January 1, 2003
WARMING UP THE AXIS OF GOOD:
Israel, Turkey, U.S. Conduct Exercise (AP, Jan 1, 2003)Israeli, Turkish and U.S. naval vessels conducted a joint exercise off the Israeli coast Wednesday, their fifth annual maneuvers.As in the past, neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt — both of which have signed peace treaties with Israel — declined invitations to join. [...]
Israel and Turkey have been forging a military-related alliance in recent years. Israel has been upgrading Turkish aircraft in multi-million-dollar contracts. The United States is Israel's closest ally.
There's our future writ small. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 1, 2003 3:57 PM
If the Turks intercept future Karine A's, will the Israelis help with the Greeks when the Greeks decide to periodically shoot up Turkish coastal traffic? I doubt it, but there is a great deal of room to deal cooperatively before a formal defensive alliance is created.
Posted by: Tom Roberts at January 1, 2003 6:56 PMI guarantee you the Israelis, though they may not actually shoot at the Greeks, will provide the Turks with intelligence, satellite imagery, weapons, and training to deal with them.
Posted by: oj at January 1, 2003 9:28 PMI want an alliance with the Armenians.
Posted by: Harry at January 2, 2003 1:20 PMWhy side with the losers?
Posted by: oj at January 2, 2003 3:06 PMFor the same reason the Danes sided with the Jews and not the Nazis.
Posted by: Harry at January 2, 2003 7:53 PMThe Danes knew the Nazis were the losing side.
Posted by: oj at January 2, 2003 10:37 PMNo they didn't.
Posted by: Harry at January 2, 2003 11:06 PMI'd agree with Harry on the last point, at least until 1943.
Posted by: Tom Roberts at January 3, 2003 7:04 AMEven Tojo knew it was over on December 8th 1941.
Posted by: oj at January 4, 2003 4:04 PMSorry Harry. It would be wrong to say that the Danes "side[d] with the losers" (at least, those Danes who helped the Jews (who were Danish citizens, as opposed to the Jews living in Denmark as refugees--the latter were not given assistance)escape--and hence "redeemed" their
entire country (not forgetting those Swedes who helped on the other end)).
No. Those Danes saw a moral imperative in the midst of a benighted policy of terror, and they decided to act.
If they did side with anyone, it was with the victims of terror; they sided with decency against oppression; with morality against murder.
And yet. if you could speak to any one of them, they would tell you that they had no choice.
Sorry Harry. I should have said, "Sorry, oj"....
Posted by: Barry Meislin at January 5, 2003 2:05 AM