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 Erdogans position at home and in the wider region. And given Turkeys military weakness and the Kurds military power, Americas 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 Americas 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 Turkeys decision would have consequences for its planned purchase of 100 F-35s.
snip
Turkeys 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 ...
Erdogan purged his military many years ago!
Iran and Trukey want to provide China a southern route that bypasses Russia. Russia doesn't want that.
Note the gap Afghanistan poses between the southern green lines. Without that gap China can ship it's goods straight to Europe and much of the mid east.
China desperately wants Yuan spent on oil to come back- to be spent on Chinese manufacture.
Note the Kurdish area is also a chokepoint.
Erd (who is a transitional leader until a Chibese puppet replaces him) proffers to subject the Kurds by force for China. That won't happen.
Turkey is lost to China, though a wise leader would position it between the West and the East, that's not happening.
It is not about railways, it is about oil pipelines.
Sorry. That’s just stupid. Energy is cheap.
China has billions in goods to sell.
I agree. But at some point we are going to have to kick them out of NATO.
Cheapest shipping is by water.
Railroads are for heavy industrial material today.
They appear to be at the point to leave on their own action.
And even the EU are growing weary of this, but want the oil and gas to reduce dependency upon Russia.
I never saw the cartoon before, but long ago read about the “sick man of Europe”.
Thanks.
Enpty tankers can’t carry smartphones or refrigerators. The Malacca Straits is at full capacity.]
China needs rail.
“Very good article.
Caroline Glick is a great addition to the Breitbart Staff.”
This was an excellent article.
NATO members see the increasing enmity developing under Erdogan. Not only are Incirlik’s role in NATO and Turkey’s future F-35 purchases in doubt, but so is their future purchase of Leopard tank upgrades from Germany.
Yes, she understands the region and the players.
She is on excellent terms with Bibi. smile.
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