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CAROLINE GLICK: The U.S. Is Quietly Sidelining a Turkey in Decline
Breitbart ^ | 1-25-18 | Caroline Glick

Posted on 01/25/2018 2:25:55 PM PST by Texas Fossil

The U.S. has no interest in an open breach with Turkey. Any such breach will only strengthen Erdogan’s position at home and in the wider region. And given Turkey’s military weakness and the Kurds’ military power, America’s best bet is to keep its head down as Turkey insults it, while supporting the Kurds on the ground as they supplant the Turks as America’s partners in the field.

Rather than express dismay as Turkey moves further and further into the Russian-Iranian camp and away from the U.S., the administration can simply shrug its shoulders and let the chips fall. In this context, it makes sense that the administration did not try to prevent Turkey from purchasing the S-400 anti-aircraft system, which endangers the F-35 program.

Rather than trying to convince Erdogan not to walk out of NATO by rendering his weapons systems incompatible with NATO systems, last November, Assistant Undersecretary of Defense for International Affairs Heidi Grant simply let it be known that Turkey’s decision would have consequences for its planned purchase of 100 F-35s.

snip

Turkey’s invasion of Afrin, like so many of its other actions in recent months and years, make it clear that it can no longer be considered a U.S. ally.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: decline; erdogan; glick; sidelining; trumpnato; turkey; us
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Very good article.

Caroline Glick is a great addition to the Breitbart Staff.

1 posted on 01/25/2018 2:25:55 PM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: Texas Fossil
The U.S. didn’t penalize Turkey for its effective sponsorship of ISIS. For years, the Turks permitted ISIS to use their territory as its logistical base. ISIS’s foreign recruits entered Syria through Turkey. Its terrorists received medical care in Turkey. Turkey was the main purchaser of oil from ISI- controlled territory and there were repeated allegations that ISIS was receiving arms from Turkey.
And the U.S. turned a blind eye.

The US turned a blind eye because under Obama the US was complicit.

As soon as you knew the Erdogan family was re-selling ISIS oil, you knew the game. But the press never mentioned this during 8 years of Obama. We knew it here, because of the variety of sources that get circulated here, but I doubt one person in a thousand knew it in the country at large.

Its strange to listen to the talking heads prattle on in effective ignorance of what they are talking about, strange but normal. I suspect most FR folks here know what I'm talking about. If you haunt this site you normally know more than about anyone in the televised press.

2 posted on 01/25/2018 2:34:34 PM PST by marron
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To: Texas Fossil

Caroline Glick is PM quality.


3 posted on 01/25/2018 2:35:48 PM PST by RoosterRedux (Think outside the box.)
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To: Texas Fossil
Very solid analysis. Ms. Glick has got this guys number:

"as Erdogan has gradually transformed Turkey from a Westernized democracy and a core member of NATO into an Islamist tyranny whose values and goals have brought it into alliance with U.S. foes Iran and Russia and into cahoots with Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and ISIS."

At Sunday dinner last week with the German relatives, I wondered how long it would be before a few TOW anti-tank missiles and stingers got tossed into the mix and the Turks were given a bloody nose. According to this the Turks are much weaker and inept than I thought. Time to get the popcorn. Thanks for posting.

4 posted on 01/25/2018 2:36:28 PM PST by lowbuck (The Blue Card (US Passport) Don't leave home without it.)
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To: Texas Fossil
"last November, Assistant Undersecretary of Defense for International Affairs Heidi Grant simply let it be known that Turkey’s decision would have consequences for its planned purchase of 100 F-35s."

Hallelujah!

Is she a closet Freeper and has she been reading my post for they past 2 years? Seriously I have been on a screed to cancel their F-35's, IMHO they have gone to the dark side, no freakin' way they should have them...

It is about time and I hope it happens and we buy the 100, whether you think it is a toad or not or like me it needs wing area, we need new fighters, crank up the production line, just shift them our way.

5 posted on 01/25/2018 2:45:18 PM PST by taildragger ("Do you hear the people Singing? Singing the Song of Angry Men!")
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To: lowbuck

3 Turks tanks have been destroyed since this invasion of Syria began.

Talk about a helicopter also.

Prior to this incident, I saw a video of a Turk tank destroyed near Efrin by a TOW after they entered Turkey and fired on a village. At that time second was said to have been destroyed also.

FSA has lost a fairly large number of soldiers, Turkey has admitted to 8 Turkish soldiers dead. I saw pictures of a funeral for 5 of them.

Not pretty action, and totally unnecessary.


6 posted on 01/25/2018 2:46:57 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Not allowing US Troops to fly over Turkey during the ‘90 to ‘91 war made it clear Turkey was not really our ally.

Some people are glacially slow.


7 posted on 01/25/2018 2:51:17 PM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
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To: Texas Fossil
At one time Turkey had a first class army, but Erdy gutted it to eliminate any political opposition.

Ataturk was a military leader and was in the leadership during the Turkish War of Independence. Historically, the army stepped in when the political parties went off the tracks. It was the most trusted institution in Turkey. I believe Erdy faked the coup so he could gut the army and insure he would have total power.

8 posted on 01/25/2018 2:53:51 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: colorado tanker

All correct.


9 posted on 01/25/2018 2:59:57 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: RoosterRedux

She is one of the absolute best.

A look at her bio explains why.


10 posted on 01/25/2018 3:00:36 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: MrEdd

Many remember that.


11 posted on 01/25/2018 3:01:41 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: taildragger

I think I remember you saying that before. Thank you.


12 posted on 01/25/2018 3:02:59 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: marron

Absolutely correct.

Not all here, but many. AND collectively? WOW. Cannot beat it.


13 posted on 01/25/2018 3:04:48 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Your welcomed TF!


14 posted on 01/25/2018 3:14:00 PM PST by taildragger ("Do you hear the people Singing? Singing the Song of Angry Men!")
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To: Texas Fossil
FSA has lost a fairly large number of soldiers, Turkey has admitted to 8 Turkish soldiers dead. I saw pictures of a funeral for 5 of them.

Let's hope there are 100 more, and the military takes out Erdogan.

15 posted on 01/25/2018 3:19:46 PM PST by montag813
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To: Texas Fossil

No, she is a neocon who opposed Trump at first and then argued that neocons should support Trump to influence him from the inside. She is a classic neocon with everything that entails. Her goal is to twist the focus of the Trump administration away from immigration restriction and to military intervention in the Middle East.

We don’t want a war in Syria to support the Kurds, that’s a neocon goal that has nothing to do with nationalism or putting America First.

Get US troops out of Syria and stop interfering with the legitimate Syrian government re-establishing control.


16 posted on 01/25/2018 3:25:50 PM PST by WatchungEagle
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To: WatchungEagle

“legitimate Syrian government”

IRGC, Quds, Hamas, Hezbollah?? Legitimate? All Terrorists.

I don’t want another war, want to end ISIS and stabilize what is there.

Kurds want to be part of a Federation and not break appart Syria.

Problem? Turkey, Iran and to lesser extent Assad.

Could Assad put the nation back together? It is doubtful.

So, cool it.


17 posted on 01/25/2018 3:30:55 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: montag813

FSA losses are higher, Am not sure but suspect it is less than 100 at this point. Possibly around 40-50 with much larger injured.


18 posted on 01/25/2018 3:33:48 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

The Syrian government has already take back most of the country. You want regime change. You are using the Kurdish cause as a tool for that. You don’t really give a damn about Kurds. This is not what this is about.


19 posted on 01/25/2018 3:42:50 PM PST by WatchungEagle
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To: WatchungEagle

Well you don’t know me. I’ve been following this for 3-1/2 years. I know some of the Syrian Kurds and like them very much. No, they are not like the US. But they are good people and they are great soldiers.

I was on board supporting them during the siege of Kobani in Sep/Oct 2014. I can show you on my Twitter timeline. It is very long.


20 posted on 01/25/2018 3:46:36 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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