Troops Surrounded Incirlik Air Base As US Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Visits Turkey

July 31st, 2016

Awake Goy

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Some 7,000 Turkish troops surrounded and blocked access to Icirlik Air Base amidst increased tensions between Ankara and Washington over the failed military coup on July 15. Turkey described the incident around the base where U.S. nuclear weapons are stationed as a standard security exercise. The “exercise” happened against the backdrop of growing tensions between Ankara and Washington and the expected arrival of the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford.

Sunday morning some 7,000 Turkish troops, assisted by police, surrounded the Incirlik Air Base in eastern Turkey and blocked traffic in and out of the base. A local source notes that the “exercise” lasted for a little more than two hours. The base is used to store U.S. tactical nuclear weapons. The U.S. Air Force uses Incirlik Air Base to launch air strikes in Syria and Iraq. The incident prompted rumors about a new coup attempt while Ankara noted that its military carried out a routine security exercise.

Turkey’s Minister for European Union Affairs Omar Celik would use his Twitter account to assure Turkey’s EU neighbors that there was no problem there and that blocking the base was strictly for security reasons. The two-and-a-half hour-long “security exercise” was launched on the day of the expected arrival of the U.S.’ Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford in Turkey. Top Turkish government officials had previously accused Dunford of “siding with the Gülenists” and possible foreknowledge about the coup attempt on July 15.

On Friday Turkey’s Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik reiterated that Turkey demands the extradition of the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fetullah Gülen. The statement came within the context of General Dunford’s visit. The 75-year-old Fetullah Gülen lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, USA. Gülen and the Gülenist Hizmeth movement have consistently been linked to the CIA, the Turkish “Deep State”, as well as to NATO linked intelligence networks.

It is noteworthy that persons linked to Gülenist networks previously were involved in the planting of false evidence and other activities that led to the purge of secular republican officers within the Turkey’s officer corps during the so-called Ergenekon and Balyoz affairs. In a conversation with nsnbc’s Fahwad Al-Khadoumi, a person with links to Turkey’s military intelligence who appreciated to remain unnamed, noted that it is “improbable” that neither Turkey’s nor U.S.’ intelligence were aware of the coup plans and that it was “possible” that either Turkish, American, or both’ intelligence services either “allowed a failed coup” or “participated in provoking it”.

Al-Khadoumi reported that his source in Turkey named several possible reasons for the sudden “security exercise” at Incirlik. One reason could be to assure the USA and Turkey’s NATO partners that Turkey’s military is capable of protecting the base including the U.S. nuclear weapons there. Another reason would be the AKP government’s wish to position itself as “defying the USA”, despite the principally intact NATO cooperation. Another possibility would be that the aim was to achieve both.

Turkey and the USA have had rows over the Incirlik Air Base before. These rows tend to happen when the AKP government wants to rally national support. The relationship and cooperation between the Turkish and U.S. military usually remains unaffected by these “incidents”. In July 2014 a crisis over sovereignty erupted between the U.S. and Turkey after Turkish authorities ordered all flags, including the U.S.’ flag at Incirlik to be flown on half mast over the situation in Gaza.

So far, all “evidence” that purportedly links the failed coup on July 15 to Fethullah Gülen and his networks consists of “confessions” by military officers and others. Photographic evidence provided to nsnbc clearly supports allegations that confessions have been made under duress, using physical violence and, arguably, torture. So far it cannot be established with certainty who was behind the “mystery coup” on July 15.

What is certain is that the sweeping purge has strengthened the AKP and Erdogan’s push for a unitary presidency. What is also certain is that the purge is directed against others than Gülenists and alleged Gülenists, including members of opposition parties, “dissident” AKP members, and proponents of a peaceful settlement between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

CH/L – nsnbc 31.07.2016

Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/07/31/troops-surrounded-incirlik-air-base-as-us-chairman-of-the-chiefs-of-staff-visits-turkey/