Pentagon calls Turkey plan to buy Russian missile 'devastating'

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A top Pentagon official said on Thursday the consequences would be "devastating" for Turkey's joint F-35 fighter program and its cooperation with NATO if the country bought a Russian missile defense system.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, said that Ankara's planned purchase of the S-400 system would damage Turkey's ability to work together with the Western alliance, and force Washington to hit the country with sanctions.

"Completion of this transaction would be devastating, not only to the F-35 program, on which the West has placed its modernized integrated air capability, but it would potentially rupture Turkish interoperability with NATO, a key aspect of the defense of the alliance," Wheelbarger told an audience at the Atlantic Council in Washington.

"Let's be clear. The S-400 is a Russian system designed to shoot down an aircraft like the F-35, and it is inconceivable to imagine Russia not taking advantage of that collection opportunity."

Wheelbarger said the US believes Turkey is pursuing the deal to get Russia's support against Kurdish rebels along its border with Syria.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pentagon-calls-turkey-plan-to-buy-russian-missile-devastating/ar-AAC9w8R?li=BBnbcA1

I should point out the S-300, an earlier version of the system, is what Russian troops in Venezuela are manning.

[Chin music]

1. No problem really.

It'll dove tail w our missile systems when trump fully hands the keys to the kingdom to putin.
Boy, that must be some really ugly kompromat. Bc this has been a rolling shit show for three years now.

[Maine-i-acs]

2. come on, who did not see this coming

Erdogan allied himself with Russia early on
extended his power, jailed dissidents;
rolled out troops against the Kurds, who were once helping us fight ISIS in Syria

All while Cheetofuhrer kept gobbling up Big Macs and squawking about a witch hunt.

[PufPuf23]

3. Could you provide a link to support this?

"I should point out the S-300, an earlier version of the system, is what Russian troops in Venezuela are manning."

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. Here you go

[PufPuf23]

5. Thank you except that clip is about Russia sending S-300s to Syria, Venezuela is never

mentioned in the video clip.

[EX500rider]

6. They do have some:

Venezuela ordered 2 battalions of S-300, delivered in May 2012.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-300_missile_system#Operators_and_other_versions

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Damned YouTube search

I entered S-300 and Venezuela and that was the first result.

Here's a Newsweek article that mentions the system.

https://www.newsweek.com/us-russia-pay-price-helping-venezuela-missiles-1380589

[PufPuf23]

8. Thank you. Blechh on Elliot Abrams being the source and more so

in any position of influence.

[Celerity]

9. Russia Rejected Iran S-400 Missile Request Amid Gulf Tension

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-30/russia-rejected-iran-s-400-missiles-request-amid-gulf-tension

Russia has rejected an Iranian request to buy S-400 missile defense systems, concerned that the sale would stoke more tension in the Middle East, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, including a senior Russian official.

The request was rebuffed by President Vladimir Putin, the people said on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to discuss the matter. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Moscow May 7. Russia’s Foreign Ministry didn’t reply to a request for comment, and Iranian officials couldn’t be reached for a response. Iran’s weekend starts Thursday.

Sales of the missile systems are controversial in the Middle East. Turkey, a NATO member and a U.S. ally, is risking punitive measures by the Trump administration for agreeing to buy the batteries.

Russia’s reaction to Iran’s request reflects the delicate balance of power in the Persian Gulf, where a showdown is brewing between the Islamic Republic on one hand, and the U.S. and its Gulf Arab allies on the other. President Donald Trump agreed this month to send more U.S. troops to the region after the U.S. blamed Iran for attacks on Saudi oil installations as well as four ships.

Iranian officials have denied any involvement in the attacks.

snip