Turkey launches attack on Syrian targets

Will this drag NATO into Syrian conflict?

I have just seen this breaking news on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19830928

and part of me finds it worrying. I can understand Turkey's decision considering the actions of some elements of the Syrian Military/regime and that in all probability most of the actions taken by the Turkish military will be to limit Syrian artillery on the ground within range of the border. What worries me is this has every opportunity of escalating quite rapidly dragging NATO in in support of one of it's members and more openly giving support to the Syrian rebels, which in turn will bring an increased chance of political (and if some rumours are to be believed also military) confrontation with the Russian Federation.

This just all seems a little concerning and can only aid to destabalise an already fractious region further. :(
 
My personal opinion is that unless the Syrians are stupid enough to keep dropping mortar rounds on Turkish border towns, then I can't see this escalating any further. Although if the Syrians do keep hitting Turkey with artillery, then the Turks are well within their rights to hit back, and possibly invoke the mutual defence clause of the NATO charter.
 
The Turks will batter them & we will support them, I don't see a problem.
 
I agree it's worrying. I doubt it would warrant any serious NATO involvement as it stands. There have been stray shells landing in Turkey for a while but this was the first one to cause the death of Turkish nationals. Turkey's response has been spot-on so far - and hopefully it will send a clear message to Syria to watch where it's pointing its stuff in future. If it happens again Turkey will probably go into Syria and setup a buffer zone - maybe even some limited air-strikes. I can't see it going beyond that - it's not like Syria is directly attacking a NATO member.....it's just spill-over, which Turkey can easily deal with itself.
 
Are the Syrian army that stupid? They are effectively getting away with anything they want to do inside their own country, why involve an already angry Turkey with border skirmishes?
 
xibinim said:
...why involve an already angry Turkey with border skirmishes?
Click to expand...

Elements of the 2nd tier of the top brass with their own agendas taking the opportunity to fulfill said agenda while they have a litle more expressive freedom to put down the uprising? External elements looking to destabalise the situation further? Lets face it the rebels themselves wouldn't mind Turkey taking more open and obvious action against forces along the border.

In all probability the rounds were accidental as Assad's Government as indicated but the whole situation in Syria is a mess with all sorts of things going on from both sides and very little of what we are hearing is the truth.
 
If NATO is to get involved, what do people think we (the UK) will have to do? some jets to make a no-fly zone like Libya? or will we have to start putting troops on the ground?
 
I imagine like Libya it would be predominantly Air with a select few 'advisors' on the ground. The big one would be how commited Putin would be in supporting his ally.
 
Dist said:
If NATO is to get involved, what do people think we (the UK) will have to do? some jets to make a no-fly zone like Libya? or will we have to start putting troops on the ground?
Click to expand...

As an armchair expert I'm going to go with, all of the above.
 
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