategic issues such as nuclear weapons and missile defense.

The full text from the video, as released, reads as follows:

Thanks so much for the Caucus4Priorities, for the great work you've been doing. As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus4Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.

First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.[i.e. not win it]

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.

I will not weaponize space.

I will slow our development of future combat systems.

And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.

Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.

You know where I stand. I've fought for open, ethical and accountable government my entire public life. I don't switch positions or make promises that can't be kept. I don't posture on defense policy and I don't take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my sole priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people. Thanks so much.

Article: Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs:

http://web.archive.org/web/20090412030633/http://missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp

"MissileThreat.com is a project of The Claremont Institute devoted to understanding and promoting the requirements for the strategic defense of the United States."


11 posted on 10/12/2015 7:28:16 PM PDT by ETL (Ted Cruz 2016!! -- For a better and safer America)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Turkey is becoming less of an ally every day and moving more to an Islamic caliphate.


12 posted on 10/12/2015 7:29:18 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (There's a right to gay marriage in the Constitution but there is no right of an unborn baby to life.)
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To: Cicero

Tell that to the USAF personnel stationed at Incirlik AB.


13 posted on 10/12/2015 7:30:38 PM PDT by TaMoDee (Go Pack Go! The Pack will be back in 2015!)
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To: markomalley
"According to the Washington Free Beacon, Russia’s nuclear arsenal how has over 100 nuclear warheads above the limit set by the treaty.

Since the treaty was launched, Russia has deployed 111 new nuclear warheads, bringing its total number of deployed warheads to 1,648. That treaty limit is 1,550 warheads — a number that must be reached in 2018.

Comparatively, the numbers of U.S. nuclear warheads, missiles and bombers have fallen dramatically and are already below the limits set by the treaty. Additionally, the United States has decreased the number of warheads in its deployed nuclear arsenal by 250.

While the United States intends to eliminate heavy bombers and launchers, Russia has launched a strategic nuclear force expansion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also recently announced a new doctrine that placed priority on nuclear forces.

If this raises concern for you, you are not alone.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, said Russia “is in the business of violating treaties.”

Rogers said Putin has violated several agreements and treaties in the past, and he simply “violates any treaty or agreement that puts limits on capabilities that Mr. Putin and his cronies desire.”

“Russia’s arguable adherence to the New START Treaty just indicates how bad a deal it is for the United States,” he said.

Adm. William Gortney, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, said Wednesday that Russia has read our play book and is “fielding cruise missiles that are very, very accurate, very long range.”

Gortney said these missiles have the ability to reach targets in Canada and the United States. He added that Russia has been participating in war game scenarios recently that simulate cruise missile strikes in Alaska.

This news is serious because it appears Russia has no intention of abiding by New START or any other treaty. We should therefore be building up our military and our arsenals instead of depleting them.

source:
http://theminorityreportblog.com/2015/10/11/red-alert-russia-just-did-this-to-its-nuclear-arsenal-and-it-should-put-us-on-high-alert/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

===============================================================

From the FreeBeacon:

Russia Adds 111 Warheads Under Arms Treaty
Moscow warheads above New START treaty limit

By: Bill Gertz
October 9, 2015

Russia has now deployed more than 100 nuclear warheads in its strategic arsenal above the limits set by the New START arms treaty limits—two years before it must meet treaty arms reduction goals.

New START nuclear warhead and delivery system numbers made public Oct. 1 reveal that since the 2010 arms accord went into force, Moscow increased the number of deployed nuclear warheads by a total of 111 weapons for a total of 1,648 deployed warheads. That number is 98 warheads above the treaty limit of 1,550 warheads that must be reached by the 2018 deadline of the treaty.

At the same time, U.S. nuclear warheads, missiles, and bombers have fallen sharply and remain below the required levels under the New START pact.

The United States during the same period of the Russian increases cut its deployed nuclear arsenal by 250 warheads. ..."(more...)

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/russia-adds-111-warheads-under-arms-treaty/

************************************************

The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions
Congressional Research Service

Summary

The United States and Russia signed the New START Treaty on April 8, 2010. After more than 20 hearings, the U.S. Senate gave its advice and consent to ratification on December 22, 2010, by a vote of 71-26. Both houses of the Russian parliament—the Duma and Federation Council— approved the treaty in late January 2011, and it entered into force on February 5, 2011, after Secretary of State Clinton and Foreign Minister Lavrov exchanged the instruments of ratification.

New START provides the parties with 7 years to reduce their forces, and will remain in force for a total of 10 years. It limits each side to no more than 800 deployed and nondeployed land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launchers and deployed and nondeployed heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear armaments.

Within that total, each side can retain no more than 700 deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and deployed heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear armaments. The treaty also limits each side to no more than 1,550 deployed warheads; those are the actual number of warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs, and one warhead for each deployed heavy bomber.

New START contains detailed definitions and counting rules that will help the parties calculate the number of warheads that count under the treaty limits. Moreover, the delivery vehicles and their warheads will count under the treaty limits until they are converted or eliminated according to the provisions described in the treaty’s Protocol. These provisions are far less demanding than those in the original START Treaty and will provide the United States and Russia with far more flexibility in determining how to reduce their forces to meet the treaty limits. ..."

New START Treaty: PDF:
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/R41219.pdf

14 posted on 10/12/2015 7:30:41 PM PDT by ETL (Ted Cruz 2016!! -- For a better and safer America)
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To: VR-21

+1


15 posted on 10/12/2015 7:31:04 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Eagles fan after loss to Dallas -- This is the first time I ever saw the "prevent offense".)
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To: markomalley

Turkey, there, gettin’ the ole Benghazi rooftop rescue...!


16 posted on 10/12/2015 7:31:12 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: markomalley

We surrender, so sorry Mr. Putin.


17 posted on 10/12/2015 7:36:16 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Whatever success Turkey has had is due their de-Islamization in the 20th century.

If they continue going back to being a caliphate, they go back to being the “sick man” of the 19th century.


18 posted on 10/12/2015 7:36:34 PM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: markomalley
"If Assad started threatening Turkey with missiles, we could bring Patriots back — and if Assad actually attacked, he'd invite NATO retaliation which would be foolish, so I don't expect it," O'Hanlon said.

Horse manure, Zero pull the missiles now, when things are starting to get hot?

No, the real reason is the same as the one for pulling our carrier group without relief.

The Patriots are probably outmatched by the Russian weapons now available to Russian assets (but not Assad's troops) in Syria.

It's to keep Eargodan in line so NATO won't be embarrassed.

19 posted on 10/12/2015 7:36:39 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: MUDDOG

The followers of Islam are determined to drag the world back to the 7th century.


20 posted on 10/12/2015 7:43:12 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (There's a right to gay marriage in the Constitution but there is no right of an unborn baby to life.)
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