5 New Messages
Digest #4787
Messages
Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:23 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.baw13.
Exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013
Oerland Main Air Station, Norway
Diary
22 August 2013
Hot Preparation Phase of Exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 Starts
This Thursday the first of the 44 Allied aircraft from nine NATO nations participating in Exercise Brilliant Arrow (BAW) 13 touched down at Oerland Main Air Station, Norway, their deployment base for the coming two weeks.
Besides Turkish and Portuguese F-16 fighter aircraft and their counterparts from Norway, for which Oerland is the home base, additional transport aircraft landed delivering materiel for logistic support of the international detachments.
In the afternoon the touch-down of a British airborne early warning E-3D was something out of the ordinary for the fighter airbase. A total of two Airborne Warning and Control System or AWACS aircraft will be flying during BAW13 to provide command and control for the aircraft operating out of Oerland. The second French E-3F as well as the remaining jets and support aircraft will arrive here over the weekend.
25 August 2013
Over the weekend the remaining flying assets for the NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 (BAW13) arrived at the Oerland Main Air Station (MAS) in a second wave. The whole deployment of aircraft that began with a first wave on Thursday went smoothly and well-coordinated. The host nation tower personal guided all aircraft - a French E-3F airborne early warning aircraft, German Tornado, French Mirage 2000 and Polish, Greek and Portuguese F-16 fighters as well as various support aircraft from participating nations - were professionally guided to their apron positions.
Ground crews from the respective nations were waiting to embed their aircraft, as on the previous day, to conduct maintenance work and aircraft checks during the whole weekend supported by host nation.
Over the weekend the remaining flying assets for the NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 (BAW13) arrived at Oerland Main Air Station (MAS) in a second wave. The whole deployment of aircraft that began with a first wave on Thursday went smoothly and well-coordinated. The host nation tower personal guided all aircraft - a French E-3F airborne early warning aircraft, German Tornado, French Mirage 2000 and Polish, Greek and Portuguese F-16 fighters as well as various support aircraft from participating nations and three Norwegian Bell 412 - professionally to their apron positions.
Ground crews from the respective nations were waiting to receive and embed their aircraft to conduct maintenance work and aircraft checks during the whole weekend supported by host nation.
A total of 700 persons from nine nations have been deployed to Oerland MAS for BAW13 supported by some 200 staff from the Host Nation. From 10 a. m. on Monday morning the first wave of Allied aircraft will take off to their operational areas in northern and central Norway via assigned aerial corridors – and the execution of BAW13 will start.
26 August 2013
BAW 13 - Ready for take off
At 9:30 a.m. today, the French Air Force E-3F airborne early warning platform took off from Oerland Main Air Station as the first aircraft during NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 13 (BAW13). A 31 fighter and support aircraft received their mission tasking and launched marking the start of BAW13. The mandatory operational briefings for the detachments were conducted the day before. An opportunity for BAW13 exercise director Colonel Frank Gerards, Royal Netherlands Air Force, and his Norwegian deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Hans Jørgen Nordskog, to welcome the participants from nine NATO nations.
After months of preparations by the responsible exercise planners at NATO’s Headquarters Allied Air Command (HQ AIRCOM), the long awaited execution phase of this multinational exercise has now begun. Each day some 80 so-called sorties, i. e. take offs and landings, are scheduled during which fighter and support aircraft will train various air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios.
During BAW13 the focus is on providing qualified training of air crews and the exercise director underlines that the entire live flying will take place in a safe manner. “We are well prepared,” says Colonel Gerards, “so let’s get going!”
============
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Exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013
Oerland Main Air Station, Norway
Diary
22 August 2013
Hot Preparation Phase of Exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 Starts
This Thursday the first of the 44 Allied aircraft from nine NATO nations participating in Exercise Brilliant Arrow (BAW) 13 touched down at Oerland Main Air Station, Norway, their deployment base for the coming two weeks.
Besides Turkish and Portuguese F-16 fighter aircraft and their counterparts from Norway, for which Oerland is the home base, additional transport aircraft landed delivering materiel for logistic support of the international detachments.
In the afternoon the touch-down of a British airborne early warning E-3D was something out of the ordinary for the fighter airbase. A total of two Airborne Warning and Control System or AWACS aircraft will be flying during BAW13 to provide command and control for the aircraft operating out of Oerland. The second French E-3F as well as the remaining jets and support aircraft will arrive here over the weekend.
25 August 2013
Over the weekend the remaining flying assets for the NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 (BAW13) arrived at the Oerland Main Air Station (MAS) in a second wave. The whole deployment of aircraft that began with a first wave on Thursday went smoothly and well-coordinated. The host nation tower personal guided all aircraft - a French E-3F airborne early warning aircraft, German Tornado, French Mirage 2000 and Polish, Greek and Portuguese F-16 fighters as well as various support aircraft from participating nations - were professionally guided to their apron positions.
Ground crews from the respective nations were waiting to embed their aircraft, as on the previous day, to conduct maintenance work and aircraft checks during the whole weekend supported by host nation.
Over the weekend the remaining flying assets for the NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 2013 (BAW13) arrived at Oerland Main Air Station (MAS) in a second wave. The whole deployment of aircraft that began with a first wave on Thursday went smoothly and well-coordinated. The host nation tower personal guided all aircraft - a French E-3F airborne early warning aircraft, German Tornado, French Mirage 2000 and Polish, Greek and Portuguese F-16 fighters as well as various support aircraft from participating nations and three Norwegian Bell 412 - professionally to their apron positions.
Ground crews from the respective nations were waiting to receive and embed their aircraft to conduct maintenance work and aircraft checks during the whole weekend supported by host nation.
A total of 700 persons from nine nations have been deployed to Oerland MAS for BAW13 supported by some 200 staff from the Host Nation. From 10 a. m. on Monday morning the first wave of Allied aircraft will take off to their operational areas in northern and central Norway via assigned aerial corridors – and the execution of BAW13 will start.
26 August 2013
BAW 13 - Ready for take off
At 9:30 a.m. today, the French Air Force E-3F airborne early warning platform took off from Oerland Main Air Station as the first aircraft during NATO exercise Brilliant Arrow 13 (BAW13). A 31 fighter and support aircraft received their mission tasking and launched marking the start of BAW13. The mandatory operational briefings for the detachments were conducted the day before. An opportunity for BAW13 exercise director Colonel Frank Gerards, Royal Netherlands Air Force, and his Norwegian deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Hans Jørgen Nordskog, to welcome the participants from nine NATO nations.
After months of preparations by the responsible exercise planners at NATO’s Headquarters Allied Air Command (HQ AIRCOM), the long awaited execution phase of this multinational exercise has now begun. Each day some 80 so-called sorties, i. e. take offs and landings, are scheduled during which fighter and support aircraft will train various air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios.
During BAW13 the focus is on providing qualified training of air crews and the exercise director underlines that the entire live flying will take place in a safe manner. “We are well prepared,” says Colonel Gerards, “so let’s get going!”
============
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Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:23 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://voiceofrussi
Voice of Russia
August 26, 2013
Syrian bishop warns intervention could spark 'world war'
A Syrian Chaldean Catholic bishop on Monday warned that an armed intervention in Syria could unleash a "world war", while the Vatican'
"If there is an armed intervention, that would mean, I believe, a world war. That risk has returned," Monsignor Antoine Audo of Aleppo told Vatican radio.
"We hope that the pope's call for real dialogue between the warring parties to find a solution can be a first step to stop the fighting," he said.
Audo is also the head of the Syrian arm of the international Catholic charity Caritas and has repeatedly warned about the human cost of the war.
The Vatican daily, L'Osservatore Romano, meanwhile criticised Western powers in an editorial.
"The drumbeat of an armed intervention by Western powers is becoming ever more insistent and ever less restrained by prudence," it said.
"Several representatives of these countries say they are convinced that the accusation that the Syrian army used chemical weapons is founded - a question which the United Nations is investigating,
Pope Francis on Sunday called for the international community to help find a solution to the civil war.
"I launch an appeal to the international community to be more sensitive to this tragic situation and to commit itself to the maximum to help the dear Syrian nation find a solution to a war which spreads destruction and death," he said.
Voice of Russia, AFP
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Voice of Russia
August 26, 2013
Syrian bishop warns intervention could spark 'world war'
A Syrian Chaldean Catholic bishop on Monday warned that an armed intervention in Syria could unleash a "world war", while the Vatican'
"If there is an armed intervention, that would mean, I believe, a world war. That risk has returned," Monsignor Antoine Audo of Aleppo told Vatican radio.
"We hope that the pope's call for real dialogue between the warring parties to find a solution can be a first step to stop the fighting," he said.
Audo is also the head of the Syrian arm of the international Catholic charity Caritas and has repeatedly warned about the human cost of the war.
The Vatican daily, L'Osservatore Romano, meanwhile criticised Western powers in an editorial.
"The drumbeat of an armed intervention by Western powers is becoming ever more insistent and ever less restrained by prudence," it said.
"Several representatives of these countries say they are convinced that the accusation that the Syrian army used chemical weapons is founded - a question which the United Nations is investigating,
Pope Francis on Sunday called for the international community to help find a solution to the civil war.
"I launch an appeal to the international community to be more sensitive to this tragic situation and to commit itself to the maximum to help the dear Syrian nation find a solution to a war which spreads destruction and death," he said.
Voice of Russia, AFP
============
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Stop NATO website and articles:
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Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:23 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.itar-
Itar-Tass
August 26, 2013
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: Moscow has no plans for war with anyone
MOSCOW: “We are not going to war with anyone,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday, August 26, replying to a question about Russia’s possible reaction to possible military strikes on Syria.
“We understand restrictions on strategic thinking that are connected with very frequent electoral cycles when voters’ expectations have to be fulfilled, expectations that are whipped up by the ruling circles themselves. This is life. It’s bad that the rules of international law become increasingly insignificant for our Western partners, at least for leading Western countries,” the minister said.
“Those who think that this is the way to establish laws that existed at the time of lawlessness are short-sighted. This will boomerang on them sooner or later anyway,” Lavrov said.
“I heard Paris and London say NATO can interfere to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria without the authorization of the U.N. Security Council. This is very dangerous.”, Lavrov said, adding “I hope that common sense will prevail. We should think jointly to create conditions for reaching reconciliation and expressing tolerance to ethnic and religious minorities,” the minister said.
G8 summit agreements
The West’s statements on Syria run counter the agreements reached at the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Lavrov reminded.
“The hysteria is growing. Fighting means are being intensified. Threats are becoming oftener to use force against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad,” Lavrov said.
“Washington said it had proof that the Syrian authorities were guilty of the events in East Ghouta. Washington says the red line had crossed,” the Russian minister said.
“This runs counter the agreements reached by the G8 leaders in Lough Erne. They said any use of chemical weapons should be investigated,” he added.
Russia urges the Western countries “to act in a responsible way and not to repeat the mistakes of the past”, in particular the scenarios in Iraq and Libya, Lavrov said.
“We’ve discussed such scenarios: force has never ensured security or improved people’s life. At present, the situation is instable in the region,” he said.
All efforts taken by the international community should be aimed at expelling terrorists from the country and preventing confrontation in the region. “We should give common and clear signals to the government and the opposition to settle the conflict by direct dialogue,” Lavrov said.
Chemical attack allegations
The international community should wait for results of the U.N. investigation into alleged chemical attacks in Syria, Russia's top foreign official said.
“We must wait for the results of the U.N. inspectors’ investigation in Syria, if they do not run into obstacles, of course,” the minister added.
Reports on the chemical attack in East Ghouta are aimed at wrecking the Geneva-2 conference on Syria, Lavrov believes.
He said: “Information on the chemical attack in East Ghouta was spread when the Russian and American experts prepared the Geneva-2 conference.”
“No doubts the hysteria will wreck the convocation of the forum. Maybe, this is one of the goals that its authors pursue,” the minister said.
UN experts
Russia expresses bewilderment about the fact that the West does not take care of evidence when it had blocked the arrival of U.N. inspectors in Syria, Lavrov said.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Lavrov said: “Those who want to realize the military scenario cannot consent with yesterday’s agreements under which the Syrian government allowed U.N. experts to visit the areas where chemical weapons had been used.”
“One says this agreement was late. Any evidence can be destroyed in five days. The question is why our Western partners do not take care of preserving evidence when they had blocked the arrival of U.N. experts to investigate the chemical attack in Khal al Assal,” the minister said.
Expert verdict
U.N. inspectors have no task to bring a verdict who used chemical weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding: “Experts, who are staying in Syria, have a mandate to determine if chemical weapons were used in Syria.”
“The experts have no mandate to bring a verdict on who used chemical weapons - the government or the opposition,” the minister said.
The G8 summiteers decided that an objective and professional investigation should be conducted. Then their results should be submitted to the U.N. Security Council, he said.
“Of course, the U.N. Security Council will take into account all information based on the analytical and factual materials placed on the Internet and other mass media,” Lavrov said.
Geneva conference
It is unreal to hold the Geneva-2 conference on Syria in September, the Foreign Minister stated.
“We should decide on the substance of problems to prepare the conference. I believe that then we’ll be able to agree on the date,” Lavrov said.
The position of the Syrian regime’s opponents is too negative to deal with the convocation of the Geneva-2 conference, the minister said, adding that Iran’s participation was one of the key problems.
“Iran plays the most important role related to what has happened in Syria. Certain states hope to take part in the conference. But their position is that Iran has no right,” he said.
“At present, the key task is to determine the date of the Geneva-2 conference. It is necessary to come to final agreement on the participants in the conference,” Lavrov said.
U.S. position
He also added that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had confirmed commitment to holding the Geneva-2 conference on Syria.
“John Kerry pledged to study our arguments. Then he will phone me to continue the conversation on this issue,” Lavrov said.
On Sunday, August 25, Lavrov and Kerry discussed the situation in Syria in light of reports on the use of chemical weapons. Lavrov said he was deeply concerned about the U.S. interference into the Syrian conflict.
Syrian opposition
The Syrian opposition comes against the talks and mass media reports on the chemical attack in Damascus’ suburbs hampers them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
“The events prove that as soon as there is any chance to start a political process attempts are made to change the regime by force,” Lavrov told a news conference.
“The opposition agrees that the regime capitulates,” the minister said.
The information campaign around the events in East Ghouta will have an impact on preparing the Geneva-2 conference on Syria. “Maybe, there is one of the goals that the authors pursued,” he said.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
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============
Itar-Tass
August 26, 2013
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: Moscow has no plans for war with anyone
MOSCOW: “We are not going to war with anyone,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday, August 26, replying to a question about Russia’s possible reaction to possible military strikes on Syria.
“We understand restrictions on strategic thinking that are connected with very frequent electoral cycles when voters’ expectations have to be fulfilled, expectations that are whipped up by the ruling circles themselves. This is life. It’s bad that the rules of international law become increasingly insignificant for our Western partners, at least for leading Western countries,” the minister said.
“Those who think that this is the way to establish laws that existed at the time of lawlessness are short-sighted. This will boomerang on them sooner or later anyway,” Lavrov said.
“I heard Paris and London say NATO can interfere to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria without the authorization of the U.N. Security Council. This is very dangerous.”, Lavrov said, adding “I hope that common sense will prevail. We should think jointly to create conditions for reaching reconciliation and expressing tolerance to ethnic and religious minorities,” the minister said.
G8 summit agreements
The West’s statements on Syria run counter the agreements reached at the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Lavrov reminded.
“The hysteria is growing. Fighting means are being intensified. Threats are becoming oftener to use force against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad,” Lavrov said.
“Washington said it had proof that the Syrian authorities were guilty of the events in East Ghouta. Washington says the red line had crossed,” the Russian minister said.
“This runs counter the agreements reached by the G8 leaders in Lough Erne. They said any use of chemical weapons should be investigated,” he added.
Russia urges the Western countries “to act in a responsible way and not to repeat the mistakes of the past”, in particular the scenarios in Iraq and Libya, Lavrov said.
“We’ve discussed such scenarios: force has never ensured security or improved people’s life. At present, the situation is instable in the region,” he said.
All efforts taken by the international community should be aimed at expelling terrorists from the country and preventing confrontation in the region. “We should give common and clear signals to the government and the opposition to settle the conflict by direct dialogue,” Lavrov said.
Chemical attack allegations
The international community should wait for results of the U.N. investigation into alleged chemical attacks in Syria, Russia's top foreign official said.
“We must wait for the results of the U.N. inspectors’ investigation in Syria, if they do not run into obstacles, of course,” the minister added.
Reports on the chemical attack in East Ghouta are aimed at wrecking the Geneva-2 conference on Syria, Lavrov believes.
He said: “Information on the chemical attack in East Ghouta was spread when the Russian and American experts prepared the Geneva-2 conference.”
“No doubts the hysteria will wreck the convocation of the forum. Maybe, this is one of the goals that its authors pursue,” the minister said.
UN experts
Russia expresses bewilderment about the fact that the West does not take care of evidence when it had blocked the arrival of U.N. inspectors in Syria, Lavrov said.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Lavrov said: “Those who want to realize the military scenario cannot consent with yesterday’s agreements under which the Syrian government allowed U.N. experts to visit the areas where chemical weapons had been used.”
“One says this agreement was late. Any evidence can be destroyed in five days. The question is why our Western partners do not take care of preserving evidence when they had blocked the arrival of U.N. experts to investigate the chemical attack in Khal al Assal,” the minister said.
Expert verdict
U.N. inspectors have no task to bring a verdict who used chemical weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding: “Experts, who are staying in Syria, have a mandate to determine if chemical weapons were used in Syria.”
“The experts have no mandate to bring a verdict on who used chemical weapons - the government or the opposition,” the minister said.
The G8 summiteers decided that an objective and professional investigation should be conducted. Then their results should be submitted to the U.N. Security Council, he said.
“Of course, the U.N. Security Council will take into account all information based on the analytical and factual materials placed on the Internet and other mass media,” Lavrov said.
Geneva conference
It is unreal to hold the Geneva-2 conference on Syria in September, the Foreign Minister stated.
“We should decide on the substance of problems to prepare the conference. I believe that then we’ll be able to agree on the date,” Lavrov said.
The position of the Syrian regime’s opponents is too negative to deal with the convocation of the Geneva-2 conference, the minister said, adding that Iran’s participation was one of the key problems.
“Iran plays the most important role related to what has happened in Syria. Certain states hope to take part in the conference. But their position is that Iran has no right,” he said.
“At present, the key task is to determine the date of the Geneva-2 conference. It is necessary to come to final agreement on the participants in the conference,” Lavrov said.
U.S. position
He also added that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had confirmed commitment to holding the Geneva-2 conference on Syria.
“John Kerry pledged to study our arguments. Then he will phone me to continue the conversation on this issue,” Lavrov said.
On Sunday, August 25, Lavrov and Kerry discussed the situation in Syria in light of reports on the use of chemical weapons. Lavrov said he was deeply concerned about the U.S. interference into the Syrian conflict.
Syrian opposition
The Syrian opposition comes against the talks and mass media reports on the chemical attack in Damascus’ suburbs hampers them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
“The events prove that as soon as there is any chance to start a political process attempts are made to change the regime by force,” Lavrov told a news conference.
“The opposition agrees that the regime capitulates,” the minister said.
The information campaign around the events in East Ghouta will have an impact on preparing the Geneva-2 conference on Syria. “Maybe, there is one of the goals that the authors pursued,” he said.
============
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http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
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============
Mon Aug 26, 2013 7:32 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.hurriyet
Hürriyet Daily News
August 27, 2013
Turkey may open İncirlik base upon NATO decision
Murat Yetkin
Turkey may open its strategic İncirlik air base for possible military operations into neighboring Syria, if the Western defense alliance NATO
The official, who asked not to be named, said the reports of chemical weapons last week triggered the motivations of the international community in such a way that fewer leaders were now indifferent to what has been happening in Syria for the over two years of civil war. “According to the results of the political and military evaluations these days, it is possible that the NATO Council might convene with Syria on the agenda. If there is an intervention decision, Turkey would take part in it, which could include the opening of the İncirlik air base.”
One of the meetings that the official mentioned was the political meeting between the “Core Group” of the Friends of Syrian People and the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), representing the opposition against the Bashar al-Assad regime, which will take place in Istanbul on Aug. 26. The other meeting is a military one in Amman, Jordan, another neighbor of Syria, where defense ministers and/or the top commanders of 10 nations got together on the same day to discuss “preventing a spillover” of the civil war, and also to assess the scenarios of a possible intervention in Syria. Those 10 nations were Jordan, as the host country, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the U.K., France, Turkey, Germany, Qatar, Italy and Canada.
The possibility of a military intervention in Syria without a United Nations mandate had been ruled out by the U.S. and Western allies, up until the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near the capital Damascus in which hundreds of civilians were killed. The al-Assad regime still rejects responsibility (with the backing of Russia and Iran), pointing the finger instead at the rebel forces. However, Western intelligence insists that the al-Assad forces did it...
Turkey has been pressing for nearly two years now for a joint intervention in the civil war...owever, it has not got much of a response up to now, mainly for three reasons. The first was Russia and China’s blocking in the U.N. Security Council. The second was the reluctance of the U.S. and EU partners to provide weapons to the rebels that could end up in the hands of groups linked to al-Qaeda, such as the al-Nusra Front. The third was the policy of U.S. President Barack Obama not to send ground troops into conflict zones, drawing his lesson from the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, where it was observed that the U.S. invasion helped some political Islamist groups to further grow and become radicalized under the wings of American protectio
However, the use of chemical weapons, which had been announced as a “red line” for Syria before, has seemingly changed the game. The Kosovo option that is now under discussion suggests the use of air and navy units, not ground forces, which could be a way out for Obama. All eyes are now on a possible NATO
The İncirlik air base, south of Turkey is one of the most strategically important NATO bases in the world. It was effectively used for Iraq operations in the past, and also in Kosovo.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
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============
Hürriyet Daily News
August 27, 2013
Turkey may open İncirlik base upon NATO decision
Murat Yetkin
Turkey may open its strategic İncirlik air base for possible military operations into neighboring Syria, if the Western defense alliance NATO
The official, who asked not to be named, said the reports of chemical weapons last week triggered the motivations of the international community in such a way that fewer leaders were now indifferent to what has been happening in Syria for the over two years of civil war. “According to the results of the political and military evaluations these days, it is possible that the NATO Council might convene with Syria on the agenda. If there is an intervention decision, Turkey would take part in it, which could include the opening of the İncirlik air base.”
One of the meetings that the official mentioned was the political meeting between the “Core Group” of the Friends of Syrian People and the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), representing the opposition against the Bashar al-Assad regime, which will take place in Istanbul on Aug. 26. The other meeting is a military one in Amman, Jordan, another neighbor of Syria, where defense ministers and/or the top commanders of 10 nations got together on the same day to discuss “preventing a spillover” of the civil war, and also to assess the scenarios of a possible intervention in Syria. Those 10 nations were Jordan, as the host country, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the U.K., France, Turkey, Germany, Qatar, Italy and Canada.
The possibility of a military intervention in Syria without a United Nations mandate had been ruled out by the U.S. and Western allies, up until the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near the capital Damascus in which hundreds of civilians were killed. The al-Assad regime still rejects responsibility (with the backing of Russia and Iran), pointing the finger instead at the rebel forces. However, Western intelligence insists that the al-Assad forces did it...
Turkey has been pressing for nearly two years now for a joint intervention in the civil war...owever, it has not got much of a response up to now, mainly for three reasons. The first was Russia and China’s blocking in the U.N. Security Council. The second was the reluctance of the U.S. and EU partners to provide weapons to the rebels that could end up in the hands of groups linked to al-Qaeda, such as the al-Nusra Front. The third was the policy of U.S. President Barack Obama not to send ground troops into conflict zones, drawing his lesson from the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns, where it was observed that the U.S. invasion helped some political Islamist groups to further grow and become radicalized under the wings of American protectio
However, the use of chemical weapons, which had been announced as a “red line” for Syria before, has seemingly changed the game. The Kosovo option that is now under discussion suggests the use of air and navy units, not ground forces, which could be a way out for Obama. All eyes are now on a possible NATO
The İncirlik air base, south of Turkey is one of the most strategically important NATO bases in the world. It was effectively used for Iraq operations in the past, and also in Kosovo.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
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============
Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:55 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.turkishw
Journal of Turkish Weekly
August 27, 2013
Israeli army placed on high alert
In a live interview on Press TV, Voice of Russia regular contributor and the owner of the Stop NATO website Rick Rozoff, citing multiple sources, stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been placed on high alert.
Mr. Rozoff verified the information to the Voice of Russia and added that Turkey may open its İncirlik Air Base, one of the most strategically important NATO bases in the world, to the United States if they decide to launch military aggression against Syria.
The base was effectively used for Iraq operations in the past, and also those against Kosovo.
Mr. Rozoff also stated that other countries in the region are also on high alert.
Voice Of Russia
Journal of Turkish Weekly
August 27, 2013
Israeli army placed on high alert
In a live interview on Press TV, Voice of Russia regular contributor and the owner of the Stop NATO website Rick Rozoff, citing multiple sources, stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been placed on high alert.
Mr. Rozoff verified the information to the Voice of Russia and added that Turkey may open its İncirlik Air Base, one of the most strategically important NATO bases in the world, to the United States if they decide to launch military aggression against Syria.
The base was effectively used for Iraq operations in the past, and also those against Kosovo.
Mr. Rozoff also stated that other countries in the region are also on high alert.
Voice Of Russia
