Nuclear Weapons 190 - Threat of World War III looms in Syria - Part one of Two Parts
Part One of Two Parts:
The problem with writing about evolving situations is that you may have to revise what you wrote on a day to day basis. That is what has happened with this blog post.
When Russia stole the Crimea from Ukraine and backed Ukrainian rebels, NATO became concerned about Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Putin, the Russian President, said that if there was a conventional ground war with NATO forces and the Russians were losing, he would consider ordering the use of tactical nuclear weapons. These are low-yield nuclear bombs delivered by bombers, cruise missiles and artillery shells. Both Russia and NATO continue to talk about the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Eastern Europe.
Recently, a reporter went to Moscow and talked to a number of military officials and high-ranking members of the Russian government. Some of these sources said that Putin and his close advisors were serious about the use of nuclear weapons. They said that there was talk of detonating at least one nuclear device in Eastern Europe on the theory that NATO would be horrified and intimidated into dropping their support for Eastern European nations along the Russian border.
Russia was invited into Syria by Bashir Assad, the Syrian President, to defend his regime against rebel groups including ISIS. The Russians have a major naval base on the Syrian coast which they are dedicated to defending. Critics of the Russian presence complain that the Russians have been bombing "moderate rebel groups" with ties to Saudi Arabia and the U.S. but they apparently don't understand the Russian mission. The Russians are protecting Assad's government and the Russian naval base against ALL threats.
Russia has fired cruise missiles from a submarine in the Caspian Sea into Syria to strike ISIS positions. A high-ranking military Russian naval officer later said that those cruise missiles can also carry nuclear warheads but that he did not think the situation in Syria would require the uses of such warheads.
Turkey shot down a Russia fighter that they said strayed into Turkish airspace. The Russian denied that they had entered Turkish airspace. In any case, the Russians are furious with Turkey and have retaliated with stiff economic sanctions. Russia has been accusing Turkey of allowing fighters and supplies to cross the Turkish Syrian border to help ISIS. The Russians also claim that Turkey has been importing oil from ISIS and that top Turkish officials are reaping huge profits off the smuggled ISIS oil.
Recently, the Russians have linked up with the Kurds against ISIS and other rebel groups tied to Turkey who are fighting against the Assad government. Kurds control a lot of the border between Syria and Turkey. There is a corridor in north central Syria between two Kurdish controlled regions that Russia claims Turkey has been using to supply ISIS and to import ISIS oil. The Kurds and the Russians want to close that corridor. Turkey has been fighting Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey for decades and is dead set against letting the Kurds control the entire Syrian and Turkish border.
Recently, the Russians have linked up with the Kurds against ISIS and other rebel groups tied to Turkey who are fighting against the Assad government. Kurds control a lot of the border between Syria and Turkey. There is a corridor in north central Syria between two Kurdish controlled regions that Russia claims Turkey has been using to supply ISIS and to import ISIS oil. The Kurds and the Russians want to close that corridor. Turkey has been fighting Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey for decades and is dead set against letting the Kurds control the entire Syrian and Turkish border.
Please read Part Two.
