What is Turkey Drastically Enlarging Their Army For?

[GHook93]

They already have the largest army in the region. The largest muslim army. They have the 2nd largest army in NATO and their army is larger than France, German and Britian's combined. They have no enemies that are ready to invade. Yep that includes there MAJOR trading partner Israel (Trade between Israeli farms, Turkey booming amid diplomatic tensions)! They are under no threat of invasion. The Kurdish Freedom Fighters are a nusiance, but not close to anything that could take down the country or even a small city. They are boys with Iran! So in reality there is no DEFENSIVE reason to double the size of an already ginoreous army!

Jew haters will of course say to threats by Israel or for the coming invasion and destruction of Israel. But I am not so sure. Trade is thriving between the two nations. If Ankara wanted an excuse to go to war with Israel they had it with the flotilla episode. Not to mention Ankara is preventing future flotillas.

So what is the reason for this?

Turkey to double size of its army
With Prime Minister Erdogan's Islamist AK party having seized its third landslide election victory in Turkey, many throughout the international community have been watching to see what will be next on the Turkish agenda.

Now there are strong indicators in the Turkish media that Turkey is planning on literally doubling the size of its army – this coming from the nation that already has the largest army in Middle East and the second-largest army in NATO, second only to the United States. Presently, Turkey's army has over 500,000 troops. Its army is larger than France, Germany and England combined. And now Turkish media are reporting that they are planning on adding another 500,000 paid soldiers.

Despite the government's claims that the purpose of the army would be to address terrorism, skepticism concerning such a massive force is well-deserved. First of all, creating an army this size merely to address Turkey's terrorism problem, primarily from the PKK, a Kurdish separatist group in the southeast, would be like trying to kill an ant using a nuclear warhead. Secondly, such a move certainly will only reinforce the concerns of those who believe that Turkey has broad-ranging neo-Ottoman regional aspirations.

Such an expansion would be particularly concerning in light of the Turkish government's recent swing toward Islamist political alliances. They have worked to significantly reinforce strategic alliances with both Iran and Syria, two of the most well-established state sponsors of terrorism globally, while significantly cooling its relationship with Israel and the United States. Despite this, the Obama administration this past January, sold the Turkish Air Force 100 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. Turkey already manufactures it's own F-16s.

It is also essential to once again remind ourselves of the recent accomplishments of the Islamist AK party under Prime Minister Erdogan's leadership. In just the past several years, the AK party has edged ever closer to establishing a full-blown dictatorship, all in the name of democracy. Since 2002, they have managed to accomplish the following:

• occupy the presidency;
• occupy the seat of prime minister;
• gain a large majority of seats in the parliament;
• fill the judiciary with Islamist-leaning judges;
• behead the top echelons of the military;
• infiltrate the police force (over 70 percent of officers are members the Islamist Gulen movement);
• intimidate and imprison Turkish journalists (there are more Turkish journalists in prison than any other nation in the world – more than China or Iran).
• The nation's leadership is now working toward a bill authorizing them to rewrite the Turkish Constitution, giving them far more sweeping powers over the military and judiciary

.

 

[High_Gravity]

Probably to finish off the Kurds or go to war with someone.

 

[GHook93]

Probably to finish off the Kurds or go to war with someone.

Finishing off the Kurds would involve invading Kurdish region of Iraq! Would Iraq be cool with that? Maybe, but probably not!

 

[toxicmedia]

They already have the largest army in the region. The largest muslim army. They have the 2nd largest army in NATO and their army is larger than France, German and Britian's combined. They have no enemies that are ready to invade. Yep that includes there MAJOR trading partner Israel They are under no threat of invasion. The Kurdish Freedom Fighters are a nusiance, but not close to anything that could take down the country or even a small city. They are boys with Iran! So in reality there is no DEFENSIVE reason to double the size of an already ginoreous army!

Jew haters will of course say to threats by Israel or for the coming invasion and destruction of Israel. But I am not so sure. Trade is thriving between the two nations. If Ankara wanted an excuse to go to war with Israel they had it with the flotilla episode. Not to mention Ankara is preventing future flotillas.

So what is the reason for this?

[
With Prime Minister Erdogan's Islamist AK party having seized its third landslide election victory in Turkey, many throughout the international community have been watching to see what will be next on the Turkish agenda.

Now there are strong indicators in the Turkish media that Turkey is planning on literally doubling the size of its army – this coming from the nation that already has the largest army in Middle East and the second-largest army in NATO, second only to the United States. Presently, Turkey's army has over 500,000 troops. Its army is larger than France, Germany and England combined. And now Turkish media are reporting that they are planning on adding another 500,000 paid soldiers.

Despite the government's claims that the purpose of the army would be to address terrorism, skepticism concerning such a massive force is well-deserved. First of all, creating an army this size merely to address Turkey's terrorism problem, primarily from the PKK, a Kurdish separatist group in the southeast, would be like trying to kill an ant using a nuclear warhead. Secondly, such a move certainly will only reinforce the concerns of those who believe that Turkey has broad-ranging neo-Ottoman regional aspirations.

Such an expansion would be particularly concerning in light of the Turkish government's recent swing toward Islamist political alliances. They have worked to significantly reinforce strategic alliances with both Iran and Syria, two of the most well-established state sponsors of terrorism globally, while significantly cooling its relationship with Israel and the United States. Despite this, the Obama administration this past January, sold the Turkish Air Force 100 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. Turkey already manufactures it's own F-16s.

It is also essential to once again remind ourselves of the recent accomplishments of the Islamist AK party under Prime Minister Erdogan's leadership. In just the past several years, the AK party has edged ever closer to establishing a full-blown dictatorship, all in the name of democracy. Since 2002, they have managed to accomplish the following:

• occupy the presidency;
• occupy the seat of prime minister;
• gain a large majority of seats in the parliament;
• fill the judiciary with Islamist-leaning judges;
• behead the top echelons of the military;
• infiltrate the police force (over 70 percent of officers are members the Islamist Gulen movement);
• intimidate and imprison Turkish journalists (there are more Turkish journalists in prison than any other nation in the world – more than China or Iran).
• The nation's leadership is now working toward a bill authorizing them to rewrite the Turkish Constitution, giving them far more sweeping powers over the military and judiciary

.

I lived in Istanbul between 2000-2004, and I don't even have a wild guess. It's not like conscripting 500,000 more soldiers is going to stimulate defense spending that would in turn stimulate thier economy. Plus they're not threatened by any outside countries, and the PKK is no longer a real worthy threat....

Weird?....

 

[kiwiman127]

Turkey is planning on attacking all US Red States because those states are bona fide Christian States and after all, Turkey is MUSLIM and they want to destroy all Christians.

 

[Richard-H]

I see 2 motives for expanding their army:

1. To get the unemployed off the street and into a regimented life-style. Expanding an army is a huge jobs creation program.

2. To take advantage of the current unrest in the midle east, to invade everyone in the region and to reestablish the old Turkish empire.

Anyone know anything about Turkish-Russian relations? Ultimately, Russia is still the BIG dog in the region.

 

[Warrior102]

I see 2 motives for expanding their army:

1. To get the unemployed off the street and into a regimented life-style. Expanding an army is a huge jobs creation program.

2. To take advantage of the current unrest in the midle east, to invade everyone in the region and to reestablish the old Turkish empire.

Anyone know anything about Turkish-Russian relations? Ultimately, Russia is still the BIG dog in the region.

I agree with this particular doper

 

[Avatar4321]

With the unrest in the middle east (and elsewhere) and the current less than stellar outlook of the US Super power status, why wouldn't nations all throughout the world think about expanding their military?

I know some people are pretending the world isn't changing, but it's a lie. Nations will be arming themselves and some will be going to war.

 

[High_Gravity]

Probably to finish off the Kurds or go to war with someone.

Finishing off the Kurds would involve invading Kurdish region of Iraq! Would Iraq be cool with that? Maybe, but probably not!

The Iraqis have let Turkey run missions with their Military in Northern Iraq before, even during Saddams times. The Arabs and Turks hate the Kurds, even if the Iraqis don't allow it they can still use that army to finish off the Kurds living in Turkey.

 

[VaYank5150]

With the unrest in the middle east (and elsewhere) and the current less than stellar outlook of the US Super power status, why wouldn't nations all throughout the world think about expanding their military?

I know some people are pretending the world isn't changing, but it's a lie. Nations will be arming themselves and some will be going to war.

I like this reasoning. If other countries beefed up their militaries, perhaps we could finally stop playing World Police for a change. As we all know, we are broke and cannot even afford the police we need in our own cities, much less across the globe looking out for other peoples' interests.

 

[Two Thumbs]

It's the writing on the wall.

progs and neo-cons are losing thier voice. there will soon be no call for us to go help people b/c we can. The reality of the vast cost is starting to sink in.

The world will have to police itself.

 

[8537]

Probably to finish off the Kurds or go to war with someone.

Finishing off the Kurds would involve invading Kurdish region of Iraq! Would Iraq be cool with that? Maybe, but probably not!

Well of course Iraq wouldn't be cool with that - hence the need for the really big army.

 

[Sallow]

What a nutty question.

Turkey's neighbor, Iraq, is in disarray and may well become a failed and rogue state because of the US invasion and conquering of that nation. The PKK ( mostly kurdish) have been bombing major cities like Istanbul. That's the same terrorists the Bush administration may have been financing to go after Iran. Greece has also modernized it's military (Hence it's troubles). Greece is a major "competitor" in the region.

Additionally and last I checked...Turkey is a sovereign nation. They basically can do what they want.

 

[Sallow]

It's the writing on the wall.

progs and neo-cons are losing thier voice. there will soon be no call for us to go help people b/c we can. The reality of the vast cost is starting to sink in.

The world will have to police itself.

And I really find it "interesting" that a major NATO ally, building up it's own armed forces, illicits any sort of notice from anyone.

If anything it should be applauded as they may be taking on some responsibility for security in the region.

 

[Sallow]

Probably to finish off the Kurds or go to war with someone.

Finishing off the Kurds would involve invading Kurdish region of Iraq! Would Iraq be cool with that? Maybe, but probably not!

The Iraqis have let Turkey run missions with their Military in Northern Iraq before, even during Saddams times. The Arabs and Turks hate the Kurds, even if the Iraqis don't allow it they can still use that army to finish off the Kurds living in Turkey.

The "Persians" aren't to fond of them either...

 

[High_Gravity]

Finishing off the Kurds would involve invading Kurdish region of Iraq! Would Iraq be cool with that? Maybe, but probably not!

The Iraqis have let Turkey run missions with their Military in Northern Iraq before, even during Saddams times. The Arabs and Turks hate the Kurds, even if the Iraqis don't allow it they can still use that army to finish off the Kurds living in Turkey.

The "Persians" aren't to fond of them either...

The Iraqis, Iranians, Syrians and Turks all hate the Kurds.

 

[High_Gravity]

It's the writing on the wall.

progs and neo-cons are losing thier voice. there will soon be no call for us to go help people b/c we can. The reality of the vast cost is starting to sink in.

The world will have to police itself.

And I really find it "interesting" that a major NATO ally, building up it's own armed forces, illicits any sort of notice from anyone.

If anything it should be applauded as they may be taking on some responsibility for security in the region.

I think people notice it because alot of people don't trust Turkey right now...

 

[GHook93]

I like this reasoning. If other countries beefed up their militaries, perhaps we could finally stop playing World Police for a change.

So naive! The reason we are able to some what play an minor interventionalist approach (there are many many conflicts we stayed out of: Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Libya and Egypt conflict, Iraq and Iran War, Myammar, Russia nad Georgia, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge Genocide, Turks unjust invasion and still occupation of Cyprus, Britian in the Falkland Conflict, Liberia Genocide and currently in Syria and the IVORY COAST), because we have by far the most sophisticated military in the world! People like you think that we police the world, when in fact we intervene in a small small percentage of the world's conflicts.

But I digress. It's more likely countries beefing up their militaries will not police each other, but actually use them to attack each. It's very unlikely countries will be able to beef up their militaries to the point of total domination of other countries. More than likely it will be like Iraq and Iran. Both beefing up their militaries and have some advantages, but nothing that would make them far superior over the other!

As we all know, we are broke and cannot even afford the police we need in our own cities, much less across the globe looking out for other peoples' interests.

Yes we have a spending problem! We need to cut back. The military is one end, entitlements is another and the size of the government is another!

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

They already have the largest army in the region. The largest muslim army. They have the 2nd largest army in NATO and their army is larger than France, German and Britian's combined. They have no enemies that are ready to invade. Yep that includes there MAJOR trading partner Israel (Trade between Israeli farms, Turkey booming amid diplomatic tensions)! They are under no threat of invasion. The Kurdish Freedom Fighters are a nusiance, but not close to anything that could take down the country or even a small city. They are boys with Iran! So in reality there is no DEFENSIVE reason to double the size of an already ginoreous army!

Jew haters will of course say to threats by Israel or for the coming invasion and destruction of Israel. But I am not so sure. Trade is thriving between the two nations. If Ankara wanted an excuse to go to war with Israel they had it with the flotilla episode. Not to mention Ankara is preventing future flotillas.

So what is the reason for this?

Turkey to double size of its army
With Prime Minister Erdogan's Islamist AK party having seized its third landslide election victory in Turkey, many throughout the international community have been watching to see what will be next on the Turkish agenda.

Now there are strong indicators in the Turkish media that Turkey is planning on literally doubling the size of its army – this coming from the nation that already has the largest army in Middle East and the second-largest army in NATO, second only to the United States. Presently, Turkey's army has over 500,000 troops. Its army is larger than France, Germany and England combined. And now Turkish media are reporting that they are planning on adding another 500,000 paid soldiers.

Despite the government's claims that the purpose of the army would be to address terrorism, skepticism concerning such a massive force is well-deserved. First of all, creating an army this size merely to address Turkey's terrorism problem, primarily from the PKK, a Kurdish separatist group in the southeast, would be like trying to kill an ant using a nuclear warhead. Secondly, such a move certainly will only reinforce the concerns of those who believe that Turkey has broad-ranging neo-Ottoman regional aspirations.

Such an expansion would be particularly concerning in light of the Turkish government's recent swing toward Islamist political alliances. They have worked to significantly reinforce strategic alliances with both Iran and Syria, two of the most well-established state sponsors of terrorism globally, while significantly cooling its relationship with Israel and the United States. Despite this, the Obama administration this past January, sold the Turkish Air Force 100 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. Turkey already manufactures it's own F-16s.

It is also essential to once again remind ourselves of the recent accomplishments of the Islamist AK party under Prime Minister Erdogan's leadership. In just the past several years, the AK party has edged ever closer to establishing a full-blown dictatorship, all in the name of democracy. Since 2002, they have managed to accomplish the following:

• occupy the presidency;
• occupy the seat of prime minister;
• gain a large majority of seats in the parliament;
• fill the judiciary with Islamist-leaning judges;
• behead the top echelons of the military;
• infiltrate the police force (over 70 percent of officers are members the Islamist Gulen movement);
• intimidate and imprison Turkish journalists (there are more Turkish journalists in prison than any other nation in the world – more than China or Iran).
• The nation's leadership is now working toward a bill authorizing them to rewrite the Turkish Constitution, giving them far more sweeping powers over the military and judiciary

.

Very simple. If the countries near yours were in unrest and your whole region in general seemed to be experiencing heavy political turmoil then the smart thing to do is up your military as a deterrant to outside and inside forces that may wish to spread unrest in your land.

 

[Sallow]

It's the writing on the wall.

progs and neo-cons are losing thier voice. there will soon be no call for us to go help people b/c we can. The reality of the vast cost is starting to sink in.

The world will have to police itself.

And I really find it "interesting" that a major NATO ally, building up it's own armed forces, illicits any sort of notice from anyone.

If anything it should be applauded as they may be taking on some responsibility for security in the region.

I think people notice it because alot of people don't trust Turkey right now...

And it's the very same people that are Israel centric..

They forget how good an ally Turkey's been (perhaps as favorable as England or France). They essentially shared a border with the once Super Power, The Soviet Union, and chose to stick a thumb in their eye by aligning themselves with the United States. And they did so at great risk.