Assertiveness & Intelligence.

This is coolbert:

Thanks to reports as contained in several Internet intelligence news letters, we have the latest dope, the most recent controversial show-down between Turkey and Israel.

1. From the Turkish Internet web site Today Zaman through intelNews.org:

 "Turkey believes NATO members won’t share intelligence with Israel"

"Turkey has said it trusts the promise of NATO member states to keep their intelligence within the alliance and to not share it with Israel. . . [the] NATO's early warning radar system, which is in the southeast of the country and will serve as part of the alliance's missile defense system"

"the radar . . . [is] part of NATO's missile defense system aimed at countering ballistic missile threats from neighboring Iran."

A NATO ballistic missile early warning radar site, agreed upon by the Turk to be stationed in their country, the intelligence, the real-time warning of ballistic missile launch from Iran as obtained from the radar by advance agreement NOT TO BE SHARED WITH THE ISRAELI!

2. From the DEBKAfile, Turkish warships in the disputed waters of the eastern Mediterranean: "harassing Israeli merchant vessels".

"Turkish warships harass Israeli freighters"

"02 Oct. Turkish assertiveness has raised the concern of NATO chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen and its fellow allies. Since Thursday, Sept. 29, Turkish warships have been harassing Israeli merchant vessels in waters off Cyprus . . . ordering them to change course in a bid to assert Turkish mastery. Israel has sent warplanes to fly over the areas of the incidents."

Such activities, a show-down, a confrontation of grave concern to NATO. Turkey is a constituent member of NATO and does have the right to invoke Article Five of the NATO charter. NATO nations one and all would be obligated to come to the assistance of Turkey in case of a shooting war with Israel?

Assertiveness, confrontation, show-down, etc. NONE of it any good. Hold your breath but not for long!

coolbert.