Thursday, June 30, 2011

Is Turkey Planning An Invasion Of Syria?


Report: Turkey Tells West It Might Launch Offensive Against Syria -- Today's Zaman

Turkish officials have told Western countries that Turkey might launch a military operation in Syria's north to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's regime, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Monday.

“Turkey informed Britain, France, Italy, Germany and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leadership of the possibility that it would launch an offensive in … Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Latakia,” As-Seyassah daily quoted an unnamed British officials as saying, according to the Lebanese news website nowlebanon.com.

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My Comment: Such an operation would entail tens of thousands of soldiers, months of preparation, training, intelligence gathering, etc. .... in short .... it is not going to happen. But if the focus is to conduct short-term and limited operations .... Turkey does have the resources to do it.

What is my take? I personally doubt that Turkey has the political will to even contemplate crossing the border .... but they will conduct a limited military operation if the Syrians make the mistake of crossing the border first.

If Turkey should be concerned about it's border, this is the country that they should be focused on.

Hat Tip: Colin McCabe

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