Turkey prime minister warns war is near as his forces pound Syria for third day

[morningfog]

ISTANBUL — One day after winning blanket authority to send forces into Syria, Turkey’s prime minister warned Friday that his country is “not far from war” and said that it would be a “deadly mistake” for the Syrian government to test Turkey’s will.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the comments as the Turkish military fired shells into Syria for the third straight day – retaliation for a mortar shell that landed just inside Turkish territory in Hatay province, according to the provincial governor.

Until Wednesday, when a Syrian shell killed five civilians in the border town of Akcakale, several hundred miles to the east, Turkey had avoided responding to what have appeared to be errant shells fired into Turkish territory by Syrian troops battling rebel forces for control of crossing points.

But after the five deaths Wednesday, Turkey appears to be retaliating for any Syrian shell that lands inside Turkey. On Thursday, a Syrian shell landed near the border in the town of Altinozou, causing no injuries but sparking a Turkish response. There were also no reports of Turkish injuries in the Friday shelling.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/05/170757/turkey-prime-minister-warns-war.html#storylink=cpy

[Iggy]

1. LOL.. Let's Call a Spade a Spade:

Turkey and Syria ARE at war... and perhaps they should be.

Assad and his thugs have to be removed from power.

[CthulhusEvilCousin]

2. They are

members of NATO, which means we could be drawn into this war. In that event, the Syrians have promised to attack Israel, and Hizbollah would do the same. Iran could also be drawn in, insomuch that Iran's forces are in that country right now trying to prop Assad up. The Russians have also threatened us not to attack Syria or Iran. This could lead to a significant war in the middle east if we get drawn into this.

[Strelnikov_]

3. October 1912 n/t