U.S. Defense Secretary pays unexpected visit to Turkey

December 14, 2012 – 16:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made a surprise
visit on Friday, Dec 14, to the Ä°ncirlik Air Base in the southern
Turkish province of Adana, according to Today’s Zaman.
Panetta’s visit came the same day he signed orders to send Patriot
missiles and 400 U.S. military personnel to Turkey to defend against
potential rocket attacks from Syria.
A total of six Patriot missile batteries will be sent to Turkey – two
from the United States, two from Germany and two from the Netherlands.
All six batteries will be under NATO’s command and are scheduled to be
operational by the end of January.
The 20-month uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has
turned increasingly bloody, and heavy fighting has often erupted along
Syria’s northern border with Turkey, which supports the Syrian
opposition.
The Patriot system is designed to intercept aircraft or missiles.
Turkey asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles to shore up its
900-kimometer (560-mile) border, where it fears security may crumble
as the Syrian army fights harder to contain the rebels, many of whom
have enjoyed sanctuary in Turkey.