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The Grand Turk
US starts to pull Patriot missiles from Turkey at critical time
2015-10-10
[Hurriyet Daily News] The U.S. has started to pull its Patriot missiles stationed in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
, despite a recent appeal from Ankara to its NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
 allies to keep the air and missile defense units at a delicate time on the border with Syria.

Patriot missiles were initially deployed at the Gaziantep 5th Armored Brigade Command in southeastern Turkey after the country appealed to its NATO allies to guard against rockets from Syria.

On Aug. 15, German Federal Ministry of Defense announced that it would end its contribution to the anti-missile mission in Turkey. The announcement was followed by a statement from the U.S. on Aug. 16 saying it had informed the Turkish government that the mission, due to end in October, would not be renewed.
Did the Rooshuns demand that we withdraw them?
The U.S.'s withdrawal of the anti-missile systems started as the Patriots were brought to the Port of Iskenderun awaiting ships that would return them to U.S. soil. The pull out was initiated despite a recent appeal by Turkey to its NATO allies on Oct. 8, days after Russian jets violated Turkey's airspace near Syria.
I thought NATO was supporting the Turks...
Posted by:Fred

#10  ..particularly when political loyalty and religious correctness is more important than job skills (as the Iraqis found out the hard way).
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-10-10 11:52  

#9  No doubt all the drones Turkey bought from Israel before the break up have been flown into the ground by now. It turned out that the Turks aren't nearly as good at flying and maintaining the things.
Posted by: trailing wife   2015-10-10 11:06  

#8  Karma is always a bitch!
Posted by: 3dc   2015-10-10 10:29  

#7  If only Turkey hadn't pissed off Israel there might be an iron dome there.

Pity.~
Posted by: Sven the pelter   2015-10-10 09:16  

#6  I seem to recall a certain country trying to blackmail the US to use their country

I'm still unhappy with the Turks, but actually, the US State Department put out that canard. Turns out the "blackmail" was already agreed-upon funds for something else. Somebody at State released it and the media ran with it. The Turks got pissed and canc'ed the agreement for the 4th ID.

I'll leave it for the intelligent reader to figure out the motivation on all sides.
Posted by: Pappy   2015-10-10 08:35  

#5  The Russians have unfinished business with the Turk.

We shouldn't stand in their way.
Posted by: phil_b   2015-10-10 05:47  

#4  Turkey is where Hamas has it's headquarters. If Ivan wants to stomp on Turkey---all power to Ivan.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-10-10 01:58  

#3  Obama is in retreat re russis/china and iran.

what a weak president. how many concessions is he making to putin/mad mullahs?
Posted by: paul   2015-10-10 01:12  

#2  PATRIOTS + USS TEDDY ROOSEVELT CVN from the Persian Gulf + .... ...???

More [indirect] NOT-GOOD-NEWS for GUAM-WESTPAC vee CHINA-VS-OBAMA/US-VS-GUAM'S-CAMEL-ROCK.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-10-10 00:17  

#1  I seem to recall a certain country trying to blackmail the US to use their country to invade Iraq at the last minute after previously agreeing. As far as payback goes, this is nothing.
Posted by: gorb   2015-10-10 00:14  

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