Posted on 05/17/2022 4:23:28 PM PDT by blam
An op-ed in CNN this week has called on NATO to expel Turkey if it doesn’t agree to admit new applicants Finland and Sweden into the Western military alliance. Ankara has so far appeared to slam the door on the prospect, calling the Scandinavian nations “terror supporters” over the outlawed Kurdish PKK issue.
The piece by David Andelman, a member of the influential Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), begins by lashing out at both Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. “Russian President Vladimir Putin has just enough allies in just enough places to throw a wrench in the efforts of Western alliances to thwart his ambitions — deepening the wedge between member states that suits his purposes to a tee,” it begins.
Andelman argues that both these countries – with Turkey being NATO’s second largest military behind the United States – threaten the West’s unified front in standing up to Putin.
“With these kinds of useful friends in Orban and Erdogan, Putin may be perfectly positioned to continue on his current path in Ukraine or beyond — with impunity,” he writes, further calling them “lone strongmen” who have managed to “burrow their way deeply into democratic executions.” It should be noted as an aside that we didn’t see any anti-Erdogan arguments from Andelman as the Turkish strongman helped execute America’s proxy war against Assad in Syria – in fact, quite the opposite.
Back to the present and US policy in Ukraine, Andelman questinos: “So, what to do about these toxic delays being forced by Hungary and Turkey? The answer is sadly simple — play the same game Putin’s been playing for years. When you can’t win by traditional rules, go around them.”
He argues for ignoring Erdogan and Orban until the inevitable diplomatic crisis among allies that is sure to ensue leads to their complete exit from NATO and the EU…
In this case, do carve-outs. Make Orban and Erdogan irrelevant. All 26 other EU members should simply implement the oil embargo. And NATO should simply pave the way for Sweden and Finland’s accession.
What’s the worst Hungary or Turkey could do — sue? Pull out? There was a lot of thought given toward banishing Turkey from NATO anyway — especially after Erdogan bought Russian S-400 air defense systems from Russia three years ago.
Quoting Harvard international relations professor Robert I. Rotberg, Andelman adds that “The ‘unanimity’ rule was foolish to begin with and now is the time to test it.” Indeed all 30 NATO states would have to achieve consensus to admit a new member. But instead, Sweden and Finland seeking fast-tracked entry is more that likely going to result in tying NATO (and the EU, regarding the oil embargo question) up “in knots”.
Some other prominent pundits, such as the below Toronto Sun columnist, have lately been arguing the same…
Expel Turkey from NATO. That should resolve multiple challenges. Until now, Turkey has been a Fifth Column of Islamism embedded within the West to undermine it. https://t.co/eSwfPMd5lf
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) May 13, 2022
With Russia’s war and aggression in Ukraine being increasingly presented to the Western public as an ‘existential threat’ to democracy and peace, it’s likely calls for isolating Turkey especially in the context of the Finnish and Swedish membership bids will only grow.
Let the Turks back in once they have ceded about 1/3 of their eastward land to the Kurds and we recognize Kurdistan. No border dispute, let both of them in. We make sure Kurdistan includes claimed areas of northern Iran and northern Iraq and Syria.
However, there is a provision for a country to leave if they so desire. 🙂
History says don’t f ‘ with Turkey.
That's the only reason we even talk about Turkey. It controls Russia's access to the Mediterranean.If it weren't for that, Turkey would be just another corrupt, Mid-Eastern mess.
We live in interesting times.
I’m no fan of Turkey and hate Erdogan, but from a strategic angle this would be huge mistake.
Well, Italians are expecting 20 million Africans to storm into Europe as a result. More winning.
Well, poo. I’ve been calling for Turkey to be booted out of NATO for more than a decade, and especially so for the last half a dozen years or so, but if the US media is calling for that, I may have to rethink my position.
Heh, if this were really the US media calling for it, sure. It’s more like the fake tribes that are set up for the sole purpose of blocking drilling or pipelines.
Viewers or voters have no say. It is in the hands of people we did not elect, and can never truly know. This is a true “Come to Jesus” moment in history. We are forced to choose a side. It is not a nation, or a cause that is driving this, it is evil in control.
If the Pope is head of the Mafia, does he turn it around to be a charitable organization? No, he becomes corrupted or he is removed. The same goes for President Trump, or any human being. World events are beyond the ability of mankind to repair.
What is going on now, is irreversable by human hands.
America is already hated. If not for fear of the power of the US, americans living abroad would be massacred.
I see the same thing, including the corruption of the mind on FR, and I weep.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.