Afraid of US aircraft getting shot down from the MANPADS taken in Iraq and Libya?
WASHINGTON – The U.S. has asked the Turkish government for approval to use a second air base in the country to launch air operations, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.
The base would be used to conduct personnel recovery operations in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State, said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis. The location of the base and what kind of aircraft would be used have not been determined, he said.It was unclear Monday whether the U.S. would be able to use the second base to launch offensive strikes against the Islamic State. Turkey last month agreed to open Incirlik Air Base to U.S. drones and fighter jets as part of an agreement for the two countries to work more closely together to diminish the Islamic State.
Turkey had been reluctant to allow U.S. forces to use the base for operations against the militant group’s targets. The NATO ally has since launched its own attacks on Islamic State militants.