"Russian bombers may be based at Turkish "nuclear" Incirlik"

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.stripes.com/news/turkey-open ... b-1.425113

Could U.S. warplanes soon be sharing the runway at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base with Russian bombers?

That’s up to Moscow, according to a top Turkish official, whose comments on possibly opening the strategic Turkish facility to Russian personnel comes ahead of a damage control visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

When asked on Saturday whether Russia could use Incirlik for airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria,
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim answered in the affirmative.

“If necessary, the Incirlik base can be used (by the Russians),” Yildirim told reporters.

The prospect of opening Incirlik to Russia, a move that would likely infuriate NATO allies, would put the U.S. military in the awkward position of working and possibly living side by side with an adversary.

In addition to being home to about 2,500 U.S. troops, Incirlik houses about 50 U.S. nuclear weapons, according to various watchdog groups.

[SquAdmin]

Turkey is putting pressure on the US to give them Gulen.

[ehusmann]

Time for the US (NATO) to choose. Keep Turkey, or drop them as an ally. Putting pressure on another country to get what you want is one thing, what Turkey is doing is quite another.

Erwin

[SquAdmin]

Erwin, NATO will keep Turkey and Turkey will stay in NATO. There's too much at stake for both parties to push this over the limit.

[Arjan]

Absolutely, especially with Turkey being the gate to the Black Sea they'll never let Turkey get out of the NATO

[ehusmann]

There is always a limit to how far you can push things. Turkey will be testing those limits rather sooner than later, if they aren't doing that already. Erdogan needs to have Gulen extradicted to remain believable in his own country. If that doesn't happen he will have to make a statement. That statement will probably decide what the near term future will look like....

I wouldn't bet on Turkey still being a NATO member 5 years from now.

Erwin

[Fishbed_9307]

There is always a limit to how far you can push things. Turkey will be testing those limits rather sooner than later, if they aren't doing that already. Erdogan needs to have Gulen extradicted to remain believable in his own country. If that doesn't happen he will have to make a statement. That statement will probably decide what the near term future will look like....

I wouldn't bet on Turkey still being a NATO member 5 years from now.

Erwin

I agree with you Erwin. In addition, what is the value of an ally when he is blackmailing you. What is the reliability of an ally who shoots your aircraft out of the sky and offers you to use one of your most strategic bases only months later. What is the credibility of an ally that claims to fight for democracy but whipes away opposition in a heartbeat when the opportunity arises.

[hammarö]

Turkey is large taker of US money since 70 years.

Both for defence spending and for refugees. Much money. Russia has not that money.

I am sure Turkey always have use for this money.

But just now they are playing the game to get Gulen and in the Kurdish question.

[Gerard]

Not sure if related to this subject, but the Luftwaffe is considering the withdrawal of their aircraft from Incirlik and investigating a move to either Cyprus or Jordan. The reason might as well be the fact, that Turkey refuses access to Incirlik for German members of parliament, who want to visit the German troops.