Posted on 03/18/2014 9:58:21 AM PDT by meatloaf
"The threat to close the Bosphorus to Russia comes from a report by Hvylya, citing a Turkish diplomatic source. According to the source, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan yesterday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone and warned of the consequences for conflict with Ukraine. The Hvylya source was also reported on by UNIAN."
Russia would find that dining on Turkey would lead to considerable indigestion.
Please eliminate NATO. Thank you.
If I were Russia, I’d seize Turkey’s land on both sides of the Bosporus in response. And reopen the Haggia Sophia as an Orthodox church, now that Turkey has decided to end its status as a tourist attraction and museum and make it into a mosque.
What could possibly go wrong?
We could throw in export subsidies for US-made fracking equipment as well.
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An excellent idea, to be honest. Hopefully, this will force a rethink in military policy - mind you, I’m not counting on that, but in my opinion, a return to a ‘containment strategy’ is vital.
And it must be emphasized to Putin that ANY attempt to act against a NATO member-state would immediately trigger a nuclear response. I for one would be more than happy to tell Putin that.
Well, we knew then that the buck stopped in the Oval Office, whereas it now stops in a Democratic Party fundraiser.
“...I assumed someone in the insane clown posse running DC has a strategic thought in their heads. ...”
Nope. That posse is more concerned with how many guns YOU have, and who they perceive the REAL enemies to be. And it ain’t the Russkies...
And if Russia sends it’s Black Sea Fleet in?
What will Turkey do? Follow the treaty (which requires it to allow passage) or close the straits, which can be a cause for war?
The only way to respond now is the expensive way: move a couple of BCT's, air defense units, and air wings to Poland, not the miserable 12 planes Obozo sent already.
Since Putin is easily digesting Crimea, he will next try for the eastern Ukraine. What happens then is anyone's guess.
The way to respond is to start drilling yesterday and ween Europe off of dependence on Russian oil.
One of the big military advantages Russia now has is that its fleet is well covered by Russian air bases. Moving to the southern Black Sea would impinge seriously on the fleet's air cover and bring it within range of on-shore missile batteries, torpedo boats, etc.
Don't forget Chancellor and Foreign Minister Gazprom.
Poland recently passed legislation to speed up their fracking operations.
Yep, and if I were POTUS, I’d be willing to move a little more than that. I’m talking nukes.
If I were POTUS, I’d be more than willing to kick this up to Cuban Missile Crisis levels, to show the Russians they’re simply not going to get away with rebuilding the USSR, or the Russian Empire, or whatever revanchist fantasies they may have.
Crimea is their freebie. And that’s it.
“Bosporus” isn’t that a nickname for Hank Williams Jr.
i)Britain's recalcitrance to lose Russian money would be countered by proposed SEC regulations requiring repatriation of US investments in the UK markets;
ii)Ditto for Frankfurt;
iii)Porsche/Audi/Volkswagen would suddenly face large recalls;
iv)Poland would experience "technical difficulties" with gas deliveries to Germany;
v)Poland and Holland would have more "technical difficulties" delivering electrical power to Germany--the "Green" energy unicorn has made Germany very dependent on power imports;
v)A mysterious "accident" would disable the Nordsee pipeline in the Baltic.
Exercising leadership occasionally requires coercion as well as persuasion to remind "allies" of their obligations.
Erdogan teasing the bear is pretty much a bad idea.
If the Poles want to bugger anyone, it will be the Russians. They’ll have to get in line behind the Turks. It remains to be seen if NATO will honor the Turks’ “Credit line.”
Closing the Bosporus is within Turkey’s sovereignty here. I wouldn’t underestimate Turkey.
I would also point out that it was our embargoing of Japan that was the real impetus for their entering WWII.
Bottling up the Black Sea fleet would likely be considered an act of war by Putin.
Cutting off Russia’s oil and gas sales is really the only way to get to Putin. There economy would tank pretty quickly.
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