Turkey

[Brklyngrk]

The casus belli included the Ionian Islands for some reason, they stated Greece has no authority to do it anywhere...By doing this in the Ionian, if Turkey protests or attacks, they seem like aggressors. If they don't protest, they will seem like they backed down.

[Don Giovanni]

The Americans have held naval exercises with us and now them. Italians are doing the same.

As this is happening, reports are emerging that Turkey has given passports to members of Hamas. These same people are designated as terrorists by the US. Meanwhile Turkish smugglers are advertising their services as "cruises" to Italy.

[Filikieteria1821]

Trump called mitsotakis to talk about the situation....I wonder why?

So you're telling me Trump waited till now to speak to mitso about the situation meanwhile Turkey has been creating this atmosphere for how long?

Two possibilities - Erdogan pushed trump to call, or American higher up's are starting to get really scared of a possible Greek and Turkish armed conflict and what would happen in a scenario like that.

A war or military skirmish between Greece and Turkey is not just about the two countries, it's about the EU and also NATO.

It can expose the EU for being an absolutely inept union, while also exposing NATO for playing favorites.

Also, a hot mic video has surfaced where Joseph Borrell is seen speaking to a woman about the situation and how the Turks feel that Greece is "unreliable" are extremely pissed about the Greece/Egypt deal.

https://www.pentapostagma.gr/ethnika...arenmpaoyer-me

I want to know, was the deal between Turkey and the GNA forgotten? Ignoring Rhodes, Karpathos, Kasos, Crete, and essentially forcing Greece to respond with a deal that would nullify an illegal MOU was necessary.

The EU is being taken for a ride by Turkey and it is all because Germany has too many historical/economic ties to Turkey. Germany will forever be an unmitigated disaster in foreign diplomacy. As they hold on to the dream that they will mediate some sort of resolution between Turkey who openly professes its wishes to recreate the Ottoman empire, and Greece.

It's a pipe dream and the current situation is directly attributed to the EU pumping more and more money and effort into Turkey, while Erdogan continues his efforts to recreate the Ottoman empire.

Trump's appeasement of Erdogan and his "America First" let's not get involved in foreign wars stance can also be directly linked to Turkey's agenda of becoming a world power, specifically in the middle east and Europe. It's probably a little too late to undo what has essentially become a Frankenstein Turkey. Greece and Cyprus are directly in Turkeys crosshairs and Greece will need to ready up.

[Don Giovanni]

expressed concern about tensions between Greece and Turkey and urged the two NATO allies to commit to a dialogue about their dispute

[Don Giovanni]

Despite a clear sovereign map, which would be supported by an arbitration tribunal, basing itself on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a neighborhood bully freely challenges a EU member, while the European bloc turns a blind eye.

That would depend on the arbitration tribunal, but yes Greece would stand to gain the most if the matter were put before The Hague. This is why Turkey is so upset by the Egypt deal, but frankly their deal with Libya forced us to make that deal with Egypt. If the Turks expected us to sit down with them without preconditions than they must have two heads. They assault our borders and islands with war plans buzzing overhead and Muslim migrants whom they use as marionettes in their sick play, then tell us to roll over.

[Don Giovanni]

Athens is ready for a "significant de-escalation" in the Eastern Mediterranean provided Turkey halts its "provocative actions", Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Wednesday.

Mitsotakis made the comments during a phone call with US President Donald Trump, as the row between the two neighbours over gas and maritime borders ratcheted up another notch.

[Reaper]

ND attacked Tsipras when he stated he will give the Ionian islands a 12 EEZ stating it would send a weak message only doing that section. Now they have done exactly that. Sent a message to Ankara that the Cyclades do not have the same status as the Ionian islands. Greece is again damaging its position and security and destabilising the region with this silly piecemeal EZZ strategy. Not happy with that, but if the Cyclades quickly get their 12 EEZ next week I will be relieved.

Turks are now doubling down after Trump's weak response:

https://www.tovima.gr/2020/08/27/pol...liki-mesogeio/

[Don Giovanni]

Mitsotakis is trying to play nice still in order to appease Trump and Merkel. He's trying to make Greece appear like the more reasonable party. Turkey is now expanding their NAVTEX for their research vessel to include areas right by Rodos and Kastellorizo after the phone call with Trump. Who knows what Trump told Turkey, but the message to Greece was to deescalate and engage in dialogue. I don't think NATO and the EU can stay on the fence anymore. They have to pick a side and the longer they make it wait, the more confrontational things will get.

[Reaper]

EU will not pick a side. Neither NATO.

[Don Giovanni]

Tensions within NATO are breaking point, given especially France spearheading the Greek cause.

I know Dendias met with Stoltenberg on the sidelines, but this situation has remained unchanged and inevitably we will see young men on both sides die or get seriously hurt for no good reason.

[JVC]

EU will not pick a side. Neither NATO.

We will win

[JVC]

Greek parliament agrees on the Egypt agreement....now we have legal authority and backed up by EU, and United nations.

Latest survey polled on if Greek citizens are for armed conflict with Turkey....54% are in favor for military action against Turkey. Greece is willing and ready for war! IMO Turkey will fold under pressure and we will see a new government within the year.

[Don Giovanni]

It's important to show the Turks we have the determination and will to defend our territory and waters, to deter them as much as possible, while making sure our allies stand with us. They don't take us seriously enough on our own, but with the proper support we can calm their threat.

I do believe NATO and the EU need to take a firmer stand against Turkey. They have to make it clear to Erdogan that no military action on his part will be tolerated. The sanctions I don't believe will come, but I believe this is a message we can get our allies to use against Erdogan and his backers. Any conflict between Greece and Turkey, no matter how it originates, needs to be blamed on Erdogan, the Islamist authoritarian. Mitsotakis has to stop taking the high road and label Erdogan as such. He should have done this long ago and to do it now might be seen as unhelpful, but he needs to do it. If Trump can call Kim Jung-Un "Rocket Man" in middle of peace negotiations, then Mitsotakis has to take that as a cue that he can do the same. Paint Erdogan for what he is. Let's not pretend we can sit down with him and act like everything is normal. Erdogan is not a normal politician, he's a paranoiac who has gone full on authoritarian and religious.

If I can find one major fault with Mitsotakis, it's to this end: his failure to effectively denounce Erdogan to the world. After how Erdogan converted Hagia Sophia back to a mosque, how can we not call him an Islamist? After his threats of war, who can we not call him a Mad Hatter? Call him out! Box him in as the bad guy, the new Saddam Hussein.

[Don Giovanni]

If I were Mitsotakis, when on phone calls with Trump, I would remind Trump of Bush Sr's failures with Saddam Hussein. If Bush Sr had properly articulated to Saddam that his invasion of Kuwait would have resulted in firm American response, Saddam may never have had invaded. Paint Trump a picture of what a war between Turkey and Greece could look like. And let Trump know he's being duped by Erdogan who wants to establish Turkey as the major Muslim and Mediterranean power broker. That he's giving the Turks their "Czechoslovakia." He can't be shy about these things. He has to speak up and not tip toe around these things.

[Filikieteria1821]

Per Sotiri Dimpinoudis - All European foreign ministers have bilaterally supported the agreement to put sanctions towards Turkey, in support of Greece and to protect it's sovereign rights in the region.

Unconfirmed report - List of possible sanctions:

-Turkey cannot use commercial vessels to port in the EU
Turkish diplomats can be expelled
Sanctions towards individuals
Raising Tariffs on Turkish market
No more monetary support
End arms deals
No more Turkey joining EU discussions
Blocking Turkish navy vessels to Libya

List of possible sanctions to be discussed/voted on between September 20-25th.

Good list, but hesitant to believe they will go through. Merkel said all EU countries have an obligation to support Greece......I wonder if Merkel is seeing Turkey's unwillingness to back down and realizing that it has to take a harsher approach.

Also, first time since the 1990's a group of Greek f16's have managed to reach Paphos in Cyprus.