soods

Today in America the wires were buzzing with news about Isis invading Turkey. I know we have a resident "political" friend on the forum. I was wondering if I should stop planning my Turkish vacation for next year, before I even start?! I'm hoping not, but my husband keeps voicing his concerns.

Thanks

Michael

I just checked several news sites, and there are no reports of an invasion of Turkey. Moreover, chances are that you will be hundreds of miles from any potential military action on Turkey's eastern border.

On the other hand, if you are worried about going in that area, don't go.

annhig

not sure what "the wires" are but they are clearly unreliable.

IS have not invaded Turkey nor are they likely to - they are being very canny in the targets they attack, going for relatively soft ones. The reaction they would provoke from the heavily armed Turks [who are part of NATO] would be far more than they would want to deal with.

However, this does not mean that you can be sanguine about the situation - there are reports of widespread demonstrations by turkish Kurds which have led to deaths - which you are unlikely to come across but which might effect you depending where you are intending to go in Turkey.

What advice is the State Department giving?

otherchelebi

Please read my thread on "Visiting Turkey......." where i post information on current conditions for visitors including any and all warnings.

What you heard sounds like someone in Europe saying he heard that the Mexican drug cartels invading United States.

bilboburgler

Given the size of the conventional Turkish army and the Nato certainty that would be a big mistake. In fact it would be close to suicide which given that IS is a death cult for others makes no sense.

bilboburgler

Still if it does look a bit like the Red Army sat out side Warsaw while the Nazis destroyed it, well......

You should have heard the Turkish ambassador being destroyed on Radio 4 this morning. "we need a coalition" yes you have one, "we need a aircraft free zone" yes you have one as IS does not have aircraft. "but but but".

Turkey has had the opportunity to make best friends with a bunch of Kurds and has failed to step up to the mark. Sad.

bilboburgler

I mean you do know that Turkey has the second biggest conventional army in the whole of NATO?

PatrickLondon

Why would IS "invade" Turkey, while Turkey is visibly standing back to let them and the Kurds keep each other busy (or at the very least, not wanting to risk enhancing the position of either Iraqui or, particularly, Syrian Kurds).

>>Turkey has had the opportunity to make best friends with a bunch of Kurds and has failed to step up to the mark<<

That wasn't a mark the Turkish military was ever likely to consider worth stepping up to.

sparkchaser

<i>What you heard sounds like someone in Europe saying he heard that the Mexican drug cartels invading United States.</i>

Accurate.

bilboburgler

Patrick, you are right, but sometimes you have to let "hope" out of the box.

Croesus

I think Turkey sees Assad's government in Syria (who do have warplanes) as the main problem in the region, IS and the Kurds are just a side issue.

If they were going to assist anyone, it would be the FSA.

bilboburgler

But Assad's planes are not in this area and would be fools to enter.

Sorry this is just a sad day for Turkey

Croesus

The Turks are still annoyed that Syria shot down one of their planes two years ago. And a year ago the Turks shot down a Syrian helicopter on the border and six months ago another Syrian plane was shot down.
See this article - http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News...on-border.html

I guess Assad doesn't mind IS, al-Nusra, al-Qaeda, the FSA and the Kurds all fighting each other.

IMDonehere

For the Turks, it is all about their complicated relationship with the Kurds.

sparkchaser

"complicated" is a diplomatic way of phrasing it.

IMDonehere

Antagonistic?

otherchelebi

Hegemonistic???

bilboburgler

Ah, hegemonistic, but only short term, lacking in strategic vision

otherchelebi

lacking any vision whatsoever.

The Turkish PM is determined to emulate the cartoon character "Iznogoud"

http://www.iznogoudworld.com/

bilboburgler