Free Republic

Turkish autocrat Recep Tayyip Erdogan is coming to Washington, DC, on May 16 loaded for bear.  He has an ambitious agenda and apparently feels he can achieve it all because he holds “trump” cards against the President of the United States. Erdogan and his proxies have publicly said they want to convince the United States to jettison its budding alliance with the Syrian Democratic Union (PYD) and its armed wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the Kurdish group that has become the tip of the spear in the fight against ISIS in Syria. On this point, they will encounter resistance...

Donald Trump has congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his victory in Sunday's referendum that gave him sweeping new powers. The US president's phone call contrasts with concern by European leaders who have pointed out how the result-51.4% in favor of the changes-has exposed deep splits in Turkish society. Mr. Erdogan has rejected criticism from international monitors who said he had been favored by an "unequal campaign". "Know your place," he told them. The narrow victory was ruled valid by Turkey's electoral body, despite claims to irregularities by the opposition..... The call from Donald Trump was pre-arranged and the...