Four & Five.

This is coolbert:

 Is everyone following this thing with Turkey and Syria?

If not you should be! 

 The shoot-down of the Turkish F-4 Phantom [it is a F-4?] by Syrian air defense.

NOT sure if the plane was intruding Syrian airspace or not, or is that germane at this point?

 Turkey has invoked Article Four of the NATO charter and is on the verge of also invoking Article Five of the same charter!

"Article 4" 

 "The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened."

 Article Four calls for mass consultations of all NATO members PRIOR to the commencement of military action. An urgent and critical step just prior to Article Five being invoked.

 Article Five OBLIGATING ALL CONSTITUENT MEMBERS OF NATO TO COME TO THE DEFENSE OF TURKEY, THE TURK DECLARATION IF AND WHEN MADE PART OF THE BINDING TREATY EACH AND EVERY NATO NATION AGAIN NOT HAVING ANY OTHER RECOURSE BUT TO ENTER THE FRAY!

"Article 5" 

 "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area . . . and maintain international peace and security."

 The screws are being ratcheted up and tight, the situation with the civil war in Syria and the intervention of foreign powers nearly becoming a reality for all that will mean!

 NATO and the Syrian insurgents on one side. Russia, Hezbollah and Iran aligned with Syria. Israel on the sidelines for now but their response if hostilities escalate leave it to the experts to decide, if they can!

This is all to the detriment of everyone.

 Please recall that in those days immediately following 9/11 [2001] the United States declaring Article Five in effect, that being the ONE AND ONLY TIME Article Five has become manifest!!

 By treaty, those nations of NATO MUST come to the aid of Turkey, American law under the U.S. Constitution superseding more parochial interests, such as that the war in Afghan has not yet been concluded.

 We pray for the best but prepare for the worst! Over and over it seems.

 coolbert.