There is a leadership STRUCTURE called the TSK (Turk Silahli Kuvvetleri) (click here), the Armed Forces, Turkish General Staff.
The USA has had a presence in Turkey for a long time. As a result the Turkish military has an autonomous structure that is not attached to the civilian political structure. So, while the USA is suppose to be a civilian controlled entity, it has it's own command structure. That is what exists in Turkey. The difference is the USA is SUPPOSED to be civilian controlled by political changes in the Executive Branch of government.
In recent years, the civilian population in Turkey has been inching up on a stronger civilian control of it's military. One has to realize, Turkey has been taken care of by the USA for decades, so the military organization sort of 'averts it's eyes' to less intense regional emphasis and more internal control. Primary, in recent decades Turkey has focused on the PKK. PKK is a Kurdish organization, unsanctioned by any official Kurdish international representation, that has fought for an autonomous homeland. PKK is considered a terrorist organization, but, has kept other forces at bay no different than Hamas.
I don't know if there is an argument that PKK has insured the survival of the Kurds in what was Northern Iraq, but, it sure didn't hurt them.
Turkey faces three threats, the PKK (domestic insurgency - which is what Hamas should be considered). PKK is considered a fundamentalist movement. ?????? I don't know about that ?????????
The Kurds in general are considered a separatist movement, but, with the collapse of the Iraq borders they are less so, as much as a regional force with well developed military skills. It was this region of the former Iraq that USA troops first landed in 2003. There was a reason for that. Kurds view The West as allies, even if officially that is not the case.
Turkey's pride and joy is the Turkish Land Force Command (TLFC) (click here) which is having increased roles as Peacekeepers, currently in Afghanistan. Really? They are going to remain there after 2014? Well, the USA better take back all it's military hardware if peacekeepers of any kind are going to be successful. The Taliban will simply take over the USA hardware and facilities. I mean, this is not news. Or is it?
I just love the way the USA military CLASSIFIES all the unrest in Afghanistan as "Oops, a Green on Blue Attack." Right. Place it in File GBA.
At any rate, the other two threats Turkey sees as problems is, of course, the Syrian civil war and Russia's demand for a civil war in the Ukraine.
This is an interesting map of Turkey. It primarily illustrates it's densely strategic natural structures. Water and mountains.
Why is this important; because; they are. They still are. Mountains do a lot of things as far as barriers and hiding places. Water is ACCESS and to that end the Turkish Navy is an important ally to NATO. Now, understand why Syria's ports are important to Russia.
OHHhhh, yeah, I see that now.
But, I mean let's face it, Turkey is a hugely important strategic ally. HUGE. As in, where does any other country in what is basically a land locked region without the water have so much access by water? Turkey is the most important strategic region in this part of the world. That is a very long history of being of strategic importance. It is so important that the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) started it's foot hold here, right along with 'control' of trade routes. Constantinople. Pope Constantine. The conversion of Rome from polytheism to monotheism. My, my all those dead martyrs, too.
See, generals no matter when in history they may live still have the same Earth to work with. It's a bitch, I know.
So, here is a hint. Napoleon rocks. BUT. Every empire when it ends is far too big to control it's massive expanse. Rome was an interesting study when it expanded west and north into what is now Europe. Rome maintained it's control. It even maintained control when it took Cleopatra as a faux Queen. BUT. It lost control when Constantinople (that narrow little isthmus) was established. Rome conceded control by renaming it as the 'eastern' branch of the empire, but, Rome was being invaded on a regular basis by the Germanic folks and eventually by it's own people.
But, as to Turkey.
The Turkish Air Force until recent years has been primarily command and control. There is a lot of recon, air tankers, airborne command and transport. There are some helicopter, with a few fighter jets. Most of the combat structure is USA fighter jets. The USA combat structure comprises about 75 percent of the air force capacity 'within' Turkey. If the USA were to leave today, basically Turkey has no sovereign air defense force. Now, add that to the fact there is an autonomous military command structure in Turkey and the country is more an arm of the USA military than a sovereign country. Technically.
But, in recent years the Turkey Air Force is taking on an aerospace and MISSILE defense concept. Go, figure, huh? Why when everyone is looking for peace would a missile defense structure be important? It must be a NATO thing. Does Russia feel CHOCKED? Ahhh. Yeah.
One more thing about the 'chocked' issue. This FOCUS for Turkey started in 2002. RUMSFELD. I think understanding how the USA, under Bush/Cheney has compromised these countries to be a focus of Russia's sovereign threat is more important than words can say.
That is why 2016 is ANYTHING GOES. It is why Russia is worried and willing to stand in the face of sanctions. Russia is on a collision course and it knows it. Russia still has a very viable navy and nuclear capacity regardless of it's capacity with conventional land forces.
I do believe the USA muscle flexing, the fear of Europe to it's safety and the USA military budget is out of control.
But, I get carried away. But, I mean September 11th carried Bush/Cheney and the priorities of the USA military a long way, didn't it? Yeah.
Turkey.
There is one other name to remember. Izmir. What is Izmir? It is a coastal area of Turkey. People like to visit it as a tourist area. But, it is so much more.
Looky, thar. Izmir and to the southeast sits Cyprus. Interesting.
But, what is more interesting is the fact Izmir contains so much USA military hardware.
Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance (AN/TPY-2)
The idea is to completely defend Europe and allies from any threat. Israel knows how well protective radar works, now doesn't it. What have we learned from Israel? The USA military is asking this question, why shouldn't we? We learned genocide for the sake of so called self-defense is possible, when a defense was never needed in the first place.
Is Russia undone? I would not count it. China and Russia can enter cyberspace without a glitch over thousands upon thousands of miles.
Now, about disarming from nukes and the continues peace talks to reduce sanctions and institute a lasting peace on a global basis without completely putting the world under control the USA and Wall Street.
Hello? How ya doin' Vlad? McCain has tainted images himself, doesn't he? I mean, backing ISIS/ISIL to defeat Assad? Shame, shame.
The USA has had a presence in Turkey for a long time. As a result the Turkish military has an autonomous structure that is not attached to the civilian political structure. So, while the USA is suppose to be a civilian controlled entity, it has it's own command structure. That is what exists in Turkey. The difference is the USA is SUPPOSED to be civilian controlled by political changes in the Executive Branch of government.
In recent years, the civilian population in Turkey has been inching up on a stronger civilian control of it's military. One has to realize, Turkey has been taken care of by the USA for decades, so the military organization sort of 'averts it's eyes' to less intense regional emphasis and more internal control. Primary, in recent decades Turkey has focused on the PKK. PKK is a Kurdish organization, unsanctioned by any official Kurdish international representation, that has fought for an autonomous homeland. PKK is considered a terrorist organization, but, has kept other forces at bay no different than Hamas.
I don't know if there is an argument that PKK has insured the survival of the Kurds in what was Northern Iraq, but, it sure didn't hurt them.
Turkey faces three threats, the PKK (domestic insurgency - which is what Hamas should be considered). PKK is considered a fundamentalist movement. ?????? I don't know about that ?????????
The Kurds in general are considered a separatist movement, but, with the collapse of the Iraq borders they are less so, as much as a regional force with well developed military skills. It was this region of the former Iraq that USA troops first landed in 2003. There was a reason for that. Kurds view The West as allies, even if officially that is not the case.
Turkey's pride and joy is the Turkish Land Force Command (TLFC) (click here) which is having increased roles as Peacekeepers, currently in Afghanistan. Really? They are going to remain there after 2014? Well, the USA better take back all it's military hardware if peacekeepers of any kind are going to be successful. The Taliban will simply take over the USA hardware and facilities. I mean, this is not news. Or is it?
I just love the way the USA military CLASSIFIES all the unrest in Afghanistan as "Oops, a Green on Blue Attack." Right. Place it in File GBA.
At any rate, the other two threats Turkey sees as problems is, of course, the Syrian civil war and Russia's demand for a civil war in the Ukraine.
Why is this important; because; they are. They still are. Mountains do a lot of things as far as barriers and hiding places. Water is ACCESS and to that end the Turkish Navy is an important ally to NATO. Now, understand why Syria's ports are important to Russia.
OHHhhh, yeah, I see that now.
But, I mean let's face it, Turkey is a hugely important strategic ally. HUGE. As in, where does any other country in what is basically a land locked region without the water have so much access by water? Turkey is the most important strategic region in this part of the world. That is a very long history of being of strategic importance. It is so important that the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) started it's foot hold here, right along with 'control' of trade routes. Constantinople. Pope Constantine. The conversion of Rome from polytheism to monotheism. My, my all those dead martyrs, too.
See, generals no matter when in history they may live still have the same Earth to work with. It's a bitch, I know.So, here is a hint. Napoleon rocks. BUT. Every empire when it ends is far too big to control it's massive expanse. Rome was an interesting study when it expanded west and north into what is now Europe. Rome maintained it's control. It even maintained control when it took Cleopatra as a faux Queen. BUT. It lost control when Constantinople (that narrow little isthmus) was established. Rome conceded control by renaming it as the 'eastern' branch of the empire, but, Rome was being invaded on a regular basis by the Germanic folks and eventually by it's own people.
But, as to Turkey.
The Turkish Air Force until recent years has been primarily command and control. There is a lot of recon, air tankers, airborne command and transport. There are some helicopter, with a few fighter jets. Most of the combat structure is USA fighter jets. The USA combat structure comprises about 75 percent of the air force capacity 'within' Turkey. If the USA were to leave today, basically Turkey has no sovereign air defense force. Now, add that to the fact there is an autonomous military command structure in Turkey and the country is more an arm of the USA military than a sovereign country. Technically.
But, in recent years the Turkey Air Force is taking on an aerospace and MISSILE defense concept. Go, figure, huh? Why when everyone is looking for peace would a missile defense structure be important? It must be a NATO thing. Does Russia feel CHOCKED? Ahhh. Yeah.
One more thing about the 'chocked' issue. This FOCUS for Turkey started in 2002. RUMSFELD. I think understanding how the USA, under Bush/Cheney has compromised these countries to be a focus of Russia's sovereign threat is more important than words can say.
That is why 2016 is ANYTHING GOES. It is why Russia is worried and willing to stand in the face of sanctions. Russia is on a collision course and it knows it. Russia still has a very viable navy and nuclear capacity regardless of it's capacity with conventional land forces.
I do believe the USA muscle flexing, the fear of Europe to it's safety and the USA military budget is out of control.
But, I get carried away. But, I mean September 11th carried Bush/Cheney and the priorities of the USA military a long way, didn't it? Yeah.
Turkey.
There is one other name to remember. Izmir. What is Izmir? It is a coastal area of Turkey. People like to visit it as a tourist area. But, it is so much more.Looky, thar. Izmir and to the southeast sits Cyprus. Interesting.
But, what is more interesting is the fact Izmir contains so much USA military hardware.
Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance (AN/TPY-2) The idea is to completely defend Europe and allies from any threat. Israel knows how well protective radar works, now doesn't it. What have we learned from Israel? The USA military is asking this question, why shouldn't we? We learned genocide for the sake of so called self-defense is possible, when a defense was never needed in the first place.
Is Russia undone? I would not count it. China and Russia can enter cyberspace without a glitch over thousands upon thousands of miles.
Now, about disarming from nukes and the continues peace talks to reduce sanctions and institute a lasting peace on a global basis without completely putting the world under control the USA and Wall Street.
Hello? How ya doin' Vlad? McCain has tainted images himself, doesn't he? I mean, backing ISIS/ISIL to defeat Assad? Shame, shame.
