(CNN) -- U.S. troops arrived in Turkey on Friday to man Patriot missile defense batteries near the Syrian border, according to Turkish state media.
Syria has previously launched Scud missiles at cities near the Turkish border in a desperate bid to extend its firepower.
In response, the U.S., Germany and the Netherlands deployed Patriot air defense missiles to the border region to intercept any Syrian ballistic missiles.
The missiles and troops will be under the overall control of NATO, but the missiles will be operated by U.S. forces
A group of 27 U.S. troops landed in Gaziantep, Turkey, where they will survey the Patriot deployment, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu.
U.S. officials did not release any information about the troops' arrival, but had said last month that forces would be deployed to Turkey.
"We've made very clear to them that we're going to protect countries in this region," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last month. "We have to act to do what we have to do to make sure that we defend ourselves and make sure that Turkey can defend itself."...
CNN's Amir Ahmed and Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
At least were doing something of consequence for once, at the very least it will make Bashar al-Assad know were on his doorstep and not dare try any funny business in Turkey. 27 U.S. troops though seems hardly adequate for a border as big as Turkey's and Syria's border. We need more like 2700 troops of US, Turkey, NATO and other Arab League Nation's troops. I also believe we should send troops to the Golan Heights in Israel on the Israel and Syria border if Israel would like the assistance. This would send a message to Bashar al-Assad we mean business and prepared to respond to any cross border violence and chemical weapon attacks. I would prefer we do no fly zones and air raids over Assad's compounds as well but I don't see any indication the US is leaning in that direction. We will have to wait and see. I do think this is just the first action of much more significant military actions in the future. Slowly turning up the heat on Bashar and his regime until the rebels are able to overtake him, he backs down, or flees to exile. I personally think this strategy will have to advance much quicker to have any lasting and significant effect. I don't even know if this is the strategy I just expect it is. More then 60,000 dead how many more killed before we do something that will at the very least reduce the killings "within" Syria? A.C.M.
