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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsU.S. forces say Turkey was deliberately 'bracketing' American troops with artillery fire in Syria
Source: Washington Post
U.S. forces say Turkey was deliberately bracketing American troops with artillery fire in Syria
By Dan Lamothe
Oct. 12, 2019 at 6:07 p.m. EDT
Turkish forces who launched multiple artillery rounds near a U.S. Special Operations outpost in northeastern Syria on Friday have known for months that Americans were there, according to four current and former U.S. officials, raising questions whether Turkey is trying to push American troops farther from the border.
The incident occurred on a hilltop base overlooking the town of Kobane as Turkey continues an operation launched Tuesday against Syrian Kurds, some of whom the United States has partnered with for years in its campaign against the Islamic State. The incursion has focused on an area 60 miles to the west of Kobane, but U.S. officials believe Turkey has long-term aspirations to control a much larger swath of Syria.
The rounds landed about 9 p.m. within a few hundred yards of the base on Mistenur Hill, U.S. officials said. Navy Capt. Brook DeWalt, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that the U.S. troops came under artillery fire but were unharmed and that there was an explosion.
The U.S. demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action, DeWalt said.
-snip-
By Dan Lamothe
Oct. 12, 2019 at 6:07 p.m. EDT
Turkish forces who launched multiple artillery rounds near a U.S. Special Operations outpost in northeastern Syria on Friday have known for months that Americans were there, according to four current and former U.S. officials, raising questions whether Turkey is trying to push American troops farther from the border.
The incident occurred on a hilltop base overlooking the town of Kobane as Turkey continues an operation launched Tuesday against Syrian Kurds, some of whom the United States has partnered with for years in its campaign against the Islamic State. The incursion has focused on an area 60 miles to the west of Kobane, but U.S. officials believe Turkey has long-term aspirations to control a much larger swath of Syria.
The rounds landed about 9 p.m. within a few hundred yards of the base on Mistenur Hill, U.S. officials said. Navy Capt. Brook DeWalt, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that the U.S. troops came under artillery fire but were unharmed and that there was an explosion.
The U.S. demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action, DeWalt said.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2019/10/12/us-forces-say-turkey-was-deliberately-bracketing-american-forces-with-artillery-fire-syria/
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U.S. forces say Turkey was deliberately 'bracketing' American troops with artillery fire in Syria (Original Post)
Eugene
Oct 2019
OP
Turkey would not dare do this unless they are holding the President's plums in a vice.
Midnight Writer
Oct 2019
#9
dalton99a
(81,515 posts)1. Kick
Cha
(297,298 posts)3. How could our Military back
Psycho after this?!
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)5. Pentagon does bidding of politicians. In the process, sells out soldiers.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)4. My son is in the Air Force and 'm terrified watching what's happening
this was the reason I didn't want him to enlist. Now I am watching in horror as this plays out.
Cha
(297,298 posts)6. I can imagine, dewsgirl..
ismnotwasm
(41,989 posts)8. Sweet lord
Insanity
Midnight Writer
(21,768 posts)9. Turkey would not dare do this unless they are holding the President's plums in a vice.
Takket
(21,577 posts)10. They are literally taunting our troops
Because they know drumpf is on their side (the Turks).
He is a traitor
Farmer-Rick
(10,185 posts)11. The coward who got out of going to war because of bone spurs
Is now leading our troops.
Who would expect anything else but surrender and betrayal from a coward like Trump?
Those who have run away from the fear of war, have no understanding of those who have not.
I fear for our troops and their family.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)12. We need to start the pullout from Incirik.
Nuclear weapons first, then conventional forces.
If we want to keep the forces over there, then move them to Greece.
If the Turks persist, then we need to kick them out of Cyprus.
moondust
(19,993 posts)13. EU countries suspending arms sales to Turkey.
Sweden to push EU for weapons embargo against Turkey
http://www.turkishminute.com/2019/10/11/sweden-to-push-eu-for-weapons-embargo-against-turkey-report/
http://www.turkishminute.com/2019/10/11/sweden-to-push-eu-for-weapons-embargo-against-turkey-report/
Germany, Netherlands, Norway, France, and possibly others have now suspended arms sales to Turkey.
Unfortunately, Erdogan may just buy more weapons from Putin.