explosions and gunfire at Incirlik airbase.

originally posted by: sg1642
a reply to: Snarl

Yeah but like I said there is the small matter of 1500 US personnel on site. It isn't just a case of blowing down the front gate and throwing some ordinance in the back of a truck.

I think there are closer to 5,000 US citizens tied to the base.

What do you do? Get the nukes out and leave all those people to a hostile and unsated mob?

Are my hopes on the US military too high when I expect them to have thought of several dozens of different scenario's (or maybe a hundred?) in the case these nuclear weapons would be in any danger, especially putting them in a foreign country that is not a dedicated US fan? I should be convinced there are several soldiers ready or maybe already underway to strengthen the base and secure the assets maybe preparing to move them out back to the US or temporarily in Europe until everything has settled. Of which I can understand it's not an easy thing to move a couple of nukes.

a reply to: Snarl

There will be families of those serving on site plus I would imagine civilian contractors etc. If the nuclear devices were under threat then yes I would think they would be removed probably by air. If there was some kind of armed mob what makes you think they would stop once they got the ordinance? If they were showing aggression towards US personnel it would be one hell of a stupid move. The US alone would take turkey apart piece by piece in a matter of days.

a reply to: sg1642

Seen something about dependents being moved stateside or to other posts a few months ago, don't know how accurate that report is though.


Report accurate about dependents gone since april.

www.defense.gov...

I would expect them (USA )to pull the nukes out of the country until things cool down or better yet permanently.
which would probably require the power to be restored.

originally posted by: sg1642
If they were showing aggression towards US personnel it would be one hell of a stupid move. The US alone would take turkey apart piece by piece in a matter of days.

I wonder ...

There's something about NATO coming to the immediate military aid of other NATO members. Whose side do you think they'd take? LOL

a reply to: jefwane

That is very suspicious if true. It could mean the claims of the US being involved in the coup are true. And even if that isn't the case it will still look suspicious to the turks anyway.

a reply to: all2human

The site will have internal power sources. A powercut isn't going to stop that happening.

originally posted by: jefwane
a reply to: sg1642

Seen something about dependents being moved stateside or to other posts a few months ago, don't know how accurate that report is though.


Report accurate about dependents gone since april.

www.defense.gov...

that sets alarm bells ringing.

a reply to: Snarl

NATO is the US and the US is NATO. There wouldn't be a NATO in the form we see without America being a member. Kind of answers itself that one. Assistance wouldn't be required at any rate.

a reply to: sg1642

Dependents have been moved out since missions against ISIS began, to keep them from retaliating against them in Turkey.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Makes sense. Do you mean they began moving them when sorties started or they moved them all? That annoucement is only 3 months old.

a reply to: sg1642

They moved the high risk dependents first, and then left the rest there. As more attacks have happened outside the region, and in Turkey, they got more concerned and eventually decided the best thing to do was to move them all out and bring them home.

a reply to: neo96

Well, this thread is also moving fast. But knowing your input for a long time. I need a drink. 👍

a reply to: Zaphod58

My nerves are quelled. If think you mean what I thought you meant.

I agree optics are bad on US dependents already being gone, but they are at a based supporting ops against terrorists in easy driving distance. That April time frame is about when it started to become apparent that ISIL is starting to fold, and there was probably some "chatter" that came to fruition with the airport bombing that had people to make that call concerned.

Don't know what has happened with dependents in past coups, Gulf War I, or other events in Turkey. Anyone know?

It seems that this caught US unaware, I highly doubt that was the case in previous coups. I'd imagine that the others were either done with clandestine approval or ceremonial objection with winks and nods.

a reply to: Zaphod58
So in that case there are only military personnel on site. If I was a betting man I would put a bet on this coming to nothing to be honest. If there was US involvement in the coup I would be surprised for one reason. The fact the coup failed. The fact Erdogan was still able to broadcast to the people points towards poor planning and leadership. The media should have been one of the first things to go.

In 24 hours facts will emerge that will shed light on those reports but I doubt the site or anything on it is under immediate threat.

a reply to: jefwane

They get them to a centralized location, and send in Marine air to get them out, if they can't get a large aircraft in and fly them out in one group. They fly them out to an LHA/LHD, and sail them to the nearest safe area they can fly them home from.