U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack has had a lot to say about the Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur military base: “Israel ‘baited’ Turkey with Abu al-Duhur airbase ‘pre-election’ strike, US Envoy Tom Barrack says,” by Idan Kweller, Jerusalem Post, August 22, 2026:
According to Barrack, Israel raised the concern with the United States about six days before the strike.
“We have some intelligence that there might be Turkish movement into this site, which we would be very concerned about,” Barrack said, describing the message [from Israel] delivered to Washington.
However, according to Barrack, the US reviewed the intelligence with relevant officials and Israel received a clear response: “No, that’s not happening.”
Who do you think, has better intelligence about Turkish plans for Al-Duhur airbase — the Americans or the Israelis? You know the answer to that.
Despite those contacts [between the Mossad director and the Syrian foreign minister], Israeli Air Force aircraft appeared and struck the base’s runways without Turkey receiving advance warning of the operation.
Apparently the Syrian foreign minister did not convey to Ankara the alarm in Jerusalem, and the strong likelihood that the Israeli Air Force would act to prevent a Turkish transfer of men and weapons to Al-Duhur.
According to Barrack, the incident then escalated from another Israeli strike in Syria into a moment that could have triggered a far more dangerous regional confrontation.
Barrack emphasized that the Turkish military is strong, well-equipped, and possesses significant intelligence capabilities.
“When they see these jets coming towards the border, and they don’t know what the purpose, direction, or intent is, they start to say ‘we’re going to have to scramble our own.’” he said.
Such a scenario could have led to a possible aerial encounter between Israeli and Turkish aircraft and a direct confrontation between Israel and Turkey, a NATO member and one of the United States’ most important allies in the region….
So Barrack is blaming Israel for almost starting a war with Turkey. He has things backwards. Wasn’t it, in fact, Turkey that by its aggressive moves in Syria, including taking over 5% of its territory for military bases, is conducting itself in such a way as to provoke an Israeli attack?
“I know that the Turks, their intelligence agency, their hierarchy, their foreign minister, the president, the head of intelligence, all are concentrating on restraint,” he said.
“They’re not predatory,” he added. “They’re not interested in attacking or even engaging in any kind of kinetic or adversarial relationship with Israel. It’s not good for the region.”
Nonsense. Turkey is now the most aggressive power in the Middle East. It has established military outposts in Syria, in northern Iraq, and in Libya. It has provided refuge for those Hamas leaders who believe Doha is now too dangerous. Erdogan, a deep antisemite, has constantly threatened the Jewish state. A few years ago he urged the creation of a pan-Islamic military alliance that would, he claimed, be powerful enough to take on and defeat America’s ally Israel. Could Tom Barrack have been unaware of all this?
Barrack said both sides are ultimately looking for a way to de-escalate, but that from Turkey’s perspective, the Palestinian issue is even more important than Iran. According to him, developments in Gaza are a major concern for both the Turkish public and the broader Muslim public….
Yes, the “Palestinian issue” is the fons et origo of Turkey’s intention to go to war with Israel if it does not agree to be squeezed back within the indefensible 1949 Armistice Lines, leaving the Jewish state with a nine-mile-wide waist from Qalqilya to the sea. Erdogan doesn’t hide his hope that the Muslim states will together be able to then destroy what’s left of Israel.
Israel wants Syria to remain free of military systems that could limit its freedom of action in the region, particularly against Iran. Barrack previously described Syrian territory as providing Israel with “a clear line of sight to Iran.”
That’s why Israel had to attack Al-Duhur. It knew that the Turks were about to install radar that would be able to track Israeli planes, denying Israel the freedom of the skies over Syria that it has enjoyed until now. Turkey now has taken control of, and built military bases on, 5% of Syria’s territory.
jerry glenn says
Rampant Islamopandering
John1 says
Tom Barrack was a buddy of Jeffery Epstein.
Taffy says
“ Who do you think, has better intelligence about Turkish plans for Al-Duhur airbase — the Americans or the Israelis? You know the answer to that.”
Diplomats are supposed to STFU before all the facts come in, so they don’t come across as blithering idiots when the correct facts come to light. A Turkish soldier now admitted that Turkey actually had troops in the Aleppo (Al-Duhur) airbase at the time of the Israeli bombing, and that he was there at that time.
The problem is not just Turkish radar lighting up the Aleppo corridor. Israel can deal with that. That airbase is a mere 170 miles from the Israeli border, a 15 minute trip for Turkish fighters. Luckily Turkey was barred by the U.S. from purchasing its full complement of 100 F-35’s because they bought SAM-400 radar systems from Russia and we were afraid that would allow Turkey to discover vulnerabilities in the F-35 stealth features if they possessed one. Turkey already purchased 6 F-35s but delivery is on hold pending resolution of the SAM-499 problem.
Although Turkey is a stronger force on paper than Israel, Israel is now battle hardened. As long as Turkey stays within its borders, I have no doubt that any attack on Israel will result in a one-sided kill for which Israel is known. Having Turkish troops in Syria, however will increase the probability that Israel will be jumped, making defense a lot more difficult.
After Israel hit the Aleppo base, they too were worried about Turkish retaliation. They engaged behind the scenes diplomatic efforts to tell Ankara that they know what the Turks are up to, and to cease and desist. So far, so good!
Wellington says
Barrack is of Lebanese Christian descent. As is well known, Lebanese Christians very much tend to be good dhimmis.