DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS

THE TURKS WANT MORE TERRITORY

THE EXPANSIONIST POLICIES OF TURKEY make it impossible to stick to its zero conflict targets.

Areas where Turkey is showing an increased level of activity:

• Search and Rescue over an extended range in the Mediterranean.
• Search and Rescue over the entire Aegean.
• Issuing NOTAMs which lock huge areas of the Aegean, even a breath away from mainland Greece, for NAVY exercises.
• Illegal NAVY   presence in Greek territorial waters.
• Continuously increased AIR FORCE activity with fly overs and low flying activity over Greek air space.
• Participation in the Syrian conflict.
• Conflict with Kurds.
• Creation of military base in Qatar.
• Submarine base in Albania.

In the graphic one can see the shaded area outlined by the red line, which is fast becoming  part of everyday Turkish control through constant NAVY and AIR FORCE activity.

It has been reported that the Kurdish fighters in East Turkey are about to launch offensives to reach the natural border of Euphrates river. Is this going to be an oncoming loss of territory for Turkey?

And if so, is their aggressiveness in the Aegean  part of a counterbalance move by achieving control of the Eastern Mediterranean? It remains to be seen.

Turkey is anything but a stability factor in the Middle Eastern area.

With specific relevance to Greece I am afraid that Turkey is using the method of death by a thousand cuts, that is, achieving its target of domination of the Aegean by constant territorial pressure.

The point is what is Greece doing about it? Because, let's face it, if these pressures remain unanswered the greed of the attacker becomes de-facto acceptable by the international community.

In the same way, the procrastination of dealing firmly and authoritatively with the FYROM naming issue has left Greece without many supporters on the issue.

What if the Turks gamble on the grey area game? I am sure THEY have many islets similar to IMIA that  would  considered as fair game in a territorial game in the Aegean. They would have more to lose.

Of course this needs an aggressively weighed  policy by Greece which is not going to happen because it is governed by people who have consistently stood shorter than their historical duty since WW2.

It is a fact that standing against a foe with little or no defensive plans and actions produces more determination on their part to grab what they can.

What Greek governments should consider is the notion of "ANY WAR IS A NO WIN BY EITHER SIDE".

In such a move, the opposition would be powerless to proceed to any action as it would be clear that no gain would come out of it.

I came across the advertisement of a magazine with an article on defence in tight economic times.

Update on this soon, probably next month.