Free Republic

The downing of a Russian jet fighter by Turkey threatens to disrupt President Vladimir Putin's plan to bring more countries into his antiterrorism tent, as well as any potential rapprochement with the West. Since launching airstrikes in Syria at the end of September that he said were directed against Islamic State and other terrorist groups, Mr. Putin had called on other countries to join an alliance that includes Iran, Iraq and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The recent terror attacks in Paris created an opening for the Kremlin: Moscow is preparing for a visit Thursday by French President Francois Hollande...

Furious #Assad/#Putin forces shell the Syrian-Turkish border areas in #Latakia w/ MLRS. https://t.co/xxNb2vrS6r pic.twitter.com/LT5vugEl2M— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHgdAbTtwEc #Russia's message to #Turkey: 'If we bomb your allies only meters from your border but stay in Syria, you can't do anything about it!'— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015

#BreakingReport #Russia bombs #Azaz today, the heart of the Turkish-aspired "safe zone" in northern #Syria. pic.twitter.com/jl5aBHllaO— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015 Clear message to #Turkey and the West: "We won't allow you to save anyone in #Syria. Not even 4 km South of you. This is OUR battlefield."— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015

Less provocative and deadly incidents than the latest Paris terror massacre and the November 24 Turkey-Russia aerial incident have ignited very large and destructive wars. Both incidents are serious, both involve U.S. NATO allies and both have already produced chain reaction political consequences. Review the headlines. On Nov. 13, NATO member France suffered a devastating terror attack by terrorists connected to an enemy organization, which claims it is a state. France has mulled invoking NATO Article 5. On Nov. 24, NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian SU-24 fighter-bomber that had violated its air space. In response, Moscow ordered a...

Tensions following Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet have shrunk the horizon for Russian tourists in search for sunnier climes, and for battered tour operators. Foreign travel had already been under a dark shadow from a weak economy and the severing of air ties with Egypt after the bombing of a passenger jet. Officials led by strongman Vladimir Putin warned Russians against travelling to Turkey and insisted the country was no safer than Egypt, where a Russian charter plane flying from the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to Saint Petersburg was downed by a bomb last month, killing all...

The first thing to remember about the Turkish downing of a Russian fighter-jet is that it could just as easily have happened to an American aircraft. Yes, the situation in Syria is that complex; there’s plenty of risk to go around—and that’s before anyone starts putting “boots on the ground.”

Mark ‏@markito0171 2h2 hours ago #Russia'n warplanes bombed the #Syria'n - #Turkey border crossing at #Azaz -trucks burning https://twitter.com/markito0171/status/669517052386918400 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuy_5U8uaG0

Ankara explosions: Reports of multiple blasts and injuries in Turkish capital 14:35, 25 Nov 2015 Updated 15:27, 25 Nov 2015 By Anthony Bond Multiple explosions have taken place in the Turkish capital Ankara, it has been reported. Witnesses say the blasts resulted in several popping sounds and caused a number of injuries. Reports from the city said the violence explosions caused panic with many people taking to social media fearing a coordinated attack. Emergency services rushed onto the streets shortly after the blasts at about 1.30pm local time. Military personal and firefighters were also deployed. Local police said they investigated...

The surviving pilot of a Russian jet downed by Turkey has said there were no warnings before they were struck out of the sky, it's reported. Captain Konstantin Murakhtin told a Russian TV station that his plane was flying over Syrian territory and did not violate Turkish airspace. Speaking for the first time since the incident yesterday, the pilot said he knew the region like the back of his hand and "couldn't possibly have flown into Turkish airspace".

Fmr. Commander of NATO, Gen. Wesley Clark says Turkey could do more to stop the flow of foreign fighters to ISIS.

Attempted Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in Cyprus	 By Michael Stephen, former British Parliamentarian (1992-97) The assertion by Mr. Christides (May 10, 1999) that there was no ethnic cleansing or attempted genocide of Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriots is ridiculous. Until influential Greek Cypriots come to terms with the appalling behavior of their community toward the smaller Turkish Cypriot community and stop trying to persuade themselves and the world that each side was as much to blame as the other, there will be no reconciliation in Cyprus. What did George Ball and Sir Alec Douglas say about the intentions of ...

On Tuesday evening, we took a close look at the circumstances surrounding Turkey's decision to shoot down a Russian Su-24 near the Syrian border. The incident was the most meaningful escalation in the conflict to date and marks the first time a Russian or Soviet plane has been downed by NATO since 1953. The pilots ejected, one of whom was shot in his parachute by FSA-affiliated Alwiya al-Ashar militiamen who subsequently celebrated over the body. About an hour later, the FSA's 1st Coastal Brigade used a US-made TOW to destroy a Russian search and rescue helicopter, killing one Russian marine....

Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? David Graeber Last modified on Thursday 19 November 2015 12.04 EST Western leaders could destroy Islamic State by calling on Erdoğan to end his attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria and Turkey and allow them to fight Isis on the ground How could Isis be eliminated? In the region, everyone knows. All it would really take would be to unleash the largely Kurdish forces of the YPG (Democratic Union party) in Syria, and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ party) guerillas in Iraq and Turkey. These are, currently, the main forces...

YAYLADAGI, Turkey (Reuters) - Russian forces launched a heavy bombardment against insurgent-held areas in Syria's Latakia province on Wednesday, near where a Russian warplane had been shot down by Turkey the day before, rebels and a monitoring group said. At least 12 air strikes hit Latakia's northern countryside as pro-government forces clashed with fighters from al Qaeda's Nusra Front and Turkmen insurgents in the Jabal Akrad and Jabal Turkman areas, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A Turkmen commander said missiles fired from Russian warships in the Mediterranean were also hitting the area, as well as heavy artillery...

The Russian Air Force base in Latakia will be reinforced with S-400 SAM system, which will soon be deployed there, Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Wednesday. "An S-400 will be deployed on Khmeimim airbase in Syria," Shoigu said at a Defense Ministry meeting. On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet near the Turkish-Syrian border. One pilot died in the incident. The second one was rescued and brought to the Latakia airbase. Moscow maintains the jet did not violate Turkey's airspace. It ditched on Syria's territory 4km from the border. Shortly afterwards,...

For the better part of a year, Turkey remained on the sidelines in the "fight" against ISIS. Then, on July 20, a powerful explosion ripped through the town of Suruc. 33 people were killed including a number of Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF) members who planned to assist in the rebuilding of Kobani. The attack was promptly attributed to Islamic State who took "credit" for the tragedy the next day. To be sure, the attack came at a rather convenient time for President Tayyip Erdogan. A little over a month earlier, the ruling...

As Americans prepare for their Thanksgiving Day feasts, there's an issue on the horizon that could make that turkey more expensive: taxing meat to reduce climate change. Livestock is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, adding about the same amount of emissions as that of all the world's vehicles, according to a new report from the U.K. policy institute Chatham House. But many consumers aren't aware of the link between their dinner plates and climate change, the report notes. At the same time, meat consumption is forecast to increase by 76 percent over the next several decades, thanks to...

As the United States debates how to properly vet 10,000 Syrian refugees expected to resettle here, employees with Samaritan’s Purse are stationed on the frontlines in Greece, working to be a “face of compassion” for refugees fleeing war and terror. Ken Isaacs, vice president of programs and government relations for Samaritan’s Purse, spent a week in Greece, where the Christian organization has deployed employees and contractors to the region to assist scores of refugees flowing into the country, with hopes of continuing deeper into Europe. There, the group’s workers meet refugees arriving by rubber rafts on Greek islands and provide...

President Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the need to reduce tensions after Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane flying near the country's border with Syria, the White House said Tuesday. Obama voiced support "for Turkey's right to defend its sovereignty" during a phone call with Erdogan, according to a White House statement. "The leaders agreed on the importance of de-escalating the situation and pursuing arrangements to ensure that such incidents do not happen again," the White House added. U.S. and NATO officials said Tuesday the Russian jet entered Turkish airspace, according to the Associated Press....

Armradio - Armenian delegates have raised the issue of violation of the Armenian air space by Turkish helicopters on the sidelines of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's annual session held in Norway October 9-12. Member of the Armenian delegation Tevan Poghosyan has informed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the incident and addressed a letter to James Appathurai, the Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia and hopes to receive a response early in November. ... If NATO really values the inviolability of borders of its member states, it would be reasonable for the Alliance to serve an...