U.S. sends troops to Turkey to man Patriot missiles

ANKARA, Turkey U.S. troops have started to arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles meant to protect the NATO ally from potential Syrian warheads, the U.S. military said Friday.

The United States, Germany and the Netherlands are each deploying two batteries of the U.S.-built defense system to boost ally Turkey's air defenses against any spillover from Syria's nearly 2-year civil war. The Patriot systems are expected to become operational later this month.

The Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. European Command said in a statement that U.S. personnel and equipment had started arriving at Turkey's southern Incirlik Air Base. Some 400 personnel and equipment from the U.S. military's Fort Sill, Oklahoma-based 3rd Battalion were to be airlifted to Turkey over the coming days, while additional equipment was expected to reach Turkey by sea later in January, the Command said.

NATO endorsed Turkey's request for the Patriots on Nov. 30 after several Syrian shells landed on Turkish territory.

Last month, NATO said the Syrian military has continued to fire Scud-type missiles, although none had hit Turkish territory, and said the alliance was justified in deploying the anti-missile systems in Turkey. Ankara is supporting the Syrian opposition and rebels and is providing shelter to Syrian refugees.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the move would give a clear message to Syria that Turkey is backed by its allies.

"We've made our views absolutely clear to the Syrians, to the international community, through various channels, public, private, direct, indirect, that this is a situation that the entire international community is united on," Clinton said in December.

• Clinton: Patriot missile move a message to Syria
• NATO approves Patriot missiles for Turkey but says no intention to intervene in Syria

More than 1,000 American, German and Dutch troops are to be based in Turkey to operate the batteries. NATO said the Americans will be based at Gaziantep, 31 miles north of Syria. The Germans will be based at Kahramanmaras, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Syrian border; the Dutch at Adana, about 66 miles west of the border.

Navy Vice Adm. Charles Martoglio, the Command's deputy chief, reiterated that the Patriots' deployment is for defensive purposes only and would not support a no-fly zone "or any offensive operation," in Syria, according to the Command's statement.

"Turkey is an important NATO ally and we welcome the opportunity to support the Turkish government's request in accordance with the NATO standing defense plan," it quoted Martoglio as saying.

Syria is reported to have an array of artillery rockets, as well as medium-range missiles — some capable of carrying chemical warheads. These include Soviet-built SS-21 Scarabs and Scud-B missiles, originally designed to deliver nuclear warheads.

Last month, a top military commander from Iran — a key Syrian ally — warned Turkey against stationing the NATO systems on its territory, saying such a move risks conflict with Syria.

[anabellj87]

I'd like to see a battle with these http://www.airsplat.com/Items/ERM-BI-74-RK10.htm that way no one dies, just egos crushes lol

[SSWallonie]

Are we censoring comments here, CBS?

Syria has attacked no one. The FSA are Washington and Tel Aviv funded terrorists who are attacking Assad because the Syrian central bank is not under Rothschild control and Syria has no dealings with the IMF. Their main activities include beheading Christians, throwing teachers off of rooftops, and firing artillery into Turkey to make it look like the Syrian army was responsible. The good news is that the FSA are a bunch of clowns who are LOSING.

Russian troops are manning the anti-aircraft defenses of Syria -- negating the imposition of any no-fly zone -- and the recently delivered Iskander missile -- 20-30 years ahead of anything the US has -- is keeping Zio-Communist Washington at bay.

[quincytodd]

Well said, Sswallonie. Let's just hope the the U.S. backed FSA fails to establish a U.S. backed pseudo-democracy in Syria. However, you're wrong on one count, that is that the Zio-Communist Washington is Zio-Fascist Washington and is right-wing to the very core!

[SSWallonie]

Assad isn't raining any scud missiles down on anyone.

The guy was minding his own business, running a country without a Rothschild controlled central bank, and now Washington and Tel Aviv are attempting to use their stooges and patsies in the region to topple him.

The Zionist funded Jihadist rebels are engaging in such noble acts as mass murdering Christians, throwing teachers off of rooftops, burning Alawite villages, and firing artillery into Turkey to make it look like the Syrian army did it.

Thankfully Syria's anti-aircraft defenses are being manned by Russian troops and Putin has delivered the Iskander missile to Assad's forces -- effectively daring the Zio-Commie clowns in Washington DC to do something to help out their FSA lackeys who have been getting pounded out like the rag tag second rate militia they are lately.

[[oweghn]

Do the Turkish soldiers still have those one-size-fits-all uniforms?