Posted on 10/09/2015 9:47:20 PM PDT by WhiskeyX
The U.S. has started to pull its Patriot missiles stationed in Turkey, despite a recent appeal from Ankara to its NATO allies to keep the air and missile defense units at a delicate time on the border with Syria.
Patriot missiles were initially deployed at the Gaziantep 5th Armored Brigade Command in southeastern Turkey after the country appealed to its NATO allies to guard against rockets from Syria.
(Excerpt) Read more at hurriyetdailynews.com ...
I suppose the missiles were intended to serve some purpose other than defense?
Nope, strictly defense, to deter anyone from blackmailing a NATO member with missile strikes.
So why remove the missiles now?
Odd. Like others, I don’t want us involved in Turkey’s Syrian project especially since it has gone so toxic.
But like others I’m surprised. I also thought Obama was as deeply embedded with the Turks as he was the Saudis.
They would of course enable the operators - be they American or Turk- to detect a lot of air activity and know what is going on throughout their detection range.
I think Iran sent terrorists to strike a missile defense site in Turkey a couple of years ago that was operated by the US but I forgot what type the missiles were, if they were Patriots or some other kind of SAM.
Obama is deeply embedded with Iran, for most purposes.
Can’t believe I am actually saying such a thing but it’s probably a wise move and lessens the chances of an accident turning into something far more serious.
Gonna have to get out of Russia’s way for awhile since Obama and co. really screwed up Syria. All we need right now is a major escalation with Russia with Obama as CIC.
This is just scrubama exercising the post-election “flexibility” he promised the Russians.
Nothing surprising here.
“But like others Im surprised. I also thought Obama was as deeply embedded with the Turks as he was the Saudis.”
Note how the article links the move with Merkel removing the German NATO troops from Turkey.
Iran has had its panties in a wad over the air defense radar in particular. They have been complaining to Turkey about it and finally attempted to take it down using terrorists.
From 2011: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151050#.Vhio6JtdFYc
The effort to strike it using terrorists was more recent.
That appears to be the common thread.
They weren’t put in there just to defend Turkey, they were put there to defend Europe from Iranian missiles, etc. Iran’s been working on some long range stuff.
Thanks for the background.
Can this appeasing sob get any worse?
The Turks and the Saudis are enemies. In this instance, it isn’t all that important.
What is important is not being nuked by Putin because Our Patriot missiles were used to shoot down Russian pilots who are killing Jihadis and saving Christians.
Don’t try to minimize that fact about the Christians. If Putin didn’t exist then Erdogan would exterminate the Armenians. The Armenians are caught between Turkey and Azerbaijian, both of which are Islamist and determined to rid the Near East of Christians and Jews. Both nations would like to see a re-emergence of the Ottoman Empire of old in a new Caliphate.
I think you mean de-stabilizing. Unless you were being sarcastic originally. This just invites more aggression as the U.S. tucks more tail.
Let's not forget the backstory either. During that time, out of nowhere Pelosi brought up the Armenian resolution in congress denouncing Turkey (rubbing their noses in history and pissing them off) when President Bush was running up to the invasion (This was right after Pelosi took a trip overseas and met with America's enemies). It was 100% democrats working against the U.S. to piss off an ally (at the time) that created that situation. Turkey was on board and willing until Pelosi and her ilk actively began working against American interests. There is NO denying that.
How would it “lessen the chances of an accident?” Their function, if anything, would be to reduce or eliminate the impact of a missile launch.
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