Turkey dubs Syria 'a clear threat', vows to retaliate

[tombogan03884]

http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-respond-violation-syria-says-premier-101609103.html

Turkey branded its former ally Syria "a clear and imminent threat," on Tuesday as its Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vented his fury over the downing of a Turkish fighter jet.

In his most outspoken criticism of the Damascus regime, Erdogan vowed to retaliate against the "heinous act" and promised a change of military attitude to any Syrian officer approaching the common border.

"The rules of engagement of the Turkish Armed Forces have changed given this new development," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament following the shooting down of F-4 Phantom jet Friday. The two pilots are still missing.

Any risk posed by Syria on the Turkish border will be "considered a threat and treated as a military target," he said in a jam-packed room of lawmakers who frequently interrupted the address with applause.

Erdogan said his government would retaliate "with determination" and take what he called the "necessary steps by determining the time, place and method by itself".

The prime minister said Turkey's military jet violated the Syrian airspace for a short time and "by mistake" and repeated that it was unarmed, flying solo when it was shot down by Syria "without a single warning."

"We did not receive a single warning, note from Syria (regarding airspace violation)...They acted without warning. This is a hostile act," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said that Turkish airspace had been violated 114 times by military aircraft from different countries, including Syria, since January 1, 2012.

"Syrian helicopters violated our airspace five times. These were short-term violations," to which Turkey issued the necessary warnings, Erdogan noted.

"This latest development shows that the Assad regime has become a clear and imminent threat to the security of Turkey, as well as for its own people," he added.

Erdogan broke with former friend and ally Assad, whom he called "a bloody dictator," after unrest that erupted mid-March last year met a bloody response from Damascus, sending more than 33,000 refugees into Turkey.

"Turkey will support Syrian people in every way until they get rid of the bloody dictator and his gang," he said on Tuesday.

[deepwater]

didn't vote because I really don't know, but I will say that I will not be surprised if I get delayed on my return to work. Ship is in Turkey doing shipyard period. oh joy... seems all the interesting stuff is happening around my ship... left Japan a few days before the tsunami, went through the Suez as the Egyptians were rioting and fighting, went to Sicily during the Libya BS. (Sicily is not far from the Libyan coast and they had said they would attack any Nato or US vessel. not good for us as we were carrying aviation fuel for the military.) maybe I should get a job going to Antarctica?

deepwater

[jaybet]

didn't vote because I really don't know, but I will say that I will not be surprised if I get delayed on my return to work. Ship is in Turkey doing shipyard period. oh joy... seems all the interesting stuff is happening around my ship... left Japan a few days before the tsunami, went through the Suez as the Egyptians were rioting and fighting, went to Sicily during the Libya BS. (Sicily is not far from the Libyan coast and they had said they would attack any Nato or US vessel. not good for us as we were carrying aviation fuel for the military.) maybe I should get a job going to Antarctica?

deepwater

Don't do that...the penguins would become man eaters.

[jnevis]

I'm on the fence as to what the "plan" is, but I do know that a minor incursion is SUPPOSED to get a warning over multiple radio channels (local ATC, and GUARD) before any hostile response is taken.  Usually if there's enough indication, an escort is scrambled.

Only issue now is what happens next.  Russia and China won't allow a UN resolution that adversely effects Assad, and NATO won't do anything about it without a UN resolution.  Turkey can push the "an attack on a member nation..." only so far.  If Syria shoots down another observer (you KNOW there are PLENTY of recon birds over there right now) all bets are off.

[tombogan03884]

I'm with the Russians and Chinese on this.
Syria may be a trouble maker, but they did side with us in Gulf War I.
It's a Syrian internal matter, how would we like it if they had interfered in the LA riots ?
When the Pro Western Iranians were being slaughtered the West did nothing and Obama didn't say squat.
Obama and NATO supported the Libyan people after they cheered the Lockerbie bomber, now the Muslim Brotherhood runs Libya and is exporting their Islamist revolution to neighboring countries.
Obama and NATO supported the Egyptian people against long time ally Mubarak, now the Muslim Brotherhood has come to power in Egypt.
Who do you think is behind the unrest in Syria ?

[Sponsor]

[jnevis]

Unfortuantely Tom, the only reason the Russians and Chinese don't want to be involved is because they're supplying both sides.  Only the US is self-righteous enough to say we won't get involved in "internal matters" of another state, and even that is doubtful with the current administration.  Not saying that staying out isn't the right thing to do but our recent track record for backing the "right" side isn't very good.

[tombogan03884]

Unfortuantely Tom, the only reason the Russians and Chinese don't want to be involved is because they're supplying both sides.  Only the US is self-righteous enough to say we won't get involved in "internal matters" of another state, and even that is doubtful with the current administration. Not saying that staying out isn't the right thing to do but our recent track record for backing the "right" side isn't very good.

That's my primary point.
At the absolute least we need to stay out of it until BO is out of office so that we do not wind up supporting yet another bunch of people who hate us.
Actually, I'm still with the Russians and Chinese on this.  Why should still another group that hates us be the only ones making money on the deal ?