Turkey

[Don Giovanni]

This is from a Turkish website:

Biden compiled a Senate voting record on Turkey that was almost uniformly negative. [1] Then, because of his policy experience, President Obama largely delegated interactions with Turkey to him. The second Obama administration, however, saw a dramatic downturn in relations between the two sides, with Biden playing a prominent role during the entire process.

In December 2019, Biden sat for a session with a group of New York Times (NYT) editors, one installment in a series of interviews with the then-thickly wooded grove of 2020 Democratic Party candidates.

More worrying, Biden also implied that he would involve the US directly into domestic Turkish affairs. He explained that, “What I think we should be doing is taking a very different approach to him [President Erdogan] now, making it clear that we support opposition leadership. ... I’m still of the view that if we were to engage more directly like I was doing with them, that we can support those elements of the Turkish leadership that still exist and get more from them and embolden them to be able to take on and defeat Erdogan. Not by a coup, not by a coup, but by the electoral process.”]

Encouraging direct US intervention in the domestic politics of another state is a violation of international diplomatic norms, but Biden goes even further. Twice, Biden expresses his belief that the US should try to threaten President Erdogan in some manner. Near the beginning of his comments, he avers that President Erdogan “has to pay a price”. Later, Biden goes into detail, explaining condescendingly that, “… they got to understand that we’re not going to continue to play with them the way we have.”

That was a year ago, but does he still think that way?

Given the above revelations from Bolton's book, I think Biden will have to make a comment on Erdogan's relationship with Trump. That comment will give us some much needed insight to see where he still stands.

[Don Giovanni]

Can we get Hunter Biden a seat in the boardroom of a Greek shipping company?

[Don Giovanni]

I found this to be a good, balanced piece. Share this for people unfamiliar with what's happening in Libya and what's at stake.

[Filikieteria1821]

Not confirmed yet, but looks like Agia Sofia will become a mosque again.

User on twitter states that the council of state has unanimously canceled the Hagia Sophia decision dated 11/27/1934.

Further proof of the above can be seen in this article https://www.ethnos.gr/kosmos/114306_...-krisi-toy-ste

Despite international condemnation and backlash, Erdogan yet again shows his deep respect and envy for his countries ottoman past and wants to return turkey to it's former "glory".

Along side the above, Hulusi Akar reiterated that Greece needs to demilitarize the islands and that there are islands in the aegean that have yet to be sorted out.

Greece needs to start publishing its own maps, and needs to start publicly calling into question the various territorial issues we have with turkey (Thraki, Cyprus, Imbros, Tenedos, pogrom of constantinople, etc.)

I believe that the recent conversation between Mitsotakis and Erdogan was strictly about keeping hostilities down between both countries until after August as both countries rely on tourism to fuel their economies. I think anywhere between September - November 2020, we will see either a thermo episodio (hot incident) in the Aegean, or worse. Turks will say that it is casus belli if Greece destroys an gas exploration ship, and to that I say, bring it on.

[Reaper]

Why doesn't Greece encourage Greeks and support them to return to Imbros and Tenedos? Why? Because that would go against Ottomanism.

[Don Giovanni]

[Don Giovanni]

Η Ελλάδα δεν πρέπει να αφήσει την Τουρκία να δημιουργήσει τετελεσμένα με βάση το "Τουρκο-Λιβυκό" σύμφωνο. Θα είναι μια αρχή υποχωρήσεων χωρίς τέλος.

Η Ελλάδα θα πρέπει να συνεχίσει να κάνει γνωστό πως η απάντηση δεν θα αφορά μόνο την περιοχή όπου θα επιχειρηθούν να δημιουργηθούν τετελεσμένα.

No choice.

[Don Giovanni]

Turkey is now making their move.

[Don Giovanni]

The rationale for the move's timing can be read here:

Η δε προοπτική ανάπτυξης αιγυπτιακών στρατευμάτων στην ανατολική Λιβύη, στο πλευρό των αντιπάλων της Τρίπολης και της Άγκυρας, αλλά και η κινητικότητα περί την ελληνο-αιγυπτιακή οριοθέτηση θαλάσσιων δικαιοδοσιών, συνιστά έναν επιπλέον λόγο για τον οποίο η Τουρκία επισπεύδει.

[Filikieteria1821]

Our patience has been exhausted and now we have to either respond militarily, or we risk losing much more.

The german foreign minister was in Athens meeting with Dendias today and although I think Germany would rather have things go well with Turkey, I think if no harsh sanctions come, there will be some serious fireworks in the Aegean.

I believe Turkish naval assets will move to the area where Turkey issued a Navtex, and then the Oruc Reiss will move while being flanked by more Naval assets.

Greece will either need to destroy the naval assets, or use warning shots/missiles. We cannot delay any longer.

[Filikieteria1821]

Apparently European Diplomats have been briefed/warned that Greece will react militarily if Turkey moves.

Lets see how much spine we have.

[Don Giovanni]

[Don Giovanni]

Remember what Trump asked Mitsotakis, "will you win?" Here we go.

[Reaper]

Seems Mitsotakis is ready to allow the Turks to drill anywhere they want in Greece but he will push hard for Turkey to receive some sort of token sanctions from the EU as compensation. He has been discussing this with the Germans today. Seems all he is asking for is sanctions - which will please the Turks. A few meaningless sanctions from the EU placed on the Turks is a price worth paying for Turkey to prove Greece is not a sovereign nation and the Aegean is de facto Turkish.

Anyways the Greeks complained to Mark Esper today - the US Secretary of Defence. He is of Lebanese Christian decent..

[Don Giovanni]

We need to make happen that maritime deal with Egypt.