December, Friday 20th., 2019 Turkey in the new evolving Global Affairs

December, Friday 20th., 2019

-FOREIGN AFFAIRS

04/10/2019 - 14:34  |  Τελευταία ενημέρωση: 05/10/2019 - 11:30

ΕΛΛΗΝΟΤΟΥΡΚΙΚΑ/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/RUSSIA-TURKEY-GREECE

Σοκ από Μόσχα: Δέχθηκε de facto διχοτόμηση του Αιγαίου στον 25ο Μεσημβρινό αναγνωρίζοντας τα τουρκικά «δικαιώματα»!

-"19/12/2019 - 14:53  |  Τελευταία ενημέρωση: 20/12/2019 - 01:01

ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑ/ENERGY

Ρώμη προς Αθήνα για EastMed: «Θέλουμε να κατασκευαστεί άμεσα - Ελάτε να ορίσουμε & ΑΟΖ»"

-Farewell, Incirlik? What US stands to lose if it’s evicted from crucial 
Turkish air base
 Mikhail Khodarenok 
GEOPOLITICS /MILITARY

16 Dec, 2019 19:38

-19/12/2019 - 11:15

OPINION MAKERS
Άρχισε να κτυπά απειλητικά τα «τύμπανα» του πολέμου στη Μεσόγειο: Ερντογάν μαινόμενος!

19/12/2019 - 10:08  |  Τελευταία ενημέρωση: 19/12/2019 - 10:38

ΕΣΩΤΕΡΙΚΗ ΑΣΦΑΛΕΙΑ/INTERNAL AFFAIRS

Εξέγερση μουσουλμάνων στο Βαθύ της Σάμου - Πετροπόλεμος και χρήση χημικών - Εκκενώνονται σχολεία (βίντεο) 

-19/12/2019 - 12:53

ΑΛΛΑ ΚΟΜΜΑΤΑ/INTERNAL AFFAIRS

Μήνυση από την «Εθνική Λαϊκή Συνείδηση» κατά του «προέδρου» της πακιστανικής κοινότητας για υποκίνηση βίας & μίσους

-19/12/2019 - 17:47  |  Τελευταία ενημέρωση: 20/12/2019 - 01:02

ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΑΣΦΑΛΕΙΑ/INTERNATIONAL SAFETY

Μόσχα: Τρομοκρατική επίθεση στην έδρα της Ομοσπονδιακής Υπηρεσίας Ασφαλείας (FSB) με 1 νεκρό και 5 τραυματίες (upd)

-GEOPOLITICS 
AlexanderShumilin, “Russia's Diplomacy in the Middle East: Back to Geopolitics”, Russie.Nei.Visions, No.93, May2016.Ifri27 rue de la Procession 75740 Paris Cedex 15 –FRANCETel.: +33 (0)1 40 61 60 00 –Fax: +33 (0)1 40 61 60 60 Email: accueil@ifri.org

Ifri-BruxellesRue Marie-Thérèse, 21 1000 –Bruxelles –BELGIQUETel.:+32 (0)2 238 51 10 –Fax: +32 (0)2 238 51 15 Email: bruxelles@ifri.orgWebsite: Ifri.org

-How the Battle for Libya Has Become a Proxy Conflict - The ...
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/GEOPOLITICS

https://www.washingtonpost.com › 2019/12/12
Πριν από 6 ημέρες - How the Battle for Libya Has Become a Proxy Conflict ... The ongoing battle for the city has accelerated interventions in Libya by Russia and neighboring countries as ... Backed by Turkish drones, forces loyal to the recognized .

-19/12/2019 - 11:10  |  Τελευταία ενημέρωση: 20/12/2019 - 01:02

ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ/TURKEYKanal İstanbul (English: Istanbul Canal)

Ο Ρ.Τ.Ερντογάν ανακοίνωσε την κατασκευή νέας διώρυγας στην Κωνσταντινούπολης: «Για να ξαναπάρουμε τον έλεγχο στα Στενά»

Γράφει: Θεόφραστος Ανδρεόπουλοs

Turkey in the new evolving Global Affairs
If Global Affairs now were as they used to be for at least the past 13,000 thousand years, or to make it practically shorter, the past 1000 years, the Vatican poulain , the يڭيچرى, the yenitsaros with the Hellenic blood, actually bullying and harassing the Middle East region and the Mediterranean Seas, (East and Central shortly coming, through Libya) and infesting Europe with his trafficking and migration and international crime and terrorism, economic procedures and advancements, would have many more than one good chances to succeed in concluding his handlers' globa(l)listic, criminal, dirty job.

But the international and universal conditions are not the same as they used to be. The desperate, panicking mode of the international deep state actors is obvious. That is why we all can see that the terrorist attack against the FSB building in Moscow is synchronistically connected with the Russian

proxy involvement in Libya... And why not, a sort of vindication and vengeance of the Vaticano-ish/Soros-ian Globalists against the Russian benevolent to Humankind and  successful for the establishment  of peace, engagement in Syria... 

In the United States, the two faces of the famous coin are strenuously fighting each other and the satanism-vampirism  polluted Democratic Party is blindly suicidal, forcing the security and safety of the country and the whole  world, in endangered,  deadly, evil paths and avenues of glitzy Hollywood-ean suffocating darkness...
The deep international state, manipulating its lethal instruments of the Bushes-Clintons-Obamas' pestilence, has drowned in blood, pain, horror, awe, dust, ashes, crumbles and shatters, dirty environmental and psychological hybrid wars, great parts of all the Earth's continents!And this is more than enough!

It is understandable that due to the perplexity of the international economic and geopolitical conditions, there are many, very complicated situations of conflicting interests to be faced and dealt with. As in Libya:When during the deplorable Hillary's era the attacked and blood soaked Qaddafi's

life, land, oil and new political-monetary-banking plans were brought to a black dust end, it was 'good' for the 'then' US cabal interests. Now that  case arises and possibly the Yenitsaros might get rid of the Incirlic Base and many more, perhaps it is not so good to encourage him to bloody-boot the Libya, sail and exploit the surrounding seas, as the 'then' US did with  the Joe Bidens' Ukraine, with the John McCains'DAESH creation, establishment  and management and the Refugee-Migrants fast producing lucrative industry in Middle-East.

It is understandable that Russia would thoroughly enjoy a sort of Black Sea protection if and when a friendly «Καναλ Ινσταμπουλ» (διώρυγα της Κωνσταντινούπολης)Kanal İstanbul (English: Istanbul Canal), would cooperate in filtering knucklehead-NATO's  and other inimical vessels'
passage and cruising in its south  borders of the Black Sea...On the other hand, Russia obviously does not enjoy all sorts of DAESH-born or similar terrorist factors messing around  with and within its South-Eastern belly, encouraged as they will surely be, by the Yenitsaros "wannabe sultan',  dreams...

Concerning China's international mercantile/commercial interests, they will  not be bothered if the Asia Minor lands are governed by Greece,  or Piraeus Port is run by Turks, as long as the eventual economic agreements and transactions are well kept and the OBOR Project, (One Belt One Road Initiative), is functioning smoothly, allowing her to feed her 1,4 billion of population.
Concerning her beloved HUAWEI construct and the consequent far too florid for  human freedom and free will invading methods, that emerge out of its exploiting and harming Pirouettes, Tour en l'airs, Grande Jetés, Pliés and all sorts of various Orwellian and Big Brother applications and acrobatics and spying, mind-controlling maneuvers, all the major nations of the world should cooperate, negotiate and agree to secure and safeguard Humanity's welfare and harmonious, untroubled future and China Should comply.

Connecting the first paragraph with this last one, I would like to point out that a relieving thought and positive action for the betterment of international relations, geopolitics, trade and economics to be taken by  the international major, healthy Factors and Actors, but for the Vatican-Soros-Royals-Merkel-Globalist Deep State dépassée actors, would possibly be to put Turkey under guardianship, under an honourable conservatorship!
Thus protecting her own citizens from continuous harm and freedom deprivation, her minorities, her neighbors, the Armenians, the Kurds, the Pontos Greeks,  the Greeks of Istanbul, the Central Asia women and children from trafficking and organs sales, etc., etc...

Evidently, Russians and Americans could very well negotiate, absent knucklehead NATO, their new peaceful geopolitical/economic for the Kanal Istanbul, for example, agreement. Why bother allowing for an interlocking  greedy, malevolent  globalist instrument/factor between them, while building the new positive peaceful  future for Humanity?
Greece would provide an excellent, brave, honest helping hand upon such an occurrence!
Maria L. Pelekanaki












Farewell, Incirlik? What US stands to lose if it’s evicted from crucial Turkish air base

Mikhail Khodarenok

is a military commentator for RT.com. He is a retired colonel. He served as an officer at the main operational directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

16 Dec, 2019 19:38

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People reflect on a floor with an airplane symbol at the air base in Incirlik ©  REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz/Pool

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Turkey’s President Erdogan said Ankara may evict US forces from its Incirlik and Kurecik bases, a response to Washington’s sanctions. The Pentagon is now doing everything it can to keep relations with Turkey from spiraling.

The Incirlik Air Base has a 3,048-meter-long runway that can accommodate any type of jet, including strategic bombers. There are aircraft dispersal areas, shelters, warehouses, communication centers at the base, as well as radio, lighting, navigation equipment, HQ units, maintenance and auxiliary areas. The US also stores 40 of its B61 nuclear bombs at the base.
It's the home of the 10th Air Wing of the 2nd Air Force Command of the Turkish Air Force, and the 39th Air Base Wing of the US Air Force. Estimates vary, but there are up to 5,000 US Air Force personnel stationed there.
Incirlik accommodates KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling tankers. These jets participated in the air operations in Syria and Iraq. There are also reconnaissance aircraft and drones at the base.
Incirlik was actively used by the US Air Force during the 1958 Lebanon crisis, Operation Desert Storm (1991), Operation Desert Fox (1998), as well as the wars in Afghanistan (from 2001), Iraq (from 2003), and Syria.

©  REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz/Pool

Regional Leverage

If Recep Tayyip Erdogan asks the Americans to pack up and leave (he might not even let them pack up), that will definitely reduce the US Air Force’s combat and operational capacity in the Middle East. Incirlik affords Washington serious leverage in its dealings with countries in the region and its ability to have an impact on their political and military situations.
So, if the United States were to lose the Incirlik Air Base, this would seriously reduce both its defense and offense capabilities, especially in the hypothetical case of a threat coming from Iran’s territory. And Erdogan knows this all too well. He knows which cards to play, and he is playing them to win.
Also on rt.com US-Turkey relations at critical crossroads: what’s behind Erdogan’s threat to shutter Incirlik Air Base?

Other High-Profile Losses

Another important asset of the US armed forces and a key element of NATO’s missile defense network is a transportable radar installed in Kurecik, in southeastern Turkey, not far from the border with Syria. The station is located in Malatya Province on a hill 2,100 meters above sea level and is capable of detecting ballistic missiles at ranges of up to 1,000 km. Losing this radar would significantly limit NATO’s missile-attack warning capabilities.
As for the US nuclear weapons that have reportedly been stored at Incirlik, they are most likely no longer there. We have reasons to believe that the Americans moved the nukes soon after the attempted coup d'état in Turkey of July 2016. So, it’s possible that the Incirlik warehouses where B61 bombs used to be stored are currently empty.

Divides within the alliance

Will it take long for the US to pack up what remains and meet the tight deadline that Erdogan will most definitely set if this scenario unfolds? US aircraft need just a couple of hours. The AN/TPY-2 radar, too, can be put in a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and shipped off to the closest European base.
Also on rt.com ‘Disrespect to our sovereign decisions’: Ankara hits back after US Senate committee greenlights Turkey sanctions bill However, it will be much harder to estimate the funds that were invested in the infrastructure and would be lost in a hasty escape. Permanent structures cannot be transported either by air or rail.
It would be an extravagance on the part of the US to give up on such assets as the air base at Incirlik. Its geopolitical value is exceptional.
Eventually, Ankara and Washington may come to some agreement (compromise). Attempts by the US to mount pressure on Erdogan may lead to extremely adverse ramifications, possibly with a major divide in what until recently was a monolithic alliance.
Certainly, Ankara still draws heavily on imports of many types of armaments, hardware and spare parts from the West. However, NATO membership is no longer a vital necessity for Ankara.
The bloc will not help Turkey resolve a wide range of military and political issues the country is facing, such as relations with neighboring Greece and the situation with oil and gas offshore reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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US-Turkey relations at critical crossroads: what’s behind Erdogan’s threat to shutter Incirlik Air Base?

16 Dec, 2019 18:15 / Updated 1 day ago

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US C-17A Globemaster III aircraft flies over a minaret after taking off from Incirlik air base, 2015 ©  Reuters / Murad Sezer

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When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to close a vital airbase used by American forces, he wasn’t bluffing, and Washington should take his threats at face value, or risk losing a NATO ally, analysts say.

The Turkish leader announced on Sunday that Incirlik Air Base - a vital hub for US and NATO forces stationed in the Middle East - could close its doors if US lawmakers press ahead with sanctioning Turkey for its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
Incirlik is not a backwater airstrip, the kind the United States utilizes for its drone missions in Africa, for example. Instead it’s a massive base in Adana, a city of 1.7 million people. Here, just 250km from the Syrian border, nearly 5,000 US airmen are stationed, as well as several hundred Turkish airmen. More than 50 hardened aircraft shelters hide American jets, while the base also hosts an estimated 50 American nukes.
Also on rt.com Turkey could shut down Incirlik Air Base used by US if necessary – Erdogan on US sanctions Erdogan has also threatened to close the Kurecik Radar Station, an isolated facility on a scorched hill in southeastern Turkey that performs a vital function as an early warning against ballistic missile attacks.
His threats are serious ones, but not unexpected. Rather they’re the latest round in an ongoing match of diplomatic swordplay between Washington and Ankara. For the US, the stakes in this game are high. If Congress pushes ahead with its vendetta against Ankara, the US risks burning its bridges with its NATO ally, and pushing Erdogan closer to regional players like Russia and Iran.

Don’t test Erdogan

Whatever course Washington ultimately decides upon, it would be unwise to assume that the Turkish strongman is simply bluffing, Yusuf Erim, a political analyst at TRT World, told RT.

Erdogan always follows through on what he says and we need to take him verbatim. If the US imposes sanctions on Turkey, it will have a boomerang effect and judging from the Turkish President's rhetoric, Congress' actions could cost the US two key bases in Turkey

He stressed that such an extreme measure would only be seriously considered as a reaction to new policies or legislation imposed by Washington. However, if sanctions are imposed, it could trigger a “snowball” effect, sending US-Turkey relations into a nosedive.
Erdogan's previous decisions have shown he can be taken at his word. The Turkish president earned the scorn of his NATO allies for pressing ahead with the S-400 deal and defied Washington’s threats to take delivery of the Russian missiles in July. That delivery saw Turkey booted out of the F-35 fighter jet program, but not even expulsion from the F-35 project, nor a face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump last month, could convince Erdogan to reverse course.

US A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets (foreground) are pictured at Incirlik airbase ©  Reuters / Umit Bektas

Clashing policies in Washington

As well as clashing with Erdogan over Russian missiles and far-flung airbases, Washington is at odds with itself over how to handle the wily Turkish leader.
Apart from considering sanctions targeting Ankara’s purchase of S-400 systems, the US Senate passed a resolution on Thursday recognizing the Armenian Genocide, ethnic cleansing purportedly carried out in the early 20th century by Ottoman Turkey which killed roughly 1.5 million people. Ankara’s official position is that the genocide never took place, and any deaths took place as part of the first world war. The move has further enraged Erdogan, who has hinted at a resolution of his own – which would recognize the genocide of indigenous people in the United States.
Also on rt.com Trump says Turkey very good member of NATO… or will be, while Erdogan challenges alliance to keep up with the times These measures were passed without the input of President Trump, who has adopted a more convivial attitude toward Ankara. “I like Turkey,” he said at a NATO summit earlier this month. “And I get along very well with the president. He is a very good member of NATO, or will be.”
Hüseyin Bağci, Professor and Chair of the International Relations department at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, noted that Turkey has received mixed signals from Washington, exacerbating already-strained bilateral relations.

We have to differentiate between American institutions and the American president. [Trump] is very close to [Erdogan]. But the American institutions follow different policies – Congress, as well as the Pentagon and the State Department.

While the tone coming from Washington could be described as mixed, all parties involved clearly understand that “losing” Turkey would not be in America’s best interests, Bağci said. Yet even Trump’s allies in the Republican party signed on to both the genocide resolution and the sanctions bill. Unless Washington can get its story straight, and Congress take a new line, losing Turkey may become a reality.

Ankara’s delicate balancing act

The game of chicken between Washington and Ankara highlights the wildly fluctuating relationship between the two countries, according to Valeria Giannotta, an Italian academic at the University of Turkish Aeronautical Association in Ankara.
“The arm wrestling with Washington is not something new, we have been witnessing this up and down in the bilateral relations for quite a long time,” Giannotta told RT, citing US support for the Syrian Kurds, as well as the Obama administration’s refusal to hand over Erdogan’s arch-enemy, Fetullah Gülen.
Also on rt.com NATO left Turkey ‘alone in fight against terror’ – defense minister Even if US troops remain in Incirlik, the two countries seem to be drifting apart on key foreign policy issues. Ankara shares a special relationship with Iran, for example, and views the Islamic Republic as an economic partner – a position which flies in the face of Washington’s unilateral sanctions and calls for regime change.
After inking the S-400 deal with Moscow, Turkey now sees that pursuing its own interests – while trying to appease Washington – may no longer be possible. If the United States isn’t careful, its showdown with Erdogan could end up fracturing a decades-old alliance.
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