Russia?

Not at all. Trump was elected largely on his promises to pull back from protecting other countries and having Americans stationed in foreign bases around that world as it is an expensive way of enacting a home-defence. He's not enamoured with NATO. A week of so of air lifting the nukes in Turkey back to the US would be all that is required (bearing in mind that TNWs are, definitionally, quite small).

Because the ruling elite decided long ago Turkey would be promoted and encouraged no matter what. The thought process at the time from the US was that this would weaken the former Soviet Union. However now that the Soviet Union has collapsed - the belief in Turkey from the West has not wavered. Turkey is one of the most powerful nations on earth politically, no matter what they do.

The first step in removing that powerful status would be Trump pulling out his NATO nukes from Turkey. That wont happen as many in NATO want Turkey at the forefront of international politics.

Inside job. Russias policy on Syria is all about making them seem more important than they actually are, not just an insignificant country with an economy the size of Italy's that just so happens to have a veto on the security council.

Hopefully the world is a little wiser these days and one religious nut will not a world war make.
I agree with you that it could be a defining point in history, depending on Putin's reaction.

Can't find any definite information regarding the outcome for the shooter.

The Daily Mail has an image that was posted on Twitter:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/...2170272912.jpg

Looks like quite a few shots were fired at him judging by the wall.

I think he's dead, someone put pictures of him on the floor with bullet wounds

from an AP photographer.

Thank you. The report I read (BBC) just said 'neutralised' but didn't specify the method.

Shooter was a FORMER police officer.

So he wasn't there in any official capacity? Then how the heck did he get a gun past security?

I read he was a current police officer.

According to RT he was a police officer until 2015 when he lost his job after the coup.

Fired in 2015 for playing a role in coup apparently. Apparently showed a police ID to gain entry/access to room.

Source RT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6YeSANJ-w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6YeSANJ-w

From now rewind about 5 minutes and it is explained.

Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş is the name of the alleged gunman.

No one much cares about Turkey being significant in anything much. That was a UKIP fantasy.

What they care about are avoiding the negatives - not having Turkey adrift as a loose actor- or trying to revert to Erdogan's earlier policy. of re-establishing the Ottoman empire.

And the worst case is Turkey, without a NATO nuclear umbrella, matching Iran's nuclear programme - with Iran , Russia, Greece, and Israel on its early target lists ,and leadership in the moslem world an objective. That just leads to instability, and potential regional nuclear proliferation - from Morocco to Iran .

Trump of course is too stupid to realise this, or find out why earlier presidents have known NATO is vital to world stability. Someone may have to brief Ivanka.

wouldnt be suprised if the russian government had a hand in it, it usually does

Watched the video of him shooting Karlov and then screaming Alluah Akbar and blaming Russia for Aleppo. Didn't immediately strike me as a false flag operation by Russia. We also have to take into account Turkey cannot be harmed by Russia thanks to its Nuclear NATO status - and Russia knows that.

Turkey being an important NATO ally is stated by nearly every Government official when anything Turkey-related is uttered. That is because it is a key NATO nuclear ally. This has nothing to do with Brexit or UKIP. You really need to stop reliving the referendum.

Just suppose you are right for a moment. That effectively then gives Russia one almighty green light to cherry pick off all the other ex Soviet bloc nations under the NATO umbrella too in Eastern Europe - Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia just to name the 4 most obvious ones. It's ultimately about more than just Turkey, and that is why it's not a question of not wanting to get involved but a question of having to do so. That is your immunity and untouchable status explained in a nutshell.

If it was a false flag operation, the gunman was hardly likely to be draped in the Russian flag was he?

No, I agree with your straw man. He would not be draped in a Russia flag. However, again, having watched the video, one thing that really comes across is his belief in Allah and the rebels in Syria. There are certain things even the best actor can't fake.

Putin has already spoken about the incident and indicated it was an act aimed at weakening the Syrian Peace process.

There's a Syrian Peace process?

According to BBC he was a serving officer from their riot squad but off duty at time of incident.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38369962

Also reported thaat his mother, sister and room mate have been held

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...t-protect.html

If he was involved in the coup then he'd be in jail, so he's probably just one of tens of thousands purged by Erdogan's paranoia. Makes him an ideal candidate for recruitment