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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Sep-2011
17-Sep-11 World View -- Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean

Web Log - September, 2011

17-Sep-11 World View -- Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean

Child mortality falls, amount of cannon fodder grows

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

* Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean
* Israel and Greece ally against Turkey
* Turkey's real goal is control of east Mediterranean
* Child mortality falls, amount of cannon fodder grows
* Abbas will seek full U.N. membership for Palestinian state
* Syrian army forces stray into northern Lebanon
* China negotiates with its neighbors over the South China Sea

Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean

Eastern Mediterranean

Eastern Mediterranean

Turkey warned Cyprus's Greek government against proceeding with offshore oil and gas drilling activities. The announcement came a day after Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias announced that U.S. firm Noble Energy will soon begin exploratory drilling to confirm deposits beneath the sea bed off Cyprus' southern coast despite Turkey's attempts to prevent such a move. Turkey's warning also coincides with expected deployment of Turkish warships in the east Mediterranean over Israel's refusal to apologize for the Turkish deaths in last years "freedom flotilla" to Gaza. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided since a 1974 war that split the island, with Turkish Cypriots occupying the northern 1/3 of the island, and Greek Cypriots occupying the southern 2/3. The Greeks and the Turks have been bitter enemies for centuries. AP

Israel and Greece ally against Turkey

Israel and Greece have invoked a secret mutual defense pact they signed 12 days ago in the light of heavy Turkish sea and air movements in the eastern Mediterranean, threatening Israel's off-shore oil and gas rigs. Greece is particularly concerned by the observation flights suddenly increased in the past 48 hours over the Greek island of Kastelorizo in the southeast Mediterranean just two kilometers from the Turkish coast. Those flights are escorted by Turkish combat jets. Up until now, Israel could only respond to a Turkish threat from its own borders. With a presence at Greek military bases, Israel will be able to operate from the rear of Turkish forces in the event of an attack by those forces in the Mediterranean. Debka

Turkey's real goal is control of east Mediterranean

According to a Russian analysis, Turkey is moving to revive the Ottoman Empire, in a direct threat to the interests of all the neighboring countries, including Russia. Turkey's threatening statements towards Israel are mainly to gain the support of the Arab audience, and are a smokescreen for Turkey's real intentions -- to gain control of the east Mediterranean. Turkey has adopted "a new naval strategy" with the name "Operation Barbarossa - Aegean shield, which implies that Turkish ships would be placed between Cyprus and Israel. This will allow Turkey to have equal influence on Israel, Cyprus and Greece. Anti-Israel rhetoric in this case is more like a camouflage to conceal the true intentions of the South-European direction. Pravda (Moscow)

Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha (1478-1546) was an Ottoman admiral who dominated the Mediterranean for decades. He was born on the island of Lesbos/ Mytilini and died in Constantinople (Istanbul), the Ottoman capital. Hayreddin which literally means Goodness or best of the Religion of Islam was an honorary name given him by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The name Barbarossa (Redbeard in Italian) he inherited from his elder brother "Baba Oruc" who died in battle with the Spanish in Algeria. (Debka)

Child mortality falls, amount of cannon fodder grows

Child mortality -- the number of children who die before age 5 -- used to be 50% just two centuries ago -- has been falling rapidly with modern medicine. By 1990, the rate was just under 1%, and in 2010 it had fallen again to 0.57% worldwide. The United Nations wants to see it reduced even further. The fall in child mortality will further reduce the amount of food per capita, pushing already historically high food prices higher, and will provide huge numbers of young people to be used as cannon fodder in the next war. Reuters

Abbas will seek full U.N. membership for Palestinian state

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas announced formally on Friday what Palestinian officials have been saying informally for several days -- that Abbas will ask the Security Council to approve full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state, rather than just "observer state" status. The United States has promised to veto such a request, and it's thought that Abbas plans to use the sympathy garnered from that veto to gain the "observer state" status vote in the General Assembly. Hamas opposes the plan to go to the U.N., saying that it would further split the Palestinians, and that a Palestinian state would force Palestinians outside Gaza and the West Bank to forfeit their "right of return." CNN

Syrian army forces stray into northern Lebanon

Syrian army troops, numbering about 15, entered Lebanon on Thursday in pursuit of fleeing Syrian dissidents. Syrian gunfire hit homes in Lebanon, and one person was injured. Over 3,500 Syrian dissidents have fled Syria into Lebanon. Most Syrians who have been displaced from their homes have entered Lebanon via official border crossings, since unofficial crossing points are reportedly heavily guarded by Syrian authorities. Daily Star (Lebanon)

China negotiates with its neighbors over the South China Sea

Although China has been promoting peaceful bilateral relations with its neighbors over the control of the South China Sea, all sides are preparing for more hostilities. China stands by its claim that all the South China Sea islands, even though that belong to other countries, are the sovereign property of China. The Philippines recently hosted a U.S. congressional delegation to discuss how the U.S. can support Philippine defense needs. Vietnam is allying with India, and purchasing higher quality weapons. Although tensions may have temporarily cooled, all sides appear to be preparing for the next round. Jamestown

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 17-Sep-11 World View -- Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (17-Sep-2011) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Sep-2011 17-Sep-11 World View -- Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean

Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean

Israel and Greece ally against Turkey

Turkey's real goal is control of east Mediterranean

Child mortality falls, amount of cannon fodder grows

Abbas will seek full U.N. membership for Palestinian state

Syrian army forces stray into northern Lebanon

China negotiates with its neighbors over the South China Sea

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Sep-2011
17-Sep-11 World View -- Turkey on collision course with Greece, Israel in Mediterranean