Turkey Asks U.S. to Base Predators There: Report

[SpArK]

Turkey Asks U.S. to Base Predators There: Report​

WASHINGTON - The United States is considering are request from Turkey to base Predator drones there to operate against Kurdish separatists based in northern Iraq, The Washington Post reported Sept. 10.

TURKEY HAS REQUESTED that the U.S. base Predator drones there to operate against Kurdish separatists based in northern Iraq, the Washington Post reported. (Air Force)
Citing unnamed senior U.S. military officials, the newspaper said a decision to deploy the drones could strengthen the U.S.-Turkish diplomatic alliance but draw the United States deeper into the conflict.


The U.S. military has flown unarmed Predators from Iraqi bases since 2007, sharing their surveillance video with Turkey as part of a secretive crackdown against fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the report said.

But the counterterrorism partnership could end by Dec. 31, when all U.S. forces are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq. According to The Post, U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has not yet made a decision on the Turkish request.

Last month, the United States offered Turkey its continued support in the fight against PKK rebels, after they claimed responsibility for the deaths of eight Turkish soldiers in an ambush.

The attack took place in the Cukurca region of Hakkari province, close to the border with Iraq. Eleven others were injured.

Previously undisclosed diplomatic cables show Turkey has become highly dependent on the Predators, U-2 spy aircraft and other U.S. intelligence sources in its military campaign against the PKK, The Post said.


Turkey Asks U.S. to Base Predators There: Report - Defense News

 

[A1Kaid]

Turkiye should continue it's own independent fight against PKK. They should use their own UCAVs (TAI Anka can be modified to UCAV) to operate against PKK. Turkiye is making a big mistake by requesting this. It's asking yourself to get shot in the foot. Turkish military is more then capable to fight against PKK. If this news is true the Turkish Minister of Defence and anyone else who supports this plan should have their job in question.

 

[TrMhMt]

Turkiye wants these birds till we produced our own armed ANKAs ... We dont have any armed UCAVs !! As you know, first ANKAs will be unarmed than second step will be armed version !!

 

[RedBeard]

I dont understand!! Do they want to buy these drones or just let the Americans continue to operate by themselves?

 

[A1Kaid]

Then you should wait until you produce your own fleet of UCAVs. What is the rush against PKK? Are they about to seize control of a province that you are about to make a deadly mistake of allowing US Predator drones to operate in SE Turkiye even though it's against PKK? You haven't learned lessons from drone strikes in Pakistan? US drone strikes in SE Turkiye will only antagonize the Kurdish minority in Turkiye, seeing a foreign power has been brought in to take military action (and yes drone strikes are military action).

How about Tuekiye spend it's own money, use it's own technology like attack helicopters and ground troops against PKK because so far Turkiye has made progress. US drone strikes will cause serious civilian casualities.

I can't believe how foolish you are to even rationalize this proposal. You're not going to "get these birds" US already denied your request to operate them in 2008. If anything US will operate the birds in SE Turkiye but not your personnel get that clear first.

 

[RedBeard]

Thanks for your advice brother! but PKK attacks increased we cant loose more time. Lots of soldiers martryd we need to strike them back fast and effectivly!

If we buy and use it ourselves i'm all for it. However i dont think its a good idea to ask the Americans to do it for us! We must just buy and use it ourselves!

 

[TrMhMt]

As far as know Turkiye wants to buy but this article says Turkiye requested U.S. using UCAVs against pkk. This is unacceptable !! I think they dont want to sell these UCAVs and make up these news !!

 

[Mosamania]

The US forces will only agree to use it against PKK if only Americans are manning them. Don't do the same mistake as us with the Patriot system. It took us 20 years to kick them out.