Airstrike Hits Turkish Forces in Syria

[Dennis Donovan]

Last edited Thu Feb 27, 2020, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NYT

The Turkish army suffered mass casualties in an airstrike, Turkish officials say, an attack that could dramatically shift the course of the Syrian war.

By Carlotta Gall
Feb. 27, 2020
Updated 5:50 p.m. ET

ISTANBUL — The Turkish army suffered mass casualties in an airstrike in northwest Syria late Thursday, an attack that could dramatically change the course of the Syrian war.

At least 22 Turkish soldiers were killed, said Rahmi Dogan, the Turkish governor of the southern province of Hatay, where the Turkish casualties were arriving. News reports citing social media messages and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, put the number of Turkish dead as high as 34.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey held an emergency meeting Thursday evening in Ankara, Turkish media reported. He has been calling for Syrian government and Russia forces to cease their two-month offensive in Idlib Province and to pull back from Turkish positions, which have been encircled and cut off by Syrian government forces.

Turkish officials said the strike had been carried out by Syrian government forces, but Russian jets have been conducting most of the airstrikes in the area in recent weeks. Russian officials could not be reached for comment late Thursday.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/world/middleeast/russia-turkey-syria-war-strikes.html

---

Oh shit moment here...

Link to tweet

Olga Lautman @olgaNYC1211

Russia-Turkey are on the verge of war. 22 Turkish soldiers were killed with some reports being
higher after reports that Russian forces fired on Turkish soldiers in Idlib. There is also an unconfirmed report that Turkey has told the Russian ambassador to leave. Will update

AFP news agency ✔@AFP

#BREAKING Russia accuses Turkey of violating Syria deal, supporting rebels with artillery

5:13 PM - Feb 27, 2020

[sprinkleeninow]

1. This is another in an ongoing string of,

how they say, new fresh hells.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. This isn't how I expected the next Middle East war to start.

[democrank]

3. So much suffering

It’s heartbreaking

[Marcuse]

4. Hmm. I don't think so...

[oldsoftie]

6. but was Turkey attacked or Turkish forces in Syria?

[IronLionZion]

8. Exactly, it was in Syria so this doesn't apply

[Ligyron]

7. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm like, oh yay yah, that's right...

[bronxiteforever]

5. Kick and recommend for all to see.

[howardmappel]

9. New Rules of War

I suspect that Turkey has adopted new rules for warfare (I suspect these have also been adopted by tRump).

The new rules are as follows:

Rule 1. It is okay for us (the us being whomever is arguing that they have been wronged) to attack and kill you, and to make up lies about why our cause is noble and if you oppose us then you must be evil and support terrorism.

The nice point about Rule No. 1 is that anyone gets to use it.

Rule 2. Whatever means, weapons, tactics, etc. that we use are justified because our cause is noble and if you oppose us then you must be evil and support terrorism.

You will start to see a theme here.

Rule 3. If you resist us and kill any of our troops, you are evil, etc.

Only we are allowed to use force. You cannot because our cause is noble and if you oppose us then you must be evil and support terrorism.

Rule 4. No matter how many troops we kill or injure, it is okay because our cause is noble and if you oppose us then you must be evil and support terrorism.

Rule 5. No matter how many civilians we kill or injure, it is your fault because our cause is noble and if you oppose us then you must be evil and support terrorism and the civilians wouldn't have been hurt if you had just agreed with us and given us every thing we want.

Rule 6. If you kill any of our troops, then, regardless of how many of your troops or civilians we kill, you are guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, you are evil and support terrorism. You are also probably guilty of littering (see Alice's Restaurant).

Rule 7. The Omnibus Rule -- One Rule to Rule Them All. What ever we do is good and blessed by God/Allah/the Flying Spaghetti Monster (actually, the FSM does not bless warfare)/etc. and whatever means we employ are justified. You oppose us, so therefore anything you do is evil, is terrorism, is supporting Satan, etc.

Summary version of Omnibus Rule -- WE GOOD YOU BAD. WE GOOD YOU SUBHUMAN. ANYTHING WE DO IS GOOD BECAUSE WE GOOD. ANYTHING YOU DO IS BAD AND ANYTHING BAD DONE TO YOU IS GOOD BECAUSE WE GOOD AND YOU SUBHUMAN.

OH, AND OUR GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD (EVEN IF SAME GOD).

[Mosby]

11. So how do you feel about Assad? Good guy?

[Devil Child]

10. Huzur Icinde Yatsın n/t