Turkey Refuses to Close Border With Syria to Stop Oil Smuggling

[another_liberal]

Source: Sputnik News

Turkey has refused US demands to close the part of the border with Syria which is controlled by Daesh (Islamic State) militants, local media reported. Ankara said that it is impossible to close the border and Daesh terrorists may boost their forces in response, according to The Hurriyet Daily News.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also underscored that if the border is closed Ankara will not be able to accept refugees from Syria. However, closing the border along the area controlled by Daesh would create obstacles for smuggling the oil Turkey buys from the terrorists. Recently, Russia accused Ankara of buying illegal oil from militants in Syria and transporting it to three ports across the Turkish-Syrian border.

The Russian Defense Ministry provided evidence of Turkey buying and transporting illegal oil, including images of oil-carrying tank trucks near the border. The ministry claimed Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his family are involved in selling illegal oil.

Earlier, Washington proposed to close 98 kilometers of the Turkish-Syrian border and deploy additional forces to the area. According to estimates, the measure would require nearly 30,000 troops and building watchtowers each three meters along the borderline.

(snip)



Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151204/1031234308/turkey-bordel-oil.html

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"We can't stop it," Turkey is saying, "that would cost us money!"

True, it would cost them some money, but I wonder if anyone has mentioned Ankara just received three billion plus from the E.U. to assist it in gaining control over the continuing refugee crisis? Exercising serious control over its Southern border would be certain to enhance Turkey's control over the flow of refugees. Right?

[roomtomove]

1. Someone in Turkey-stan

is and has been for a while, making money on the ISIS oil. Why is this NOW a big revelation? Soon it will be revealed that the arms shipments are coming through Turkey as well. Oh, and the refugees could not pass through and leave Turkey without some sort of assistance. And Turkey becoming a member of the EU??? hmmmmmm

[another_liberal]

3. "Location, location, location" . . .

Last edited Fri Dec 4, 2015, 02:54 PM - Edit history (1)

The real estate Turkey sits on is supremely important from a strategic point of view. I can't think of a more strategic international crossroads. There is very little Turkey could do (short of actually starting a world war unilaterally) which the US and NATO will not accept, however grudgingly.

[DetlefK]

2. WTF??? The turkish excuses are pure and utter bollocks.

It would cost what???
A fence-pole every 3 meters? Yes.
A watchtower every 3 meters? No.



It would be so simple:
1. Put turkish patrols on every road that is big enough for a truck.
2. If refugees come to a check-point, you let them pass. If someone shows up with a barrel or a tank-truck, that person is no refugee.



Wait... Turkey is willing to mess with Russia to defend its borders against a non-aggressive violation, but at the same time Turkey is afraid that putting more turkish troops on its side of the border would provoke ISIS???

[another_liberal]

6. The border where we have asked it be closed is very mountainous . . .

There are relatively few good roads, at least very few that are good enough to carry a loaded oil tanker truck. If the Turks wanted to close that stretch of border, they could do so in a matter of a few days.

[blackspade]

4. Not surprised.

Erdrogan and his crew of fundamentalist fuck ups are supporting ISIS to keep secularists and Kurds under control so that they can cement their control over Turkey.
All under the cover of NATO.

I'd say it's time to start pulling our nukes out of there.

[another_liberal]

7. Yes, we should not have nuclear weapons in Turkey . . .

Erdogan's administration is far too unpredictable. We might end up having to try and ransom our weapons back from somebody!

[daleo]

5. As long as ISIS doesn't fly jets across the border for 17 seconds

It's all good with Turkey.

[another_liberal]

8. Yeah, that really does set them off . . .

Don't do that, whatever you do, don't do that!

[Sunlei]

9. So when will Putin invite back the 2 million syrian refugees living in Turkey?

[another_liberal]

11. Syrian President Assad has said all refugees will be pardoned if they return peacefully . . .

Though I wouldn't expect a lot along those lines until the IS and al Nusra fighters are cleared from more Syrian territory.


BTW: Why would you expect President Putin to be the one to invite Syrian refugees back to Syria anyway?

[Sunlei]

14. Because Putins jets bomb anything that moves except in the pro-assad areas.

[another_liberal]

18. Not to put too fine a point on it, however . . .

Many independent observers agree that the Russians have actually been quite careful about hitting that which belongs to one of the several rebel terrorist groups in Syria. Those observers include a number of people working for unbiased non-governmental organizations.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. There may be profiteering by Erdogan's son selling Daesh oil. Recent articles in DU. nt

[FlatBaroque]

12. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel

The true axis of evil.

[another_liberal]

19. Those are some evil ones . . .

I'm not sure they're exactly an "axis."

[Justice]

13. This is not good.

[another_liberal]

22. It's clearly all our own fault . . .

We forgot to bribe them lavishly before asking. It's the way things are done there, between friends and allies.

[uhnope]

15. lol Sputnik News,

It's like citing Trump for info about Mexican immigrants, or citing North Korea for info on South Korea.

a new low for LBN and DU

[uhnope]

16. Turkey dismisses 'Soviet propaganda', says trying to secure Syria border Read more at Reutershttp://

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-idUSKBN0TM0U320151203#rHotKx6HMtezpHxb.97

[another_liberal]

20. There you go . . .

That is a response with relevant content regarding the OP topic! I knew you could do it!

[GGJohn]

17. LOL.

Sputnik news again?


So tell us comrade, are there any other news sources you use that aren't a propaganda arm of the Kremlin?

[another_liberal]

21. Don't you know?

And I thought you were my greatest fan?


(sigh)

[awoke_in_2003]

23. Then you know what?...

the next time Turkey does something stupid, and Russia smacks them back, we need to tell Turkey to go pound sand.

[another_liberal]

24. If we did, it might just save the Turkish people one hell of a lot of grief . . .

The way Turkey's leaders are heading right now, that little country will soon be in for some major regrets and painful attitude adjustments.

[Little Tich]

25. Sputnik news?

Isn't Sputnik News just Russian propaganda?

[Duckhunter935]

26. owned and operated

By the russian government, yes it is

[Little Tich]

27. I'm not really for censorship, but RT and Sputnik News shouldn't be in LBN. n/t

[another_liberal]

29. Why?

Because it disturbs your set view of the world to hear different points of view on what is happening?

[Little Tich]

30. Some people feel that they (RT and Sputnik) has a lot of truthiness, but they're really just

propaganda outlets. The simple problem is that they're not true...

[another_liberal]

31. What they report is true to their sources . . .

And they generally quote Western sources. Maybe you should look there to find the people writing your "Russian Propaganda."

[another_liberal]

28. Your opinion maybe . . .

Many others disagree, strongly.

[rusty fender]

32. What's with these Turkey apologists?

There are plenty of non Russian sources that have confirmed that Turkey is allowing ISIS to transport their oil through Turkey. And even the US gov't has admitted that they know About such shipments!