In today's Middle East, which countries are the biggest supporters of terror? It used to be clear that the winner (so to speak) of that contest was Iran. It funded Hezbollah, Hamas and other groups. It gave safe haven to al Qaeda operatives. It helped Shia militias and other similar groups in Iraq attack US forces in that country during the Iraq War. Even aside from threatening nuclear terror, Iran was the leader of the pack. It still is. Sure, Iran no longer funds Hamas. That is because Iran and Hamas parted company with regard to which side to support in Syria's battle of the terrorists (state terrorism under Assad vs. Sunni terrorism under ISIS.)
The two countries which now are running a close second to Iran in support of terrorism, however, are Turkey and Qatar. These two have taken on the role of benefactor of Hamas in Gaza. They are the main supporters of the underground terrorists of the Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt. There is even a suggestion that Qatar is funding ISIS although that link has not been definitively proven. What makes this development so strange is that Turkey and Qatar have been strong allies of the USA. Turkey is a member of NATO. Qatar is the home of the US Navy fleet in the Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean. America protects them, but they support terrorists who would gladly destroy the USA.
If president Obama finally decides to try to take out ISIS, will Turkey oppose that effort? One certainly wonders about that. Remember, the air strikes against ISIS in recent days have been based on carriers in the Persian Gulf, roughly 500 miles distant from the strikes. America, however, has a large air base in southern Turkey only about 200 miles from the area of the strikes. Using a land base for those attacks would be safer, easier, and less expensive than the use of carrier based planes. It would also allow the USA to send many more sorties each day against the ISIS forces. So why are we using the carrier based planes? Did Turkey refuse to allow our base to be used against the ISIS terrorists? No one is saying, and, of course, no one in the media is asking that question. They are too busy focusing on nonsense.
Hopefully someone in Washington is paying attention to the new activities of Turkey and Qatar. The USA has the influence to dissuade both countries from continuing down that course. Neither the Turks nor the emir of Qatar want to end up as enemies of America. It is time for the USA to give them the simple choice offered by George Bush to many countries after 9-11: are you with us or against us?
The two countries which now are running a close second to Iran in support of terrorism, however, are Turkey and Qatar. These two have taken on the role of benefactor of Hamas in Gaza. They are the main supporters of the underground terrorists of the Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt. There is even a suggestion that Qatar is funding ISIS although that link has not been definitively proven. What makes this development so strange is that Turkey and Qatar have been strong allies of the USA. Turkey is a member of NATO. Qatar is the home of the US Navy fleet in the Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean. America protects them, but they support terrorists who would gladly destroy the USA.
If president Obama finally decides to try to take out ISIS, will Turkey oppose that effort? One certainly wonders about that. Remember, the air strikes against ISIS in recent days have been based on carriers in the Persian Gulf, roughly 500 miles distant from the strikes. America, however, has a large air base in southern Turkey only about 200 miles from the area of the strikes. Using a land base for those attacks would be safer, easier, and less expensive than the use of carrier based planes. It would also allow the USA to send many more sorties each day against the ISIS forces. So why are we using the carrier based planes? Did Turkey refuse to allow our base to be used against the ISIS terrorists? No one is saying, and, of course, no one in the media is asking that question. They are too busy focusing on nonsense.
Hopefully someone in Washington is paying attention to the new activities of Turkey and Qatar. The USA has the influence to dissuade both countries from continuing down that course. Neither the Turks nor the emir of Qatar want to end up as enemies of America. It is time for the USA to give them the simple choice offered by George Bush to many countries after 9-11: are you with us or against us?
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