Jaysus. What embarrassing bullshit: 'No discrepancy' over Turkey's role in fight against IS

[cali]

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday there was no discrepancy between the United States and Turkey with regard to what Ankara “will or won’t do” in the fight against Islamic State insurgents.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry insisted that Turkey was a “valued member” of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, which has taken over swathes of Iraq and Syria, and said Ankara would define its role “on its own timetable.”

Kerry spoke after Turkey on Monday denied an assertion over the weekend by U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice that it had agreed to let American planes take off from its air bases to strike Islamic State targets. Ankara said this matter was still under discussion.

Turkey, a NATO member that has drawn international criticism for its refusal to help defend the besieged Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani from an Islamic State assault, did confirm, however, that it had agreed with Washington on the training of Syrian rebels.

<snip>

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/14/us-mideast-crisis-kerry-turkey-idUSKCN0I32D320141014

[The Magistrate]

1. Sometimes, Ma'am, It Is A Man's Job To Talk Utter Rot

This may be one of those times.

[TwilightGardener]

2. It's ridiculous that they now won't let us fly combat missions out of Incirlik, considering

that their parliament voted to fight ISIS. The prior justification against letting the US use bases in Iraq was, "we don't want to be Muslims taking part in killing other Muslims", but that's out the window now, at least in statement if not practice. Why do they care if we use the base for airstrikes? It seems the least they could do, to allow it. I mean, really...the least. Because it isn't that much. But it's a good bargaining chip...

[blm]

3. Imagine what YOU'd say publicly given the task of dealing with the region's 'leaders' eh cali?

I bet you'd know exactly how to deal with every one of these sterling characters and it would all come together like a masterful symphony, eh cali?

[Baclava]

4. So it's OK for Turkey to exterminate their Kurds while we protect our Kurds

got it

those multi-dimensional chessboards are damn confusing, I must say

[sadoldgirl]

5. Well, may be it is time

to threaten Erdogan with an exit from Nato.

Perhaps he is dreaming too much of becoming the head of the future caliphat. I have heard from Europe by now a lot of anti turkey sentiments. Turkey will not interfere until a lot of kurds have died. What an ally!

[kelly1mm]

6. How exactly do you think that the US can kick a member state out of NATO? nt

[GitRDun]

7. It's time for the US to get out of this freak show.

Our politicians are all dancing on the head of a pin to politically continue a strategy that history tells us won't work.

Lol, I just saw a post that we're letting domestic companies export condensate now (ultra light crude, nearly gasoline).

And we're risking our blood and treasure to ensure we can continue to import oil.

Talk about fucked up priorities.