General Discussion

Xithras

(16,191 posts)

11. Incirlik Air Base, a USAF base in Turkey, is within range of more than a thousand Syrian missiles.

Wed Sep 4, 2013, 12:54 PM

Sep 2013

More than 500 of them are low tech Scud's, but they also have around 600 of the more accurate Fateh's, and at least a hundred of the modern Iranian Shabab missiles (which are very accurate and carry multiple warheads). The Air Force base is home to several thousand Americans (both AF personnel and their families), and would be a tempting target. If Assad ordered and all out bombardment, we probably could not protect it, and would take significant losses there.

The only question is Turkey. Incirlik is also used by the Turkish Air Force, and any attack on the base would be seen as an attack against Turkey itself. Pile on top of that the notoriously bad guidance systems in the Scuds and the probability that at least some of them will come down on Turkish soil outside of the airbase, and it rapidly becomes clear that any attack on Incirlik will openly pull Turkey into the war against Assad. He may not be willing to risk that.

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What happens if Assad shoots back? [View all] 1-Old-Man Sep 2013 OP

Why do you assume planes will be involved? jberryhill Sep 2013 #1

Incirlik Air Base, a USAF base in Turkey, is within range of more than a thousand Syrian missiles. Xithras Sep 2013 #11

He would die Lurker Deluxe Sep 2013 #22

I know, and Assad will probably make that call depending on the severity of our attack. Xithras Sep 2013 #25

How many generals and staff are going to go down the road with him jberryhill Sep 2013 #30

Well, there's long been a question about how much control he actually has over the military Xithras Sep 2013 #38

But that would be "boots on the ground" which Obama has promised us will not happen. Obama wants you Erose999 Sep 2013 #42

Given the mutual-defense pact between Syria and Iran, any attack by us on Syria would be viewed as HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #40

missiles not planes. spanone Sep 2013 #2

While they are missiles and not planes, you postulate something that worries my slightly... Javaman Sep 2013 #3

If Assad really wanted to be an asshole Nuclear Unicorn Sep 2013 #14

Might as well. They're bound to get them anyways. Dash87 Sep 2013 #29

That's reason enough right there to try to take them out, no? jberryhill Sep 2013 #31

How does that work if you're just staging a drive-by missile shooting to impress the press? Nuclear Unicorn Sep 2013 #33

We've been dealing with loose nukes in Central Asia for a while jberryhill Sep 2013 #35

Your post could be condensed down to one word: 'clusterfuck' (or maybe HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #41

Well then Obama would have been right to attack because he's an unstable maniac? Cali_Democrat Sep 2013 #23

I believe the missles would be fired from ships, not planes Marrah_G Sep 2013 #4

Not likely... Xolodno Sep 2013 #5

Even if there aren't air strikes, Assad still has some very shiny anti-ship missiles. NuclearDem Sep 2013 #6

Then watch how fast the "it's not war" Union Scribe Sep 2013 #7

They won't, they will just move the goal posts, again. They demand to know what we expect the sabrina 1 Sep 2013 #15

Were it not for the seriousness of the issues at hand, that indeed would be well worth HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #43

Wet dream for the war-boner crowd. Iggo Sep 2013 #8

GASP. That would be a WAR CRIME. sibelian Sep 2013 #9

It'll Be A Push-Button War... KharmaTrain Sep 2013 #10

I agree with you on the battle. The military has tested robotic drone attack aircraft and bombers bluestate10 Sep 2013 #18

Oh he won't. According to the plan whatchamacallit Sep 2013 #12

Good thing you used the sarcasm emoticon. I swear it seems like half the people posting here believe HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #45

If? How about When? joeybee12 Sep 2013 #13

We'll put on our best performance of acting shocked: How dare he hit back while we're punishing him? reformist2 Sep 2013 #16

Do you think we should disband our military forces? brooklynite Sep 2013 #17

You're forgetting another way. JVS Sep 2013 #20

Hence my comment brooklynite Sep 2013 #21

? Celefin Sep 2013 #24

I don't think we'll send jets over Syria. Our submarines will launch missiles. KittyWampus Sep 2013 #19

that's not supposed to happen: in fact, in every war we've been in it wasn't supposed to happen MisterP Sep 2013 #26

Syria will probably not escalate things, it would certainly be unwise Lurks Often Sep 2013 #27

Why is it unwise for Syria to escalate, but perfectly rational for us to escalate? - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #46

Where did you get the idea I was in favor of attacking Syria? Lurks Often Sep 2013 #48

That would be impossible. US military assets and soldiers are invincible. Dash87 Sep 2013 #28

What happens if those shots are at the Saudi oil fields? Coyotl Sep 2013 #32

Syria will be fully entitled to attack our ships and other assets before we fire any HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #34

Actually the question has been asked... Chan790 Sep 2013 #37

Thanks for the detail and analysis. I don't have cable so rely mostly on what HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #39

If? More like when.... But I think that was the whole point from the start n/t Taitertots Sep 2013 #36

We've got them pretty solidly outgunned. backscatter712 Sep 2013 #44

We'll escalate as has always been intended? DirkGently Sep 2013 #47