Mattis tells Turkey's PM: U.S. committed to your security

[krzepice1976]

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Thursday that Washington was committed to protecting its NATO ally, a spokeswoman said, as Turkey fumes over a decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria.
The roughly half-hour meeting in London appeared to be the highest level talks between the two nations since Washington announced on Tuesday plans to back the YPG militia in an assault to retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State.
Turkey views the YPG as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Turkey and Europe.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the United States was looking to boost intelligence cooperation with Turkey to support its fight against the PKK. The Wall Street Journal reported the effort could end up doubling the capacity of an intelligence fusion center in Ankara.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Thursday that Washington was committed to protecting its NATO ally, a spokeswoman said, as Turkey fumes over a decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria.
The roughly half-hour meeting in London appeared to be the highest level talks between the two nations since Washington announced on Tuesday plans to back the YPG militia in an assault to retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State.
Turkey views the YPG as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Turkey and Europe.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the United States was looking to boost intelligence cooperation with Turkey to support its fight against the PKK. The Wall Street Journal reported the effort could end up doubling the capacity of an intelligence fusion center in Ankara.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1871F0?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social

 

[krzepice1976]

The Defense Department announced on May 9, that President Donald Trump had decided “to equip Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces” which it said “with enabling support from U.S. and coalition forces, are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future.”

The decision is a major blow to Turkey and will have an impact on U.S.-Turkish relations just before President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to have his first meeting with President Trump at the White House on May 16. Having long warned publicly that providing arms to the Syrian Kurdish YPG, which constitutes the bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces, would damage the relationship, Erdogan was expected to use the opportunity to make a last-ditch effort to persuade the Trump Administration.
Although the statement made a point of noting that the United States was “keenly aware of the security concerns of our coalition partner Turkey,” and “committed to preventing additional security risks and protecting our NATO ally,” this is unlikely to mollify Ankara’s anger. In addition to being made just days before Erdogan’s visit to the White House, the decision was announced while a high-level Turkish delegation comprising Turkish Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, Intelligence Organization Chief Hakan Fidan, and Chief Foreign Policy Advisor Ibrahim Kalin, who had been sent to Washington on May 5 to make the Turkish case, was still in town. They met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, and Under Secretary of State Tom Shannon, and argued against expanding U.S. military cooperation with the Syrian Kurds and for cooperating with Turkey in the Raqqa operation
https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-decides-arm-syrian-kurds-over-erdogans-objections

 

[Capstone]

It seems we are determined, both Republican and Democrats, to push Turkey into the arms of Russia.

 

[krzepice1976]

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed his wish that his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump will constitute a new beginning in Turkey-U.S. ties, hoping that Washington will reverse its decision to arm Syrian Kurdish groups that Ankara sees as terrorist organizations.

“I see this visit of mine as a new beginning in the Turkish-American relationship. We have observed that some of the information we received [from Washington] is insufficient. God willing, this visit will be a new beginning in that regard,” Erdoğan told reporters before his departure to China on May 12.

He will travel to the U.S. on May 15 directly from China, where he will attend an international forum. The first in-person meeting between Erdoğan and Trump will take place on May 16 in the White House.

The Turkish president will also meet representatives of the Jewish community, as well as chief executives of leading American companies during his visit.

Erdoğan’s talk with Trump will come after the latter’s signing an executive order for allowing the Pentagon to directly arm the People’s Protection Unit (YPG), the armed wing of the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD), which fights against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as the local ground force. Turkey sees the PYD/YPG as being closely linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and has long been pressing on Washington to cease its alliance with the group.

Erdoğan noted that a high-level delegation composed of Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Hakan Fidan, and chief foreign policy advisor İbrahim Kalın held preliminary talks in Washington last week. “Now we are going to hold the highest level talks with Mr. Trump, which will be in the format of a full-stop rather than a comma. This visit is important for that reason,” he said.

Turkey is the only country that fights most efficiently against ISIL, while others are “just talking about it,” Erdoğan also stated, recalling that the Turkish Armed Forces had long been pursuing a heavy fight against all terror organizations inside and outside Turkey, which will continue in northern Iraq and Syria.

“If they want to do a favor to us, we are together in NATO. As our ally in NATO, such a strong country should move together with its strong ally,” he said.

“We never think that the U.S. looks good next to a terror organization. We don’t find it right. The same goes for Russia,” he added

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-wants-a-new-beginning-with-us-amid-ypg-row-erdogan.aspx?pageID=517&nID=113017&NewsCatID=352

 

[rudemarine]

The Defense Department announced on May 9, that President Donald Trump had decided “to equip Kurdish elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces” which it said “with enabling support from U.S. and coalition forces, are the only force on the ground that can successfully seize Raqqa in the near future.”


https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-decides-arm-syrian-kurds-over-erdogans-objections

It about dam time someone came to that simple assessment and armed them properly. We need to have the Greeks, not the Turks in NATO. Russia is going to get both if the US does not side with Greece soon and in a big way. Turkey was once valuable to us, they have not been in a very long time and have sided with the Islamanuts against us every time. Turkey, the US and Israel wanted Assad gone so they all could get what they wanted out of Syria but Russia has put its foot down and its definitely not worth war with them so the US military command is trying to spin its way out while making sure its funded Terrorist get eliminated, as they are becoming less than useful now.

Trump not really knowing how ISIS was started and what they were paid to do to Iraq and Syria will allow him to at least seem ignorant on the issue when Putin throws it in his face. I imagine Trump will flip out when he gets told how Obama and Hillary started this mess, if someone in the military high command has not already.

Turkey needs to be kicked out of NATO, just for blackmailing and flooding Europe with ISIS terrorist. Turkey has already ran to Putin so its only a matter of time before they side with Russia completely and tell them everything anyway. The less help or Info Turkey gets from the US or NATO the better.

 

[rudemarine]

Turkey is the only country that fights most efficiently against ISIL, while others are “just talking about it,” Erdoğan also stated, recalling that the Turkish Armed Forces had long been pursuing a heavy fight against all terror organizations inside and outside Turkey, which will continue in northern Iraq and Syria.

“If they want to do a favor to us, we are together in NATO. As our ally in NATO, such a strong country should move together with its strong ally,” he said.

“We never think that the U.S. looks good next to a terror organization. We don’t find it right. The same goes for Russia,” he added

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-wants-a-new-beginning-with-us-amid-ypg-row-erdogan.aspx?pageID=517&nID=113017&NewsCatID=352

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ISIS is Turkish irregular forces. The Kurds just want to live without being hunted like Dogs in their own land by the Islamic nuts in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey. The US and the UN need to give them their own nation in northern Iraq and eastern Syria while it can be done. The only time it can be done is now and Turkey knows it, so they are doing anything to stop it.. Trump, unlike other US presidents needs to stand by the Kurds to the very end and defend them against Turkey if need be.