MESOPOTAMIA NEWS INSIDER : Turkey, US head to new crisis over Ankara’s S-400 purchase
Semih Idiz March 14, 2019 – AL MONITOR – Article Summary – Washington’s threats of dire consequences for Turkey if it goes ahead with the Russian air-defense deal are being disregarded by Ankara.
The standoff between Turkey and the United States over Ankara’s decision to purchase Russian S-400 missile-defense systems is coming to head and pointing to a fresh crisis in Turkish-US ties.Many expect Turkey’s deployment of the S-400s to rekindle the debate on whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey belongs in the Western alliance.The ultimate decision on the S-400s rests with Erdogan, as the sole authority in Turkey today, and he appears determined to go ahead with the deal concluded with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.
MESOPOTAMIA NEWS FOCUS : How Turkey’s local elections became ‘matter of national survival’
Orhan Kemal Cengiz March 13, 2019 – AL MONITOR – Article Summary – The continuing deterioration of Turkey’s economy and the fact that the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has refrained from entering candidates in local elections in the country’s west, where the HDP is supporting other opposition parties, could result in the ruling party’s loss of some larger cities, which could lead to early general elections.
MESOPOTAMIA NEWS SHORT CUTS
Jack Detsch liked Aaron Stein @aaronstein1 12 March 2019
My latest :: The Russian Missile that Could End the U.S.-Turkish Alliance @WarOnTheRocks
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MESOPOTAMIA NEWS REPORT : Belgisches Gericht – Arbeiterpartei Kurdistans PKK nicht terroristisch
Türkisches Außenministerium verurteilt Entscheidung – Aus: Ausgabe vom 12.03.2019, Seite 7 / Ausland – JUNGE WELT BERLIN
Mit einem Freispruch in allen Anklagepunkten endete am Freitag vor dem Revisionsgericht in Brüssel ein seit neun Jahren laufender Prozess gegen 37 kurdische Exilpolitiker. Das Gericht stellte fest, dass das belgische Antiterrorgesetz in dem Verfahren nicht zur Anwendung kommen könne, da es sich bei der Arbeiterpartei Kurdistans (PKK) um keine terroristische Organisation handele.
NORTH KURDISTAN (TURKEY)MESOPOTAMIA NEWS FOCUS : Turkey & Russia Deepen Cooperation in Northern Syria (ISW) – Institute for the study of war
– 11 March 2019
Key Takeaway: Growing Turkish-Russian military cooperation in Syria is a dangerous sign of a wider shift to a closer strategic relationship between Turkey and Russia. Russia gave Turkey permission to fly air sorties into Northern Syria as part of an agreement for joint military patrols along the frontlines in Greater Idlib Province. The Turkish Armed Forces began joint frontline patrols with pro-regime forces on March 8 with accompanying overflights by the Turkish Air Force. The Turkish-Russian agreement in Idlib Province demonstrates that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is failing in his attempts to spoil the de-escalation zone in Northern Syria brokered by Russia, Iran, and Turkey in 2017. Turkey will likely soon begin independent joint patrols with the Russian Armed Forces. Turkey and Russia began joint patrols of a separate area near Tel Rifaat north of Aleppo City on February 14. Turkey’s deepening relationship with Russia in Syria decreases the likelihood that the U.S. will reach a negotiated agreement with Turkey over the status of Eastern Syria. Russia intends to use its engagement with Turkey in Western Syria to set conditions to cooperate with Turkey against the U.S.-Led Coalition and its partnered Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Eastern Syria. ISW is closely following the evolving situation in Idlib Province and will provide further updates as necessary
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MESOPOTAMIA NEWS: COUNTERINSURGENY BETWEEN PKK & TURKISH ARMY
Really interesting piece by @Metin4020 on how the PKK is using technology to identify Turkish military positions – particularly interesting 2 see how they are evolving their tactics
Metin Gurcan March 8, 2019 –AL MONITOR – Article Summary – New technology is infiltrating the old conflict between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, and soldiers may have to sacrifice their smartphones for safety.It seems counterintuitive, but apparently some soldiers like to spend their free time … playing soldier.
Turkey’s army recently issued a directive warning that Kurdish militants have been trying to obtain logistical information about Turkish positions via an online war game app.
MESOPOTAMIA NEWS BACKGROUND TURKEY – TODAY (II)
Aaron Stein @aaronstein1 8 March 2019
There is nothing to prevent a F-35 user from purchasing S-400 after the jet is delivered. However, it has long been assumed that F-35 operators wouldnt compromise their own jets and the security of allies. This is the basic political conundrum the US-TR now faces.
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MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : Turkey dismisses US threat about buying Russian S-400 air defense system
Jasper Mortimer March 6, 2019 – AL MONITOR – Article Summary – Turkey does not appear to be budging from its purchase of S-400 air-defense missiles from Russia despite US threats to cancel delivery of F-35 jets Turkey has ordered. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has brushed off America’s threat to renege on the sale of F-35 fighter-bombers if Turkey goes ahead with its purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense missiles.
“Turkey buys anything it needs and nobody can intervene,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said today. “If we need S-400s, we will buy them.”
MESOPOTAMIA NEWS INSIDER: Turks fire back as Trump ends preferential trade status
Jasper Mortimer March 5, 2019 – AL MONITOR – Article Summary – The United States removed Turkey from its list of countries that enjoy tariff-free access to the US market, a decision criticized by the Turkish government.
ANKARA, Turkey — The Turkish government today criticized the US decision to remove Turkey from its list of nations that enjoy tariff-free access to the US market, saying the move would hurt producers in both countries. Turkish commentators accused Washington of political motivations. One trade expert said it was not a coincidence that the move came as US envoys were trying to persuade Turkey to abandon its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.The US Trade Representative’s Office declared that Turkey was no longer entitled to benefit from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) because the country is “sufficiently economically developed.” Turkey joined the GSP in 1975. It meant that certain products benefited from tariff-free access to the US market.
Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said the US decision “contradicts the $75 billion trade volume target that both governments have declared.”
MESOPOTAMIA NEWS TODAYS GENERAL COMMENTARY BY MAHMUD BOZARSLAN – “WHO REPRESENTS THE KURDS?” – THE MERSIN MEETING
Turkey’s new Kurdish card in Syria: Kurds themselves
READ IN: Türkçe : Mahmut Bozarslan March 5, 2019 – AL MONITOR – Article Summary – A relatively new Kurdish group that doesn’t reject relations with Turkey is rising, calling itself the Independent Kurdish Coalition of Syria. – DIYARBAKIR, Turkey — An entity with clear ties to Turkey has emerged claiming to represent a segment of Syrian Kurds and calling for the ouster of what it considers to be Kurdish terrorist organizations.Syrian Kurds typically have been dominated by two sides: the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG); and the Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS). The YPG is thought by many to be the Syrian extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) of Turkey, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and others.
But on Feb. 23, the Independent Kurdish Coalition of Syria met in Turkey’s Mediterranean city of Mersin.
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