Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators stormed Incirlik Air Base, which houses U.S. soldiers in Turkey. This was ahead of the visit of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will be in Ankara for a discussion on the deteriorating Middle East situation. The U.S. Air Force has used the base for many years, and it helps provide strategic access to the U.S. in the region.
Lucas Tomlinson, Fox’s Lucas Tomlinson, noted that nuclear weapons have been stored in the base before. There have been reports that there are about 50 nuclear bombs at the base, but we don’t know how many they actually are.
U.S. Air Force keeps dozens of B61 nuclear bombs at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. https://t.co/o4eL0O1ZGg
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) November 5, 2023
That could create a mighty big hole if things were to go wrong and those weapons were still there in such a volatile situation with a leader like President Recep Erdogan.
The rioters hurled chairs and Palestinian flags at the police while shouting “Allahu akbar”. The police managed to hold them back with tear gas and water cannons while they fled across a field.
A pro-Palestinian rally tried to storm an air base housing US troops in Turkey hours before Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Ankara https://t.co/P4vSozIYWG pic.twitter.com/xjq5gi4VIY
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 5, 2023
There was even a woman in a wheelchair. All these people were hit with tear gas.
Adana’da İncirlik Üssü’ne girmeye çalışan bir gruba polis müdahale etti. pic.twitter.com/tjrUzLI6av
— TRHaber (@trhaber_com) November 5, 2023
The Turkish aid group IHH organized the action at the Air Base, which Israel has previously linked with Hamas.
In Turkey, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally outside the Incirlik air base that houses American troops. US Secretary of State Blinken is due in Ankara for talks on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/WygTEYfa8t
— DW News (@dwnews) November 5, 2023
The protesters were angry at the arrival of Blinken and Israel’s actions against Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has just arrived in Ankara, Turkey after Departing from Iraq earlier tonight on his ongoing Tour around the Middle East; while in Turkey he will meet with several Turkish Officials including Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan regarding the War… pic.twitter.com/exJN9cTmMp
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 5, 2023
Blinken warned Iran, and others in the region against threatening U.S. military personnel in that area during his stopover in Iraq prior to Turkey.
NOW – Blinken sends message from Iraq: “Don’t do it.”pic.twitter.com/p5vaJzlYjL
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 5, 2023
Blinken’s message didn’t seem to reach the Incirlik crowd. It’s not a very intimidating message to say “Don’t Do it”. Biden also said it, and it sounded so weak, especially when they don’t act on our behalf if we are attacked. This doesn’t stop Erdogan from provoking the public against Israel and the U.S. by calling Israel an “occupier”, and slamming the U.S. because it supports them.
Biden must act now before things spiral out of control. But I would not count on that.
