Israel bombs Syria from Turkish base – claim and counter-claim

According to a report by RT Israel used a Turkish base from which to launch a bombing raid on Syria. Since that first report claims, counter-claims and denials  have been launched on all sides.

Richard Silverstein at Canada’s Global Research was one of the first to offer an analysis of the story. As he says,

…this story keeps getting curiouser and curiouser,…

He feels, however, the story is true and Israel did launch its attacks from Turkey. He then offers several tentative answers as to why Turkey would allow such an attack to occur against a Muslim country, by Israel with which Turkey doees not have great relations.

His suggestions range around Turkey not really liking Assad and perhaps also wanting to serve notice to Hezbollah that it cannot escallate its involvement in Syria without others having a say. Mr Silverstein is far more expert particularly about Israel than I am, but I do not find his suggestions very convincing.

I do not doubt an attack was launched on Syria from Turkey and that the planes could have been Israeli. Is it too far fetched to wonder if the Turkish government, or some of it at least, was not aware and was not asked? Perhaps this will seem conspiratorial. But I think after the Snowden revelations we have to admit that quite a great deal does go on in national territories which the home governments claim not to have been aware of, even while elements of their own militaries and itelligence services were.

So with that in mind here are some thoughts.

I have argued for some years now that the country which poses the greatest threat to israel is in fact Turkey.  The greatest threat to Israel’s position in the world is not military anihilation but diplomatic irrelevance. Turkey, I have argued, threatens to usurp israel’s place as the important regional power by offering what I called the Pax Turkana as an alternative to what I characterized as the Bellus Israeli.

In the Pax Turkana article I argued that Israel’s position has always relied on there being a state of instability and war in its region which it was seen as the key to containing or solving. So long as there was war and so long as Israel was its focus, Israel was the important regional power. But if ever a country could offer an alterative based on diplomacy and dialogue then Israel would be threatened. You do not have to like those who currently run Turkey to see that they have created a powerful and new position of regional intermediary and ‘honest’ broker that spans from Iran to Europe and the U.S..

If the idea of Turkey being seen as a regional alternative to Israel, has any truth to it,  then Israel would sooner or later need to do something about it. What could put a dent in Turkey’s position as honest broker and diplomat?

Which brings us back to the story of the raid. Let us accept that a raid did happen. First question is did the Turkish government sanction it? According to the Hurriyet Daily news, some at the very top of the Turkish government say absolutely not.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has denied claims that Israel used a Turkish military base to launch an attack against Syria, saying the claims were complete lies and had no basis in reality.

“Turkey will neither be a part nor a partner of such ‘attacks.’ The ones who claim this want to damage Turkey’s power and reputation,”

So either the raid did not happen or he is lying, or he was not told nor asked. Could a raid happen without the Foreign Minister being told? Once again we need to think about the recent revelations about what large sections of the German or British governments, for example, were not aware of.

Like many countries Turkey hosts foreign military bases, the main one being, Incirlik Air Base. This is a joint Turkish/U.S. base which also has a British presence.  Is it imposible to imagine a scenario where the U.S. military either launches a raid itself or allows Israel to launch one from such a base?

We have no detail about radar tracking of the planes before the raid and may never have. The planes could have come from anywhere including a carrier in the Med. The planes could have been Israeli or they could have been American with Israeli pilots. The permutations are not limited.

Next question – why would the incident be highlighted by the Turks? My answer would be either because of someone who was genuinely outraged and wanted answers, or because of someone whose loyalities had been procured. Neither would be unheard of.

What would the governing elite of Israel get out of it? Everything, would be my answer. Anything that makes peace more remote and lessens the standing of those who seek diplomacy over war, helps the ruling elite of Israel.

Why would the U.S. possibly facilitate such a plan? My answer would be to caution against thinking of the U.S. as one unitary thing. No country is a single unitfied interest. There are elements in the U.S. military, its defence industries, intelligence world and State who side with the present rulers of Israel.

Whatever power struggles go on between Israel and the U.S. the fact remains that the U.S. sees Israel as its ally, whereas Turkey is not quite so dependant upon it. Turkey has alliances with the U.S. but has equal if not closer ties to the EU.

That makes a regionally powerful Turkey an augmentation of EU power into a region the U.S. may tire of, but which it cannot yet afford to forget. So I think it  likely that various powers within the U.S. would approve of a plan which hurt Turkey and any Pax Turkana, while helping Israel and the continuation of the instabilities and hostilities of the Bellus Israeli.

Speculation? Of course. But we live in times when to simply assume that all is as our masters assure us it is, is beyond foolhardy.

There are powerful forces which want peace and diplomacy like a virus wants a cure.

29 thoughts on “Israel bombs Syria from Turkish base – claim and counter-claim”

  1. Perhaps the Israeli’s & US hawks like McCain are hoping to push Turkey into doing their dirty work for them, or Erdrogan gave permission for the strike. I chanced on an RT report in May which gave details of bomb attacks in Turkey which took place on the Syrian border that were blamed by Erdrogen on Syria. According to this report many Turks are against their governments position & the point is made that Assad would be mad to provoke the Turks :

    http://rt.com/op-edge/turkey-syria-erdongan-clark-477/

    I noticed this tonight while trying to find the above link, I think it gives an idea of how trigger happy the Republicans & Israeli’s really are :

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/16/u-s-intelligence-confirms-latest-israeli-strike-inside-syria.html

    They mention Assad’s use of chemical weapons for which the UK are sending the rebels 650 grand for protective clothing, although according to RT it was those guys who were using them :

    http://rt.com/news/un-syria-rebels-chemical-weapons-854/

    One thing is for sure, it’s like watching sharks playing poker.

    1. I agree the lack of confirmation and detail does make you wonder.

      Some reports have said the target was Russian supplied missiles. Again – no confirmation.

      1. I am not sure what to make of these 2- reports found on an English language Israeli news website…

        Report: Israel Struck in Syria from the Sea
        An Israeli submarine attacked an arms depot in Latakia last week, according to intelligence sources.
        First Publish: 7/14/2013, 5:58 AM

        ==> http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169888#.UedAhFOvUXy
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        Syria: Israel Didn’t Bomb Us
        Official Syrian denial to reports that Israel is responsible for blasts at Latakia port. Israel silent.
        First Publish: 7/14/2013, 5:30 AM

        ==> http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169883#.Uec_WlOvUXx

        1. yup – I saw this report over a week ago – ZH I think – and if true, answers many of the questions posed in the article.

          1. Looks like a shitstorm of disinformation with any line coming out of Syria right now. Unbelievable counter claim by Syria, if the former is true. Can’t quite get my head around that one, so perhaps it is the Syrian report that is attempting to correct the disinformation that is being employed to provoke the surrounds.

      2. Buck Turgidson

        As long as you are posting items that lack confirmation Golem why don’t you include a Horoscope in your Blog?

        1. Is that necessary? It’s a piece which has opened up discussion in contrast to the received wisdom which pours out of the television.

          1. Buck Turgidson

            Sorry to interrupt the Hallelujah chorus Phil but if you can’t see the similarities between this piece and the ” received wisdom” which pours out of the television I can’t help you.

    1. I have spent a lot of the summer so far getting into different concepts of reality.
      First of all I discovered Agapism and CS Pearce which I consider to be a huge plus.

      I spent a week on holiday thinking about my reaction to this,
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenic_petroleum_origin
      I decided to have a think about my incredulity at a Libetarian Peak Oil article here.

      http://www.thedailybell.com/

      It had never occurred to me that Fossil fuels is in fact a theory and one which does not explain all circumstances?

      I made some notes considering the question can there be more than one Infinity?

      One can create or falsify ones own reality
      Reality as objective,subjective or abstract
      Is all an absract construct relative to subjective limits placed on the infinite continuum.

      There are many realities, but Only one infinity
      Infinity encompasses all realities
      Realities are faceted With infinite perspectives
      Perscribed reality is not necessarily evident

      Then I started writing a song.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUVAlyOMaWI

      And the Man said, get à reality check.
      You got a bad attitude son.
      Says he lives in the real world
      University of life

      And the man said, suck it up son,
      You dont know your born,
      Aint no wrong side of the tracks
      University of life.

      Said to the man, dont you know reality bites
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites

      Man says your educated Beyond your intelligence
      He says thinking is the wrong sort of school
      Just accept What the bossman says
      University of life

      The man says suck it up son
      Says he lives in the real world
      Get à reality check
      University of life

      Said to the man, dont you know reality bites
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites

      The man Aint listening no more
      He says the heart dont greeve What the eye dont see
      The man Aint seein no more
      The man Aint Feelin no more

      The man says suck it up son
      Says he lives in the real world
      Just accept What the bossman says
      University of life

      Said to the man, dont you know reality bites
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites
      Reality Aint What it seems
      School of hard knocks

      Russian roulette one in six
      Aint no odds laid on infinity
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites
      School of hard knocks

      The man says he seen the script
      Hear the man recite the narrative
      On the soap opera tv dinner
      Steak With bernays sauce

      Said to the man, dont you know reality bites
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites
      Reality Aint What it seems
      School of hard knocks

      Russian roulette one in six
      Aint no odds laid on infinity
      Said to the man dont you know reality bites
      School of hard knocks

      Aint got nothin to lose
      Freedom just à Way of seeing
      Aint no losin just returnin
      School of epictetus, refer to handbook

      Bob Dylan Says it very well, I did a cover of Masters of War.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGGWxXy5odQ

  2. I think we were able to predict the Iraq outcome – quick military victory, hopeless follow through – and even the short-lived government in Egypt – but it is harder to see any point on Syria at all. Madness is tough to reason about!

    1. Iraq is a great success though from the elites’ point of view. It is only a failure against the rhetorical aims.

      Balkanisation is the goal. A patchwork of weak warlordistans and feifdoms that are easier and cheaper to control and can never realistically threaten the hegemon.

  3. O/T

    ‘Bankers ‘tried to manipulate QE’, says BoE’s Paul Fisher’

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/10183837/Bankers-tried-to-manipulate-QE-says-BoEs-Paul-Fisher.html

    ”Traders are being investigated for attempting to rip off taxpayers by manipulating quantitative easing as the Bank of England desperately tried to rescue the economy two years ago.”

    Where THE FUCK does it end? After all the shit we have had to listen to about Welfare, all the ordinary people who have been shafted…

    I am fucking rage.

    1. You’re right to be outraged Phil, there seems to be no end to the it.

      A couple of posts back you recommended the book ‘Treasure Islands’. Thanks for that. Now I better understand why corruption within the financial sector is the norm – the bedrock of the entire system is corruption.

      For those who haven’t read the book, slected quotes can be found here
      http://bit.ly/1agcIi8

  4. It’s no secret Turkey and Israel work closely militarily. Despite the drama in the media, they are extremely close allies, in fact Israel even fitted out the Turkish Air force and this included top training, equipment and facilities for the Turks. So it’s only natural for the Turkish to choose to work with Israel over Syria.

    1. Turk / Israel regional cooperation is intimately related to regional leverage over massive eastern Mediterranean energy resources.

      Much of what is taking place in Syria should be seen in the light of energy issues.

      For one, if the project is completed, the Iran, Iraq, Syria [IIS] natural gas pipeline deal is likely to be a regional game-changer benefiting Russia, Iran and Syria, to Qatar’s extreme irritation, among others.

      The Eastern Mediterranean is awash in natural gas, and “interested parties”, oil majors, are determined to get their hands on it, even if it means the destruction of ancient cultures and the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives [cf Libya, Syria, Iraq], with persistent sights on Iran.

      The regime-change shananigans going on in Egypt and Syria has everything to do with energy issues.

  5. I have had a lot of fears and troubles in my life and most of them never happened.” [Mark Twain.]

    The average lasting of great civilisations has been of two thousand plus years each and their sequences of orderly processes is remarkably repetitive. Their darkest times always precede their dawns of a spiritual quest that leads them through courage , freedom, abundance, self obsession, complacency, apathy and down again into the jaws of darkness. There are many models and measures for their growth stages and for their declines ; the last stages of which are often very rapid due to increasing complexities and loss of personal power. Today our technological re- invention and intellectual imbalance far outweighs our emotional comprehension. We in fact live in a sea of noise hardly able to perceive signals. Our loss of freedom through censorship, misuse of private data ,the control of our DNA ,of our electro magnetic frequencies and ultimately of what will be our very thinking processes, if we let them, are the reality of our times but are met with a ubiquitous and rampant complacency. We trust but we do not verify and don’t you just love the bondage ?
    The mind control behind the High Frequency Active Aural Research Program ” actually used to terminate or manipulate would be dissidents of global capitalism on the scale of millions of people. …” [Edward Snowden ] neither concerns us much.
    Thus the Apathy stage has also well and truly been reached. Here we are all watching the end game where truth is no longer welcomed as a guest.
    ” The more I know the easier it gets.” [ Eustace Mullins ]
    There is a long and proven record of deceit whenever Israel coordinates its demands to its neighbours weaknesses with deliberate leakages of disinformation. The well proven collaboration between the future Tel Aviv and Ankara goes all the way back to Ataturk through the British subversive and occult structure of Freemasonry, the ” lever” for world revolution. [Examine Pike”s New and Reformed Palladian Rite.] This has been concealed until now when it is denied.
    The July 5th attack on the Russian anti ship missiles in Latakia turns out to have been carried out not by planes [ there are plenty of nests of S300’s ready to pulverise intruders] but from a German submarine, one of several acquired by Israel with full compliance to Nato’s plans. A divided Syria benefits Israel and predictive programming revisits to insure the hits already planned.
    Today Assad prevails against the ” lawless invaders ” and tomorrow with weaponry that will astound ; no doubt in Iran”s possession also. Turkey’s losses will stun the West.
    And we are back into the jaws of darkness through the few who honour Satan in the top of power and control. The wolf wants to be our shepherd now.
    ” There are three classes of people…..those who see….those who see when shown…and those who do not see “. [ Leonardo Da Vinci ]

    1. Buck Turgidson

      ambrosius

      I love this!………I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about but it sounds totally cool.

      “intellectual imbalance far outweighs our emotional comprehension.”

      1. The undertone I detect is that you are a sheep until you have assumed a level of knowledge/experience needed to acquire critical thought processes. Though the information of the age can either accelerate or disrupt that learned process depending on the sources exposed. Not forgetting the emotional desensitization by sheer volume/lack of volume that can render the masses impotent of critical thought and ready to be led…our dear friends, the masses, ironic pawns of fear and disinformation.

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