Thanks for the update n-t-i. As I stated on other threads, let's hope the Syrians back down quickly. Turkiye is the big dog and I fear what could happen if they cut loose..
"The Turkish Armed Forces is the second largest standing armed force in NATO, after the U.S. Armed Forces, with a combined strength of just over a million uniformed personnel serving in its five branches.[63] Since 2003, Turkey contributes military personnel to Eurocorps and takes part in the EU Battlegroups.[64] Turkey is also considered to be the strongest military power of the Middle East region besides Israel.[14]
Every fit male Turkish citizen otherwise not barred is required to serve in the military for a period ranging from three weeks to fifteen months, dependent on education and job location.[65] Turkey does not recognise conscientious objection and does not offer a civilian alternative to military service.[66]
Turkey is one of nine partner states of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) development and production programme. Turkey is one of five NATO member states which are part of the nuclear sharing policy of the alliance, together with Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.[67] A total of 90 B61 nuclear bombs are hosted at the Incirlik Air Base, 40 of which are allocated for use by the Turkish Air Force.
In 1998, Turkey announced a programme of modernisation worth US$160 billion over a twenty year period in various projects including tanks, fighter jets, helicopters, submarines, warships and assault rifles.[69] Turkey is a Level 3 contributor to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme.[70]
Turkey has maintained forces in international missions under the United Nations and NATO since 1950, including peacekeeping missions in Somalia and former Yugoslavia, and support to coalition forces in the First Gulf War. Turkey maintains 36,000 troops in northern Cyprus; their presence is supported and approved by the de facto local government, but the Republic of Cyprus and the international community regard it as an illegal occupation force, and its presence has also been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.[71] Turkey has had troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the United States stabilisation force and the UN-authorized, NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) since 2001.[63][72] In 2006, the Turkish parliament deployed a peacekeeping force of Navy patrol vessels and around 700 ground troops as part of an expanded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the wake of the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.[73]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey
I’ll take my chances with Vlad Tepes and Ordinul Dragonului...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-g6eK5-lSE
The Turks are a mortal enemy...