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The Grand Turk
'Turkey is not a superpower and we are more prepared for war than many think': Greek minister
2020-09-07
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by:Fred

#13  Wild Card: Bulgaria, Hungary, Egypt, and of course, in a guerrilla mode, the Kurds.

Bulgarians share a long border. They have very little in the way of airforce, but the US almost always has troops on exercise in Bulgaria, as well as the main airbase in Bulgaria is #6 most busy in the region for US and NATO forces.

Romania is more militarily capable, and is just a jump across the black sea from a lot of valuable Turkish military and infrastructure targets.

Egypt enters into this because the Tuks are stirring up trouble in Libya, and have been running air space incusrions over Egypt. The egyptians would secure Greece's southern ocean flank glady, because doing so would choke off the Tuks in Libya, Saving Egypt a lot of trouble, cheaply.

The Kurds could bring oil production and mineral production to a standstill if their Russian benefactors (they know better than trust the US again) back them. Russia gains by tightening the oil market and destabilizing the eastern end of the black sea and Mediterranean without having to become directly involved other than in Syria against Turkish forces and proxies there.

The Sultan may think he can win, but after Istanbul wakes up to no power, no water, and the Straits and their major ports being closed, "victory" will not last long. A crippled Turkey benefits Russia, and at the same time turns NATO upon itself, hastening the end og NATO as a viable military and political alliance.
Posted by: Theager Borgia1057   2020-09-07 15:52  

#12  Turkey's been actively baiting the Russians in large and small ways for years. Erdogan plays the lack of reaction as a victory, and his constituents but it.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2020-09-07 13:52  

#11  NATO's Article Five - should be interesting if....
Posted by: Clem   2020-09-07 10:26  

#10  Given Turkey's recent horrible performance recently in fights, I bet the Greeks give them a serious bloody nose. They may lose, but it will hurt the Turk.
Posted by: DarthVader   2020-09-07 10:22  

#9  I don't believe for a second the Russians have forgotten/forgiven the Turks shooting down Russian aircraft a few years ago. Russia will do what they think is good for Russia like any other country.
Posted by: Clem   2020-09-07 08:26  

#8  Russia won't directly aid Greece. Indirectly? Everybody hates Turkey. Everybody. They have made themselves no friends these past 10 years. The United States, Russia, the Arab States, Israel, the Balkan Slav states, every good relationship they ever might have even thought about having has been flushed down the toilet by their sultan in chief. And I would bet at least a couple of them will be willing to offer direct aid to the Greeks to shut up Erdogan for good. And everybody else will be willing to offer supplies, aid, or favorable trade deals to help Greece out if it comes to it.
Posted by: Vernal Hatrick   2020-09-07 08:22  

#7  In terms of ordinance quantity, and current 'readiness', Turkey has the edge.

Of course the Turks did sacrifice their more experienced military folks to Gülenism.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2020-09-07 08:10  

#6  Keep an eye on Cyprus. The offshore Greek islands are a sideshow.
Posted by: magpie   2020-09-07 04:04  

#5  Been to both. Both countries have manyana attitude but Turkey creaks at it's best.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2020-09-07 03:59  

#4  no
Posted by: 746   2020-09-07 02:20  

#3  Will Russia come to the aid of a fellow Orthodox nation?
Posted by: Slaing Hapsburg9558   2020-09-07 00:43  

#2  It won't be only the Greeks vs Turks.
Posted by: Angeart Javiper6312   2020-09-07 00:36  

#1  My money's on the Turks if they end up duking it out.
Posted by: Clem   2020-09-07 00:11  

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