Posted on 10/13/2018 9:28:31 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
On Friday, Turkish officials released U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been imprisoned for the past two years on alleged charges of conspiring with illegal groups. Brunson was released upon a ruling that said the 24-months the U.S. pastor spent in detainment was sufficient for the courts three-year sentence.
The imprisonment of Brunson has been a sore spot in U.S.-Turkey relations, with the U.S. applying pressure through increased tariffs and sanctions against Turkey over the summer, resulting in a rapid devaluation of the Turkish lira. While this may seem like a positive development in bilateral relations, the Brunson case fatally wounded the credibility of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan/his administration.
First, by identifying the Erdoğan administration as "hostage-taking," the Brunson case has lowered the Turkish government on par with regimes like North Korea and Iran that have isolated themselves from the international community. In September last year, Erdoğan said, "'Give us the pastor back,' they say. You have one pastor as well. Give him (Gülen) to us. Then we will try him (Brunson) and give him to you." The Turkish government alleges that Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Muslim cleric who resides in Pennsylvania, orchestrated the failed coup in July 2016. The president's preacher swap comment made international headlines. But despite all the diplomatic rows, Erdoğan was not able to get Gülen, and he was left with no choice but to send Brunson to U.S. President Trump through squabbling. At the end of Brunson episode, Erdoğan appeared as a hostage taker, but a failed one.
The second result of the Brunson debacle was the load it undoubtedly placed on Turkey's economy. During Brunson's previous trial on June 18, the Turkish lira was 4.62 to the dollar, and, in few weeks after the decision for Brunson to remain detained but under house arrest,..
(Excerpt) Read more at ahvalnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org ...
Turkish Credibility? (Zero)
Turkish Economy? (Terrible)
Turkish aid to Terrorists? (Continuing; ISIS, al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, ++)
NATO? (very shaky as long as the Islamist control Turkey and Turkey pursues Russian military equipment.)
I found the article gives a very complete and accurate assessment of relationship with Turkey. It does not mention the military side of the equation. No one imagines the US ever firing on Turkish soldiers. Their Merc's in Syria? Might be possible, certainly if they fired on US troops.
Time to dissolve NATO as far as I am concerned.
When listing 9 outcomes, make it clear so it is explicit to the reader what the 9 outcomes are. There is nothing labeled 5 or 5th nor anything labled 7 or 7th. Don't make me guess what you are counting.
If that is not bad enough, and one ignores that and reads ot the end one discovers that he misses the ultimate point regarding lasting damage. He suggests that tensions will be relieved.
That is not how Trump negotiates. He doesn't negotiate at gun point. You hold our hostage? There is nothing to talk about except how much more time you have before your negotiations are with Mad Dog for how much of your stuff will get blowed up before you give in. If it is not already too late.
This isn't the end of the beginning. This is just clearing a precondition for a beginning to begin.
Nothing in Erdogan’s actions indicate a change of attitude or aims.
Right after Brunson was released, Erdo made a threat about Manbij in Syria. U.S. forces directly support the SDF in Manbij. You are right, Trump will not change that.
If Turkey’s surrogates attack US forces, it is clear, they will return fire to end the conflict. Even Crazy Erdo knows better than to cross that threshold.
Fine, we can move to Poland where they would love to have a US base.
With our without NATO.
It could become a substitute for NATO. With real Allies, not enemies pretending to be allies.
Once Germany does this, and make no mistake-a European army is a German Army, do we really want Gernmany under a would be totalitarian woman to develop a real military capable of real deployment and real action outside of Germany? Germany does have a history of three major aggressive wars against its neighbors in 70 years.
Not sure the German military is up to the task. And with other European nations, having very small militaries, the EU army sin’t goign to be much.
Some of those countries military assets, in total, don’t add up to 100,000 folks.
Freed Pastor Brunson Kneels Down and Prays for President Trump in White House (VIDEO)
Gateway Pundit
Posted on 10/13/2018 2:01:39 PM PDT by RevelationDavid
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3696322/posts
It was a good article in that it related the facts of the matter clearly in the beginning of the article.
Later when it became rhetoric opinion, I did stop reading because it wasn’t particularly compelling.
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