Turkey Detains Russian Ships In Black Sea, Blasts Moscow For Brandishing Rocket Launcher In Strait

Exactly a week ago, we warned that Turkey does have one trump card when it comes to dealing with an angry Russian bear that’s hell bent on making life miserable for Ankara in the wake of Erdogan’s brazen move to shoot down a Russian Su-24 near the Syrian border. Turkey, we explained, could move to close the Bosphorus Strait, cutting one of Moscow’s key supply lines to Latakia. 

We went on to explain, that such a move would probably be illegal based on the 1936 Montreux Convention, but as Sputnik noted, "in times of war, the passage of warships shall be left entirely to the discretion of the Turkish government." 

Obviously, Turkey and Russia haven’t formally declared war on one another, but the plane “incident” marked the first time a NATO member has engaged a Russian or Soviet aircraft in more than six decades and given the gravity of that escalation, one would hardly put it past Erdogan to start interfering with Moscow’s warships, especially if it means delaying their arrival in Syria where the Russians are on the verge of restoring an Assad government that’s Turkey despises. 

Well sure enough, the tit-for-tat mutual escalation that’s ensued since the Su-24 crash has spilled over into the maritime arena with Moscow and Ankara detaining each other's ships. 

After five Turkish vessels were held at the port of Novorossiysk for “inspections,” Turkey retaliated on Friday by holding four Russian ships at the Black Sea port of Samsun. The following table reveals a hilarious list of the Russian vessels’ alleged infractions which apparently include fire safety violations, pollution prevention violations, and problems with “life saving appliances.”:

One of the vessels - the cargo ship Crystal - has yet to be released. 

"Six ships with a Russian flag were checked at Samsun Port on Dec. 5. The ships were found to be in compliance with Port State Control (PSC) rules, a series of international standards that all ships are required to meet, but some problems were subsequently detected in four of the ships," Hurriyet says, adding that "three of the ships consequently met the requirements and were permitted to leave, but the remaining vessel has not yet been permitted to depart." 

The Crystal apparently lacks the "required documents."

Obviously, Russia and Turkey are engaged in a bit of petty mutual escalation here, but it's worth noting that Samsun isn't far from the Bosphorus: 

And while Turkey now appears content to harrass Russian cargo vessels, one shouldn't discount the possibility that Erodgan will look to do something more provocative now that it looks like the UN will ultimately be dragged into the ISIS oil smuggling debate. 

Indeed, Moscow seems to be taking the Bosphorus issue quite seriously because as Hurriyet reported just hours ago, when the Russian warship Caesar Kunikov made its way through the strait on Saturday, a Russian soldier stood on deck with a shoulder ground-to-air missile at the ready. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's response: "For a Russian soldier to display a rocket launcher or something similar while passing on a Russian warship is a provocation. If we perceive a threatening situation, we will give the necessary response."" Indeed.

And meanwhile, three NATO warships have dropped anchor off Istanbul’s Sarayburnu coast: Portugal's F-334 NRP Francisco de Almeida, Spain’s F-105 ESPS Blaz de Lezo, and Canada's FFG-338 HMCS Winnipeg.

Source: Bosphorus Naval News

Comments

[Dark Daze]

Well, Justin, exactly WHAT is one of our Candian Frigates doing in Turkey right now? Get it out of there, fast.

[KashNCarry]

Those NATO ships will make great homes as a reef for the fish!

[besnook]

what they have found in florida is these artificial reefs made up of old rusted iron are not stationary. the wave action from hurricanes make them roll on the ocean floor as deep as 200 ft. some south florida hurricane is going to reveal a beautifully coral encrusted ship by beaching it in front of some hotel.

just thought everyone needed a useless bit of info that you can now claim you read abput on zh when it happens.

[Al Tinfoil]

A Gluegun suicide is a very sticky wicket.

[besnook]

we are so incredibly fortunate to be the generation that gets to witness and participate in the glory of ww3. the last clash of civilization, white people against not quite white people and a few russians. what a privilege! i have my victory garden ready to go and have 6 months worth of spam in the pantry and lots of popcorn. i hope the internet connection stays on. this is going to be great!

i hope you millennials are ready to go. if you can operate a joy stick the air force is looking for you. swarms of armed gopro equiped drones are in your future. i hope you like to kill for the love of empire, that's the best kind of killing.

[lakecity55]

The Draft will be next, this time with Chicks!

[besnook]

something big has to happen to incite a call for the draft and they can't fight this war with what they have so expect something big to happen or maybe just an incessant series of small stuff that gets closer and closer to the public like a mall bombing after holiday data have to reveal what a bust christmas is this year for retail. whatever they do it will have all the hollywood elements we have come to look forward to.

[BullyBearish]

Same reptiles pushing this, from Bloomturd today:

Women Belong in Combat. And in the Draft.

115 Dec 4, 2015 8:00 AM EST

By Editorial Board

The Pentagon struck a blow for both military preparedness and sex equality Thursday by opening all combat jobs to women. Allowing female troops who meet the same standards as men to fight the enemy improves a nation's ability to protect itself and its foreign interests.

But as the military takes this big step toward equal treatment of men and women, it inevitably comes up against a next one: the need for equality in Selective Service registration. Fair treatment demands that young women -- ages 18 to 25 -- be required to sign up.

[o r c k]

My Mom wants to go collect scrap metal in her wagon like she did in 1944. I told her scrap metal has no value nowadays. She said Fuck you Hitler.

[I-am-not-one-of-them]

"And meanwhile, three NATO warships have dropped anchor off Istanbul’s Sarayburnu coast: Portugal's F-334 NRP Francisco de Almeida, Spain’s F-105 ESPS Blaz de Lezo, and Canada's FFG-338 HMCS Winnipeg."

pathetic lackeys

[lakecity55]

Stooges of TPTB, risking their service mens' lives.....

[bid the soldier...]

slinking near Instanbul's defenses

[Benjamin123]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blas_de_Lezo

Blas fought and defeated the british navy.

[marcusfenix]

a MANPAD

on a warship of all things.

imagine that.

turkey certainly has adopted a very liberal definition of what counts as a provocation of late.

[HowdyDoody]

It is straight out of Israel's play book.

When Israel attacks another country, it is defense.

When the other country takes measures to defend itself against future attacks, that is provocation.

[opport.knocks]

Meanwhile on the other Black Sea front:

"US Vice President Joe Biden headed to Ukraine on Sunday for a three-day visit to dispel Kiev’s fears that the crisis in Syria is overshadowing the situation in Ukraine, AP reported. Calling the visit “a strong sign of our support” an unnamed senior US administration official said that Biden also intends to reassure the authorities in Kiev that Washington plans to keep its anti-Russian sanctions in place until the Minsk peace deal is fully implemented. During his time in Ukraine, the US vice president plans to hold meetings with President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk. He is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the Ukrainian parliament and have round-table discussions with reform-minded Ukrainian politicians."

Those "reform-minded Ukrainian politicians" wouldn't be the Right Sector thugs who blew up Crimea's electrical power suppy would they? I'm sure he wants to thank them personally.

V Nuland, Queen of the Khazars, is there as well. That always spells trouble.
http://fortruss.blogspot.ca/2015/12/nuland-arrives-in-kiev-spike-in-mins...

[El_Puerco]

1. -I never going to be tired of repeating this until Humans start to   have their act together ...”…-
2.  
3.  "MURPHY'S law"; IF ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG,IT WILL
4.  Humanity is in trouble!...
5.  
6.  How Psychopaths operate and how to deal with them:
7.  
8. As humans, we need to confront this threat and DEAL with it.
9. We need to remember that cooperating with evil, on ANY level, is a MISTAKE and it will ultimately come back to bite you.
10. So why we spend so much ink and time to explain how to American (Predatory) Capitalism works?!
11.  
12. When relationship with reptilian host is killing us…
13.  
14. {“WW3 WILL BE THE Reptiles & Psychopath VS. Human”} …A
15.   
16. { http://bit.ly/1MgUyTk }
17. Defense against the Psychopath full length version
18.  
19. Note: [ Ditch the Chrome browser, it IS THE ENEMY ]
20. "Never wrassle with a pig;you both get dirty,and the pig likes it." Mark Twain
21.  How Psychopaths operate and how to deal with them:

[Son of Captain Nemo]

Let the asymmetric "fun and games begin"!

Also a wonderful tool when the junta the U.S. government backs can't pay it's debts on time to the neighbor it owes next door!!!

[Zinu]

So.. as I predicted... criminal putin regime got bitch slaped again! :D ha ha ha

I told you Turkey will close strait for criminal putin regime ships!

[El_Puerco]

How to spot Psychopaths: Writing Patterns Give them Away...

What distinguishes all of these Humanoids from the rest of us (Human) is an utterly empty hole.

Inside the Mind of a ZEROHEDGE Psychopath. 

[bid the soldier...]

hello smelly gerbil

I told you Turkey will close strait for criminal putin regime ships! >> smelly gerbil

Caesar Kunikov made its way through the strait on Saturday, a Russian soldier stood on deck with a shoulder ground-to-air missile at the ready.  >> ZH

Doesn't "made it's way through the strait on Saturday" mean the same thing in smelly gerbil language as it does in English?

[WorkingClassMan]

Winter is coming...freeze the turks.

[Baby Bladeface]

So, as I predicted, Latvian potato troll Zinu now posting comments from mental hospital in Strenci.

[KuriousKat]

2014 , not long ago..our boys got a heartwarming welcome from the same nationalists backing Ergo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3c1KQ3E4zs

[Scottmc37]

The ships should park in Greece, NATO member and part of the EU and the money spent will help Greece.

Erdogan is evil, helping him is unpleasant to me.. Turkey should be thrown out of NATO too

It wouldnt surprise me if all the oil sales from ISIS are supported by Obama. At least the UK and Germany are trying to distance themselves from Turkey/ISIS/USA connection.

[Barnaby]

Since when do Photoshopped ninjas need rocket launchers?

[Last of the Mid...]

Brandishing a rocket launcher, lol. Similar statement to "we advised them 10 times they were in our airspace" in a matter of 2 minutes.  And Obama said "Is that a rocket launcher in your pocket or should I bend over?"

[Sudden Debt]

It was clear that Turkey was up to something when they militairy stepped down from power a few years back.

Now it seems this was it, Turkey will become the battleground of the west.

[HowdyDoody]

In other news, Joe Biden is due to speak at the Ukraine Parliament on 8 December. The date seems familiar. I'm sure 8 Decmber is significant to the US for some reason.

https://z5h64q92x9.net/proxy_u/ru-en.en/stax-l.livejournal.com/1617231.html

Maybe he is going to kick out the corrupt officials and do business the American Way - pure and wholesome as apple pie.

https://z5h64q92x9.net/proxy_u/ru-en.en/www.e-news.su/in-world/87874-ukr...

Who runs Ukraine? The person occupying the President's seat at official government meetings.

http://www.dal.by/proj/dalby/upload/1398325834_134.jpg

[bid the soldier...]

easy

Who runs Ukraine?

The person Noodleman tells what to do.

[PADRAEG]

Feast of the Immaculate Conception, silly!

[Johnny Horscaulk]

this shit still makes me laugh - the absolutely naked fuckery:

Joe Biden’s Cocaine-Using, Navy-Busted Son Now Working For Huge Ukraine Company

[Jim Leyritz]

Where did all the Chinese fear porn go?

Does that come back after Christmas?

This propaganda is total bullshit.

[Volkodav]

China guys is busy maneuvers training for long game own turk threat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOECyf3_zTg

[Jim Leyritz]

China hasn't fired a shot against ISIS.

Israel hasn't fired a shot against ISIS. (Kurds are not ISIS)

I'm vexed by that.

[bombdog]

Interesting. Can you give an explanation of the video? Thanks

[Volkodav]

Chinese soldiers singing Serbian anti Turk lyrics...subject remove Kebab

Here is famouse music 10 hour video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4wHJqqud3U

after all 10 hours listen make you strong..........read comments these videos 

Serbs are original anti Turk force...search 'Battle of Kosovo' 'Field of Blackbirds'

China has threat from Uygur turks

Chine many like Russian music also, somewhere video of Pres Wife singing Russian favorite

[HoserF16]

Call me "foolish or Irresponsible," but isn't this an "Act of War?"

[opport.knocks]

It could possibly be the first war started by Photoshop. After it is over, they could all sign a non-Photoshop Proliferation Treaty.

[yogibear]

In the meantime the government and corporations are flooding the US with H1Bs, L1s and H2s visa holders to oust employed Americans.

Seems like we have a government out to destroy it's people.

[scatha]

All the heighten military alert throughout the Europe, NATO and Russia including pace loving Canadian military, praised by Justin Trudeau who ate his words of few weeks ago and sent a warship FFG-338 HMCS Winnipeg to the hot conflict zone, (yes hot war zone, with no shooting yet there) the Bosphorus strait for nothing else but aggressive aim to block of Russian military logistical supplies, committing another act of war, are all under the radar of MSM and unfortunately also are ignored by the independent media who see all of it as a Syrian contest only.

It is not, it is global war hanging on a thread and therefore antiwar alarm and protest must be raised by the independent media and calls to dispose of this warmongering neocon regime of Washington D.C. murderers with its insane hubris should go out to all political persuasion if those sheeple would even have a chance to watch next week episode of their favorite sitcom.

A global war is brewing and that is the fact of today not tomorrow and there is no, so far, even minute effort made from West, that is instigating all that conflict or even from East to deescalate after two years of the Western political and military aggression against Russia and to lesser degree China as well as brutal economic war against the rest of BRICS.

More on the geopolitical context of Syrian war can be found here:

https://syrianwarupdate.wordpress.com/2015/12/02/media-torpor-dancing-to...

[Jim Leyritz]

Russia is beginning to look like Turkey's bitch.

I wonder why that is?

I think Rockefeller oil is a shared interest between Russia and Turkey.

[HoserF16]

I doubt the Bitch part, but you may be right on the latter...

[Jim Leyritz]

Putin's wealth makes him a bitch to the Rocks.

If the Rocks say take a hit, you take a hit.

Vlad's dick is tied around his ankles.

[Atomizer]

Just wait until 8 PM EST tonight. No one should make a move until Nigger -in Chief speaks. 

[Bemused Observer]

Right now these are all posturings, gestures. Putin is using his own version of TR's motto...sail softly, and brandish a big dick...

No one will actually fire the thing, not at the moment. But they DO want you to be aware of it. Just as the Turks are utilizing a technique that involves using petty legalisms to pester the ships, just to make the Russians aware of the powers they intend to bring to the fight.

This is the 'threat display' stage. Each side is fluffing, puffing...getting big and loud. But they aren't close to blows yet, and the display can go on for awhile, because the whole idea is to AVOID battle. To hopefully get the other side to reconsider taking them on by trying to look as dangerous as possible. In nature, the more deadly the potential battle, the longer and more elaborate the displays can get, so as to avoid it. With nukes on both sides, this stuff may go on for quite a while. There'll probably be a few emergency UN sessions over this or that, and much arguing before something is reluctantly hashed out to avert the crisis so everyone can go back to the 'staring and growling' stage.

Now if we see any intention-moves by either side, like a more serious detention or seizure of ships, or low aggressive fly-overs of potential targets by somebody's planes, then we'll know it's escalating badly.

[wiser]

Meanwhile Erdogan invaded IRAQ.... Iraq gave 48 hours deadline on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Mosul - Turkish build three permanent bases (vid, photos)

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.defencenet.gr//portal...|en&hl=enCF%2583%25CE%25B5%25CE%25B9%25CF%2583/%25CF%2584%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CE%25BA%25CE%25AF%25CE%25B1&usg=ALkJrhidBZO6rCMVALTX_aExgoyH7mPjHw#sthash.EkWcjyqG.dpuf

[Unix]

https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.m.tooley/posts/10204919284284164

fact check, vetting not done

[Johnny Horscaulk]

Either China has been very quiet, or no one is covering what they are doing [or not doing]. NATO very clearly is trying to start a war. The provocations are now endless. China must realize that it is on the menu. The One Bank must rule them all....

[Anunnaki]

My god listen to NATO whine. Turkey only has a right to bitch when someone takes a pot shot with one of those launchers at a Turkish object.

The way the score reads now:

Russian dead: 2

Turkish dead: big fat Zero

[Volkodav]

Tell that to Turks in Syria that been zeroed in quantities...

[OutaTime43]

The Turks lost 2 in 2012 when Assad shot down one of their planes for a "minor airspace violation". They crashed in the Mediterranian Sea and their bodies were never found.   So.. its a tie?

[David Wooten]

"...could move to close the Bosphorus Strait, cutting one of Moscow’s key supply lines to Latakia..."

Don't forget that the Bosphorus Strait is also a key link between Turkey and Europe - including Turkish Thrace where most of Istanbul is.  Turkey is only two bridges away from being cut off except by sea.

[dot_bust]

Meanwhile, in the month of November, some folks have been unusually busy:

NATO's biggest military exercise since the Cold War is scary impressive
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/natos-biggest-military-exercise-since-the-cold...

1st large-scale exercise set in military air training area
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2015/11/30/st-large-sc...

China-Thailand joint military exercise shows longtime U.S. ally Bangkok hedging its bets
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/9/china-thailand-joint-mili...

Military to conduct air exercises over Capital Region
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/260349-military-to-conduct-air-exercis...

US, Cambodia Navies Launch Joint Military Exercise
http://thediplomat.com/2015/11/us-cambodia-navies-launch-joint-military-...

Indo-Russian military exercise concludes
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indorussian-military-exercise-conc...

Russia, Vietnam to hold joint military drills in 2016
http://rbth.com/news/2015/11/27/rusia-vietnam-to-hold-joint-military-dri...

Putin Shows Teeth In Russia’s Military Exercises
http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/11/putin-shows-teeth-russian-military-exer...

Chinese military exercises in South China Sea raise concerns
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201511250013.aspx

Japan, US Agree on Joint Exercises in South China Sea
http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/11/japan-us-agree-joint-exercises-south-ch...

SAF to conduct military exercises from Nov 30 to Dec 7
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/saf-conduct-military-exercises-no...

[miki]

good grief those turks are dumb and stupid...see what inbreeding does boys and girls

[AlaricGaudiTheSecond]

Photoshop 101 Fail. Shadows and ambient lighting dont match.

[Infinite QE]

Precisely. Designed to get the mass fluoridated minds to connect 9/11, Russia and ISIS.

[Joe Plane]

Plus the clothing of the person with the MANPAD - looks like a picture of a jihadist inserted into the original one.

[windcatcher]

Russia verse Turkey? No, Russia verse NATO.

You fuck with the bull, you will get the horn and WW!!!

As psyco Obama said “our war, is a never ending war”.

[Maestro Maestro]

Cut the crap, Russians.

You're still selling your oil for dollars, in essence giving stuff away for free to your enemies.

You haven't done anything of consequence to the Turks.

You haven't bombed the ISIS oil fields and disabled their production.

So what's this bullshit about fighting ISIS or punishing the Turks?

Putin, you're full of shit and capable only of sucking Erdogan's dick after he gave your cornhole a good workout with your own worthless SU-24 [what else is that fighter which can't even detect and avoid a lowly outdated infrared missile fired by Turkish planes?].

[Dickweed Wang]

Troll Alert!!!

[Johnny Horscaulk]

LOL.  Bomb Syria's oil fields because us/israeli/turkish terror proxies currently hold them?

You are a troll, and a stupid one at that.  You definitely don't understand even a little bit about how this stuff works - so why pretend.   You're not even smart enough to be an effective troll.

You also clearly don't know much about how and why a sneak attack by a purported ally on a bombing run could succeed in taking down a bomber not tasked with or concerned with air to air combat - nato had the flight plan, and the bomber was following a familiar run.  Also - there's no question Russia focused on Al Qaeda/Al Nusra nearer Damascus and their base, which is not only good anyway, but strategically the best move.  Only an asshole or shill would bitch they weren't hitting isis [and they were] after over a year of the us faking it.

_{The great danger of faking your ability to do something in the public square is that someone with an actual desire to the job you are pretending to do might come along and show you up.}

_{This is what has just happened to the US in Syria with the entrance of Russia into the fight against ISIL.}

_{And as is generally the case with posers caught with their pants down, the US policy elites are not happy about it.}

_{You see, the US strategic goal in Syria is not as your faithful mainstream media servants (led by that redoubtable channeler of Neo-Con smokescreens at the NYT Michael Gordon) might have you believe  to  save the Syrian people from the ravages of the long-standing Assad dictatorship, but rather to heighten the level of internecine conflict in that country to the point where it will not be able to serve as a bulwark against Israeli regional hegemony for at least another generation.}

_{How do we know? Because important protagonists in the Israelo-American policy planning elite have advertised the fact with a surprising degree of clarity in documents and public statements issued over the last several decades.}

_{The key here is learning to listen to what our cultural training has not prepared us to hear.}

_{In 1982, as the Likud Party (which is to say, the institutional incarnation of the Revisionist Zionist belief, first articulated by Jabotinsky in the ”Iron Wall”  that the only way to deal with “the Arabs” in and around Israel was through unrelenting force and the inducement of cultural fragmentation) was consolidating its hold on the foreign policy establishment of Israel, a journalist named Oded Yinon, who had formerly worked at the Israeli Foreign Ministry,  published an article in which he outlined the strategic approach his country needed to take in the coming years.}

_{What follows are some excerpts from Israel Shahak’s English translation of that text:}

_{“Lebanon’s total dissolution into five provinces serves as a precedent for the entire Arab world including Egypt, Syria, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula and is already following that track. The dissolution of Syria and Iraq later on into ethnically or religiously unique areas such as in Lebanon, is Israel’s primary target on the Eastern front in the long run, while the dissolution of the military power of those states serves as the primary short term target. Syria will fall apart, in accordance with its ethnic and religious structure, into several states such as in present day Lebanon….”}

_{“Iraq, rich in oil on the one hand and internally torn on the other, is guaranteed as a candidate for Israel’s targets. Its dissolution is even more important for us than that of Syria. Iraq is stronger than Syria. In the short run it is Iraqi power which constitutes the greatest threat to Israel. An Iraqi-Iranian war will tear Iraq apart and cause its downfall at home even before it is able to organize a struggle on a wide front against us. Every kind of inter-Arab confrontation will assist us in the short run and will shorten the way to the more important aim of breaking up Iraq into denominations as in Syria and in Lebanon. In Iraq, a division into provinces along ethnic/religious lines as in Syria during Ottoman times is possible. So, three (or more) states will exist around the three major cities: Basra, Baghdad and Mosul, and Shi’ite areas in the south will separate from the Sunni and Kurdish north.”}

_{“If Egypt falls apart, countries like Libya, Sudan, or even the more distant states will not continue to exist in their present form and will join the downfall and dissolution of Egypt.}

_{“There is no chance that Jordan will continue to exist in its present structure for a long time, and Israel’s policy, both in war and in peace, ought to be directed at the liquidation of Jordan under the present regime and the transfer of power to the Palestinian majority.”}

_{Yinon’s vision reappeared in the now infamous “Clean Break” document from 1996, authored by a consortium of US and Israeli “strategic thinkers” that included Richard Perle, Douglas Feith and David and Meyrav Wurmser, which was meant to serve as a foreign policy blueprint for the first administration  of Benjamin Netanyahu.}

_{The text is nothing if not obsessive regarding the need to seriously debilitate Syria’s ability to act in any way is a pole of regional influence in the in the area .}

_{“Israel can shape its strategic environment, in cooperation with Turkey and Jordan, by weakening, containing, and even rolling back Syria. This effort can focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq – an important Israeli strategic objective in its own right – as a means of foiling Syria’s regional ambitions.”}

_{“Most important, it is understandable that Israel has an interest supporting diplomatically, militarily and operationally Turkey’s and Jordan’s actions against Syria, such as securing tribal alliances with Arab tribes that cross into Syrian territory and are hostile to the Syrian ruling elite.”}

_{And as Dan Sanchez has recently shown, David Wurmser went into even greater detail about the need to balkanize Israel’s northeastern neighbor in articles published in approximately the same time period, talking quite openly in one essay about “expediting the chaotic collapse“ of Baathist Syria.}

_{Then there is Wesley Clark’s famous interview, given in 2007, in which he revealed the true strategic aims of those running US foreign policy in the wake of the September 11^th attacks.  In it, he tells of a conversation he had at that time with a Pentagon official who admitted that the real plan was “to attack and destroy the governments in seven countries in five years”.}

_{Those countries, according to Clark, were: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iraq. In the same speech, he explicitly ties the hatching of the plan to Richard Perle, head of the cadre of people who wrote in the “Clean Break” document of the paramount importance of putting Israel in position to “shape its strategic environment”.}

_{On September 5^th, 2013, Alon Pinkas, the former Israeli Consul General in New York and well-connected member of Tel Aviv’s conservative policy elite described the Syrian conflict in the following terms in the New York Times:}

_{“This is a playoff situation in which you need both teams to lose, but at least you don’t want one to win – we’ll settle for a tie,….Let them both bleed, hemorrhage to death: that’s the strategic thinking here. As long as this lingers, there’s no real threat from Syria.”}

_{I don’t think it can get much clearer than that. The US-Israeli plan in Syria has never been about helping anyone in that country, but rather insuring its effective dismemberment so as to further the perceived “strategic interests” of the Jewish state.}

_{As Tomás Alcoverro, the longtime Mideast correspondent of Barcelona’s La Vanguardia newspaper wrote on 9 October 2015, in reference to the combined Russian and Syrian government attacks carried out during the previous week: “If this joint offensive is successful, the US plan for continuing the war of attrition until both sides are exhausted will lie in ruins”.}

_{Yes, the US and Israelis, have been “faking it” in Syria for a good long time now.  And Putin has come along and called their bluff.}

_{And they are not happy about it.   Which is why the ongoing campaign of demonization against the Russian leader is being ratcheted up – if that’s possible – to still higher levels of intelligence-insulting hyperbole.}

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/12/us-caught-faking-it-in-syria/

[Crocodile]

That is over two years of "faking it" and 4 if you count the so-named "Arab Spring" where we pissed off our allies and installed more enemies.

[Volkodav]

bored

[Crocodile]

ISIS isn't a country and therefore do not own anything; especially oil fields.  TROLL ALERT!!

[Johnny Horscaulk]

Erdogan Moves To Annexes Mosul

Who wants to start laying odds Erdo gets fragged by the .mil?

[HowdyDoody]

That's depends on how much of a cut the .mil get from the ISIS oil laundering profits.

[Volkodav]

that is late news...now going around there is some noise that Turkies are leaving after Iraq hard statements.

[HowdyDoody]

A wider view of one of the Turkish bases.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVePn29WIAADGko.png

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVeT50dWEAAqzda.png

It is located suspiciously close to a newly built oil drilling site owned by Hunt Oil Co.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVeT5SpXIAAQ6We.png

Just keeping it in the family. I wonder if Hunt Oil is on Putin's list of 40?

[Crocodile]

I'll take that bet and say it will be .cia

[Fed_is_Love]

Lol Putin don't give a fuck.

Turkey didn't follow the rules of war by giving off a warning shot.

[IronForge]

This is easy.

Re-route all shipping to pass through BRG and GRC.  I'm sure they could use the business that went through TRK.

They can fly in the rest over IRN/IRQ and BRG/GRC.  Re-locate Logistics Vessels from Baltic/North/Pacific to the Med.  Mebbe CHN, IND, and IRN may want to join their "CLUB MED" to make it a Military Exercise again.

Next step?  IRN, JOR. and CHN to add their Aircraft in with TEAM_RUS in SYR to fight ISIL.

Check.

[RawPawg]

via RT

Turkey calls for Russia's sanctions to be 'immediately canceled'

"We consider it reasonable in the interests of our countries and their future to review those measures [Russian sanctions] and also to cancel them immediately," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with TASS news agency. If the sanctions are not lifted, they might "cause negative consequences for the Russian people, no less than for the Turkish people," the diplomat added. Tensions between Moscow and Ankara, caused by the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey on the Syrian border, should be overcome with no "lasting consequences," the minister said, adding that the two countries have previously had an understanding that political disputes should not affect trade and economic relations. Last month, Russia's President Vladimir Putin approved a suspension of visa-free regime and a package of economic sanctions against Turkey, with a number of restrictive measures to come into force starting from January 1, 2016.

[PoasterToaster]

Constantinople sounds like it needs liberating.

[atthelake]

Continued escalation.

[RichardENixon]

^^ Preview of Obama's address tonight

[RichardENixon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcI5rNR5TGM

[KuriousKat]

The Turks have good reason to be complaining now..That Manpad  falls into the NATO feared WME category with multiple target capability..and no doubt it will be a  game changer.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc191/sys_config/sys_config008/Russia...

[onmail1]

erDOGan slurping between thigghs of his lover boy :

"I have done what you wanted my love"

CabalA$$LickerLiarDrugaddictHomObamma :

"KeepSucking you have a bright future".

[dogismycopilot]

Turkey is being used as a proxy tool of NATO. Obama can't use his own army for this. Turkey is a little dog that does nothing without talking to its master.

Example: Did US and Saudi AWACS planes guided the Turkish F-16 into position - at the very least they were aware of it. 

http://rbth.com/international/2015/11/25/su-24-navigator-rules-out-posib...

http://www.globalresearch.ca/bombshell-the-turkish-assault-on-russias-su...

http://regnum.ru/news/polit/2021108.html

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/e3awacs/

https://dninews.com/article/us-and-saudi-air-force-awacs-planes-guided-t...

Stop WWIII - Boycott Turkey

[Crocodile]

More like a little dog that can't be "house broken" if you pick it up and it pisses all over...so you drop it, kick it and forget about it...not the dog..Turkey.

[Zero-Hegemon]

IMO, Russia has obviously been playing chicken shit with a trigger happy Turkey, with one hand in the cookie (oil) jar, the other on it's side arm. It wasn't very hard to provoke them to do something extremely stupid, which has been achieved with the downing of the Russian bomber jet. Putin has been waging a media war against Erdogan ever since, pulling the covers off the NATO "ally". The truth is revealed when the Turkish stone is overturned. Now holding Turkish ships up is just more of the same chicken shit. Provoke Turkey to respond in some fashion that can ascribe them with further escalation. Perhaps Turkey will be a bit less trigger happy this time.

[Crocodile]

The source of the pics are Turkey/Western news outlets...the photo is Photoshopped; looks like a western ISIS member cut and pasted.  That ship doesn't need someone holding a "missile launcher"; it better equipped apart from such a "weapon".

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-warship-passes-through-bosphoru...

[alphahammer]

Can someone explain why on a much trumpeted Russian warship, they have one dude wit a MANPAD standing up on the topdeck -- doing what exactly?

All the Putin promoters have gone and on about the Russian military and its incredible capabilities. So, to defend a Russian warship from a supposed aircraft they put one dude up on the deck with a SAM?

Don't the Russian warships have some "really-sophisticated-gee-whiz" anti aircraft and defensive systems built in? They need to defend a massive warship with one goof and a MANPAD? REALLY ?

[bid the soldier...]

Maybe you are really stupid and not just pretending to be stupid.

Erdogan recently demonstrated his treachery when he shot down the Su-24.

Now a Russian warship is passing through a strait which is only 100 feet wide at it's narrowest.  And runs through the middle of the heavily populated city of Istanbul.  

If Erdogan decides to attack the Russian ship, he will do so with a low flying fighter jet most likely from Incirlik coming up the Sea of Marmara into the straits.

Because of collateral damage, his generals wouldn't permit the jet to fly over Asian and European Istanbul to attack, the sneakier direction.

To prevent their ship from being strafed by a fighter at its lowest possible altitude over the Bosphorus, the Russians chose a marksman with their latest hand held rocket.  

Everyone at the Navel Academy in Annapolis will tell you that's the best defense against a crazy motherfuck like Erdogan.

The Turks would not have struck, but then Putin didn't become the most powerful man on Earth by taking chances.

[alphahammer]

Brilliant retort Einstein...

The QUESTION was -- wait for it -- wait... WHY does a Russian warship with all this supposed air defense -- send one dude up top with a shoulder fired SAM to protect the ship?

The QUESTION is asking why the ship itself can't defend itself -- and they need a single guy with a shoulder fired missile to defend the ship.

In that brilliant response, you never explained any of that.

Perhaps you should look up the word "stupid" before you respond...

[bid the soldier...]

I don't have to look up the word stupid before I respond.  I've been reading your comments for several weeks and I have a good idea what stupid is and what stupid says.

Russian warships or any country's warships were not designed to defend themselves in a chanel as narrow as 100 ft. wide.  With a city of 14 millions on both sides.

Someone as brain dead as you, probably don't think it necessary for the Russians to worry about another sneak attack by Erdogan, and if you were the commander of that ship you would be in your cabin drinking too much vodka like you do when you come home from flipping burgers.

But real officers of real warships take precautions like putting a trained marksman on the deck of the ship with a MANPAD, in case the high tech weaponry misses, the Russian ship's William Tell might hit.

You are so in love with technology you prolly can not wait to be the first person at ZH to have a self driving car.  And then expect it to drive you to Cherry Grove without having to get on the ferry.

[Librarian]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Life-Size-Star-Wars-Han-Solo-Cardboard-Cutout-St...

It would hilarious if Turkey was actually just trolled.

[Johnny_is_alrea...]

I am Portuguese and I have a rancid hate for everything turk

I would rather welcome russian (and all those awesome blonds) into the EU than turk

Go Putin Go !