Hagel: US Wants Use Of Turkey Base, Help Training

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Oct. 9, 2014 10:06 PM EDT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday that the key military assistance the United States would like to get from Turkey would be access to the Turkish air base at Incirlik and an agreement to help train and equip the moderate Syrian forces.

Hagel said U.S. officials are raising those issues with Turkish leaders in discussions this week. While Ankara's persistent request for the U.S. to set up a safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria is not "actively being considered," he said, American leaders are open to a discussion about it.

The defense secretary said Turkey has military capabilities that would be valuable in the fight against the Islamic State militants. The U.S. would like to be able to base various aircraft at the air base near the Syrian border, he said.

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Military leaders are very aware of concerns that if Turkish forces face off against Islamic State militants across the border in Syria, they also could target the Kurdish fighters who are battling the extremists. The Kurdish fighting force in Syria is linked to an opposition movement that has sought greater autonomy from Ankara for Kurds inside Turkey.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6b4383b10ba94422a1faf220c782194c/hagel-us-wants-use-turkey-base-help-training

[ballyhoo]

1. What moderate Syrian forces? Hagel means Syrian Army.

[quadrature]

2. 27 more months of this..wonderful....nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. And then what? I think Obama has been relatively restrained.

Imagine what President Hillary would be doing, not to mention President McCain.

[cstanleytech]

5. McCain and any republican are the real danger imo.

[quadrature]

6. 2nd terms, are always difficult

nobody cooperates with a short time President.

everybody on the White House staff
are out for themselves

the list goes on and on

[TwilightGardener]

8. Not sure what you're trying to say. 27 more months of "this"? What is "this"?

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. For Turkey to train Syrian rebels would be an act of aggression against Syria.

The Syrians would be within their rights to bomb those bases, as well as the ones in Jordan. Not that it would be a smart move.

[candelista]

7. The US has managed to stir up a three-way war between the Turks, the Kurds and ISIS!

This is the kind of thing that makes some Moslems call the US the "Great Satan."