Russia has invited Turkey to join the Vostok-2018 military exercises

This is from Hal Turner. His intelligence is confirmed below. His interpretation is not worth so much. I would advise taking the time to listen to Mark Sleboda below.

"Turkey may be switching sides! Russia has invited (NATO Member) Turkey to join the biggest Russian military drills in decades, "Vostok-2018!"

"Why would Russia invite Turkey, a member of NATO, to the largest war game exercise in history unless Turkey is switching sides and siding with Russia? Remember, NATO was created to contain Russia and protect Europe FROM Russia.

"This seems to show that relations between Russia and Turkey, as well as cracks between Ankara and globalists, are bigger than the most expected. This is really rare because Vostok 2018 is a strategic military drill and never before, has Russia invited foreign countries to participate in such huge strategic drills. Vostok2018 is also a first time even for China.

"Now NATO country was invited. Globalists are loosing their grip over the world. (Which in one sense is good, but in another it is very bad)

"If Turkey accepts the invitation, it means NATO has lost its southern fortress . . . and all the advanced NATO technology sold to Turkey while it has been a member of NATO, will fall into the hands of Russia! All of the war planning of NATO will also fall into the hands of Russia.

"This could be a betrayal of historic magnitude . . . ."

Turkey mulling Russian invite to join Vostok 2018 military exercises -Turkish DM

Ahval,

9 September, 2018

Turkey is in the process of evaluating Russia’s invitation to Turkey to join what could be the largest military exercises in half a century, pro-government Yeni Şafak daily reported, quoting Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

The Vostok 2018 exercises will involve 300,000 Russian troops from across the country, in addition to several thousand Chinese troops. Russia, which spans 11 time zones, divides its military preparedness drills into two separate events - the Zapad (“West”) drills in the Urals, followed by the Vostok (“East”) drills in Siberia the following year.

Akar noted that Turkey had not yet decided whether it will accept the invitation for the exercises set to take place between Sept. 11-17 in China, Mongolia and Siberia.

The invitation from Russia arrives as Moscow is believed to be on its way to replacing Europe as Ankara’s advocate in international politics and Turkey prepares to purchase Russian S-400 missile systems, despite objections from the United States and NATO. 

Here is an op-ed from Turkey's pro-government newspaper

Forget Idlib, look at the US-PKK's invasion! Astana is hope, and so is this summit. The three leaders must reach a solution…

İbrahim Karagül

Idlib is the Eastern Mediterranean. Idlib is the entirety of the Syrian war. The crisis in Idlib is not only a matter of one or a few terror groups. It is not a matter limited to who will establish dominance over an area of 7,000 square kilometers and how they will do it or whether the Damascus regime will establish control.

If almost all countries, nations that are in opposite poles regarding the Syria issue, are trying to intervene in this tiny region, if they are making plans through this intervention, if they have their hopes tied to this intervention, then the matter is much deeper and the plan is much more complex.

It is extremely thought-provoking that Russia and Iran and the U.S. and France are on the same page, hiding behind the pretext that there are “terror organizations there,” and seeking an opportunity to somehow attack Syria. The U.S., which says, “If the Damascus regime uses nuclear weapons, we will intervene,” and those saying, “Al-Nusra is in Idlib,” are hiding behind the same weak arguments.

The US-PKK invasion is dividing Syria, why aren't you saying anything about that?

It is extremely surprising that many countries, especially Russia and Iran, are keeping quiet, not saying a single word against invasion and not objecting to the terror corridor formed by the U.S., which holds a large portion of Syria, has occupied it with a terrorist organization and has amassed an extraordinary amount of weapons.

If Idlib belongs to Syria, then which country do the regions which constitute 30 percent of the country invaded by the U.S. and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) belong to? What other reality is there that threatens Syria's territorial integrity more than this? While northern Syria is under complete occupation, as a matter of fact, while the U.S. and PKK are settling into that area permanently, Idlib is being held under surveillance with the approval of the three countries that are developing a solution initiative for Syria.

These countries need to be asked whether it is Idlib's current status that is ruining Syria's territorial integrity. It is explicitly clear that resetting all this while Idlib has been secured under an agreement between Turkey, Russia and Iran, excluded from clashes and turned into an asylum will harm both these three countries as well as Syria.

Russia harmed Turkey's trust…

Russia launching an attack prior to today’s Tehran Summit has disturbed Turkey. It has harmed the process started with Astana which is the sole hope of solution for Syria, and led to distrust. Turkey's attempts to "neutralize terrorist organizations through other means and find another solution" received no response, bringing the military option to the fore. This is perhaps the first time the trust forged between Turkey and Russia has been harmed in such a way during the Astana process.

The attacks launched ahead of the summit raised "serious doubts that Russia will not sufficiently regard Turkey's sensitivities." It is extremely important to overcome this damaged trust at once, with Moscow and Tehran taking steps aimed at keeping the joint initiative with Ankara strong while paying attention to Turkey's sensitivities within this context.

If Astana is harmed, everything will be over. The humanitarian disaster must be prevented.

Because, if the Astana process is harmed, everything may start all over again in Syria. The U.S. side will gain ground to start a new process that will reset all the progress made in the Syrian war. There is already a general acceptance and preparation in this direction.

The Damascus regime entering this region with ground forces following the air raids is going to lead to a humanitarian disaster that will then trigger a serious migration wave to Turkey and Europe, and cause a massacre similar to the one experienced in Aleppo. However, it cannot be said that the U.S., Russia or Iran pay much attention to humanitarian disasters. Turkey is the only country that prioritizes the protection and defense of the Syrian people above all else, while - according to the U.S. - Germany is striving to prevent a migration wave. This likely disaster must be prevented.

Turkey's observations points are under threat, the response will be harsh

The three leaders must certainly solve the Idlib matter during today's Tehran Summit and find a solution other than military intervention. Otherwise, this will lead to military interventions not only in Idlib but also across other Syrian locations, laying the foundations for a new kind of Syria war.

Turkey's observation points in Idlib are under threat. A possible attack on these points or a provocation by the Damascus administration or the PKK and other organizations that act in cooperation with the regime will be met with an extremely harsh reaction from Turkey - just as it should be. Russia and Iran must exert a great effort to prevent Turkey from falling into a difficult situation in this sense.

A military intervention in Idlib will create an opportunity for those seeking the division of the country. For the U.S., it will mean the completion of the “terror corridor” and a distraction while they establish protection for the PKK as conflicts in other areas arise. As a result, an intervention will buy time for the U.S. and the PKK.

West gate of the Terror Corridor: A major threat for Turkey…

The issue in Idlib is not the terrorist organizations there. The issue is the Eastern Mediterranean. Idlib's situation is critical for the Eastern Mediterranean, which is currently witnessing extraordinary military activity, where many countries are amassing their navies, where Russia and Turkey are conducting military drills and the sharing of trillions of dollars’ worth of natural gas are in question.

Who will take the reigns as the supervisor of the region is very important. The region located at the west gate of the terror corridor is critical for the U.S. and its allies that are trying to form a garrison spanning from Iranian border to the Mediterranean, and trying to connect northern Iraq to the Mediterranean. It is a protective shield for Turkey. If Idlib turns into a conflict area, Afrin will be in danger in terms of Turkey. And if Afrin is in danger, Hatay will be too. When Hatay is in danger, our entire presence in the Eastern Mediterranean will be in danger.

Erdoğan, Putin and Rouhani: This trio will find a solution

Regardless of what happens, the Idlib matter must be resolved without conflict or intervention. The Tehran Summit is a beacon of hope. The Turkey-Russia-Iran initiative is the only hope for Syria. The Astana initiative must not be harmed and should continue to serve as a hope for Syria.

The three countries must leave no gaps that will allow new interventions aimed at Syria. There is a strong expectation that Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani will agree on a solution and further strengthen the steps aimed at preserving Syria's territorial integrity.

Solutions for the Syria issue have always emerged from the leaders’ table, and it will be no different this time.

Here is some more sophisticated analysis from Mark Sleboda

Russia locks horns with Turkey in Astana, as U.S. prepares false flag attack in Syria

End of the Russian-Turkish axis in Syria?

Russian-Turkish axis in Syria faces meltdown

With suspicions running high that the nominal allies drew each other's blood on February 3, Ankara may well seek a modus vivendi with the US

Asia Times,

6 February, 2018

Two things differentiate the downing of a Russian Su-25 ground-attack jet in the western province of Idlib on February 3 from the drone attacks on the Russian air base at Hmeimim a month earlier.

One, Russia could thwart the attack on January 5 by a wave of drone aircraft but singularly failed to anticipate the use of man-portable air defense systems by extremists operating in Idlib under Turkish watch. Russia lost an ace fighter pilot in the latter attack.

Two, Moscow sensed an American hand in the drone attack on January 5, but this time around Russia’s Tass news agency promptly highlighted an American denial on record. The Kremlin’s Dmitry Peskov made a point of cautioning against speculations “before one gets precise information as to how terrorists in Syria got that particular man-portable air defense system and other weapons that they have.”

Notably, however, an influential lawmaker – Dmitry Sablin, coordinator of the Russia-Syria parliamentary friendship group – went ahead to “speculate,” saying: “We have information that the MANPADS used to bring down our jet was brought into Syria from a neighboring country several days ago. Countries from whose territory weapons arrive, that are then used against Russian servicemen, must understand that this will not go unpunished.”

Idlib province is situated right on Syria’s border with Turkey. It is supposed to be a “sealed border” under strict surveillance by Turkish security agencies. If what Sablin alleged was based on factual information, Russian intelligence recently monitored the transfer of MANPADS from Turkey to extremists.

Curiously, the day after Sablin spoke, Turkey came out with a counter-allegation of its own, attributed to “security sources,” to the effect that the weaponry used in the attack against a Turkish army tank on February 3 by Kurds in Afrin “might have been a Russian-made 9M113 Konkurs” and that the “claim is being evaluated.” Five Turkish soldiers were killed in that attack.

Suffice to say, the air is thick with innuendos and dark hints that Russia and Turkey may have drawn each other’s blood on February 3, despite notionally being allies in Syria’s hybrid war.

In January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached out to President Vladimir Putin to clarify the situation. But over the latest incident, no such exchange has so far taken place, even though Erdogan is under obligation to initiate one – according to the understanding reached in talks in Astana last year following the Syrian ceasefire, Turkey is entrusted with setting up “observation posts” in Idlib to monitor the activities of extremist groups.

Meanwhile, on February 5, Putin sent an effusive message to Nicos Anastasiades congratulating him on his re-election as the President of the Republic of Cyprus. Putin’s message expressed confidence that the “constructive dialogue” and “joint work” by the two countries are in the mutual interests of both and “in keeping with efforts to improve stability and security in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.” Cyprus’ relations with Turkey have been unfriendly ever since the Turkish invasion and occupation of the northern part of the country in 1974.

For Turkey, the knot is three-fold. Firstly, it cannot come to terms with the new reality that Russia (which has civilizational ties with Greece and Cyprus) has today become the dominant power in the Eastern Mediterranean. Secondly, it disapproves of ongoing Syrian military operations, supported by air power, to regain control of Idlib from opposition groups that have enjoyed Turkish support. And, above all, thirdly, Erdogan’s grand design to establish a permanent Turkish foothold in Syria (which was ruled by the Ottomans), will remain a pipedream so long as Russia underpins Syria’s unity and territorial integrity. Turkey has all along viewed Moscow’s links with the Kurds in Afrin suspiciously.

Erdogan is well aware that the US will see advantages in the developing situation to push its containment strategy against Iran more effectively in Syria and to isolate the Assad regime

Typically, therefore, Erdogan will now seek a modus vivendi with the US. Of course, it will be a dream come true for the US if the hairline crack in the Russian-Turkish axis in Syria widens and becomes a rift in the coming weeks. In their opposition to the establishment of Russian bases in Syria, Washington and Ankara are on the same page.

On the other hand, the Pentagon will expect Erdogan to give up his plans to launch any military operation to attack the Kurds in Manbij. The US simply cannot accede to the Turkish demand that it break its alliance with Syria’s Kurds. US Defence Secretary James Mattis hinted on Friday that talks are going on with Turkey to dissuade Erdogan from ordering an operation on Manbij.

For his part, Erdogan will seek a tradeoff with the Trump administration to create conditions for a broader rapprochement with the US. He is well aware that the US will see advantages in the developing situation to push its containment strategy against Iran more effectively in Syria and to isolate the Assad regime. Indeed, a rift in the Russian-Turkish axis in Syria opens an entirely new ball game in the country, one that enables the US to create new facts on the ground and negotiate harder on the terms of a future Syrian settlement. Israel is also a stakeholder here.

Erdogan all along hankered for an enhanced role for Turkey as the flag carrier in the West’s strategies in Syria, fancying himself to be the role model for the Muslim Middle East. But President Barack Obama was disinterested in any such dalliance with the mercurial Sultan in Ankara.

Things are very much in flux, though. Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday. It was the first time in 59 years that a Turkish President had visited the Vatican.