TIME FOR US, NATO TO GIVE TURKEY THE BOOT

While removing Turkey from NATO would mark a sea-change in Washington and NATO's policy, and would surely drive Ankara closer to Moscow, it would certainly get Turkish President Erdogan's attention

By James Sinkinson

JNS
November 4, 2019

American arms control experts say the US Air Force is worried about the security of some 50 American B-61 nuclear bombs in storage at the Incirlik airbase in Turkey, and some believe they should be removed.

Turkey’s behavior has become so incorrigible that other foreign policy experts believe it’s time for the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to boot Turkey out of the alliance.

No wonder. Despite a long, friendly relationship with Turkey, Ankara under Islamist strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become increasingly belligerent toward the United States and our allies, especially Israel and most recently the Syrian Kurds.

Turkey’s invasion of Syria this month to subdue US Kurdish allies has generated condemnations from Western European and Arab nations, as well as from Russia, India, China and, surprisingly, even Iran.

But this is only the latest dust-up: Erdoğan’s Turkey is guilty of a string of international offenses.

•In 2015, Turkey, unprovoked, shot down a Russian fighter jet.

•To Egypt’s annoyance, Turkey supports its enemy, the radical Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.

•Erdogan frequently issues anti-Semitic calumnies, is a reliable foe of Israel and in 2010 attempted to run Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which ended in the deaths of 10 Turkish activists.

•Turkey deployed a team of thugs to the streets of Washington, DC, to abduct anti-Erdogan Turkish activists.

•Turkey illegally occupies most of Cyprus.

•After buying American F-35 fighter jets, Erdogan contracted with Russia to purchase anti-aircraft batteries – against stern US objections. Erdogan runs Turkish politics with an authoritarian fist, just a short step from totalitarianism

To make matters worse, Turkey is a member of NATO, the alliance’s only Eurasian member – all others are North American or European, but Turkey has been in the group since 1952. Under Erdoğan’s leadership, Turkey has moved further from the goals and policies of other NATO members, often standing in stark opposition to the body’s will, as it is currently doing in Syria.

Vice President Mike Pence last week insisted that “the United States of America is not going to tolerate Turkey’s invasion of Syria any further.” Defense Secretary Mark Esper is encouraging NATO members to take “diplomatic and economic” measures against Turkey. President Donald Trump threatened Erdogan with devastating economic sanctions, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo noted that “military action” may be needed.

In other words, the United States is unprecedentedly threatening economic and even military war with a fellow NATO member. Some six European countries have suspended arms sales to Turkey – hardly the behavior of allies.

Erdoğan, however, remains defiant, despite negotiations with Pence and the Russians. He seems determined to secure a stretch of Syrian territory currently controlled by the Kurds in order to push the Kurds back from the Turkish border and populate the region with millions of Syrian refugees now in Turkey.

In short, it’s contradictory that an alliance like NATO, made up of liberal, democratic nations originally to counter the bullying threat of Russia, should count Turkey among its members.

Not only does Turkey undermine the interests of NATO members, but it is increasingly sidling up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, going so far as to purchase Russian weaponry that can be used to defeat NATO armaments.

While removing Turkey from NATO would mark a sea-change in US and NATO policy – and would surely drive Erdogan more resolutely into Putin’s arms – it is a step (or a threat) that would certainly get Ankara’s attention. It would also increase the global security of the US and other NATO members.

While we’re at it, let’s remove those American nuclear bombs to a more friendly country.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The US isn’t going to give Turkey the boot because Erdogan is Trump’s new-found friend. And NATO won’t do it either.