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.
it’s a mistake
NATO is falling apart and it’s lovely
This gang in DC have managed to turn Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey into pro-Russian countries.
That took amazing skill.
;-)
“You say ‘No Finland! while we say ‘No Turkey!’
Let’s call the whole thing off!”
As Trump has said, NATO is an obsolete idea.
World power is more evenly distributed now vs 40 years ago.
NATO is like every other large bureaucracy—grows and grows and grows until it becomes a sick joke—and then it keeps growing some more....
U.S. media are so many ‘tards.
CNN, eh? I’m sure everyone is shaking in their boots. There will be an upswelling of CNN’s 2600 viewers demanding action.
Can Turkey be Expelled from NATO? It’s Legally Possible, Whether or Not Politically Prudent
The short answer is that there is no provision for NATO expulsion.
No Suspension Provision in the North Atlantic Treaty
Yet matters are not quite so simple. The founding instruments of many international organizations provide for the suspension of a member State’s rights, and even for the termination of its membership, in certain circumstances. Instruments of this kind include the United Nations Charter (Articles 5 and 6), the Statute of the Council of Europe (Article 8) and the Treaty on European Union (Article 7). Alas, the North Atlantic Treaty is not among them. No provision in the treaty foresees the suspension of membership rights, let alone the expulsion of an ally.
Even though Turkey is a cultural outlier to NATO it may not be so wise to throw them out. The control the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus straits.
As far as Orban goes he warns that a complete shutoff of Russian energy to Europe could lead to economic disaster. Europe is just behind Japan in terms of debt-to-GDP ratio, so he could be right.
Just wait until US sanctions on Russia result in widespread starvation in Africa, Middle East, South and Southeast Asia.
We will be so loved as leader of the free world.
Turkey is just a squeaky wheel looking for a little grease. Turkey will vote for entry, but there will be some reward for doing so.
“US Media”
Ha! Not anymore it isn’t. Hasn’t been for a long time.
“No provision in the treaty foresees the suspension of membership rights, let alone the expulsion of an ally.”
That is truly amazing—and shows stunning ignorance of history of the creators of those documents.
Nothing lasts in the land of homo sapiens.
NATO illegally bombed Libya offensively when it’s a defensive org, bombed them unprovoked, bombed them for Odumba with the U.S. “leading from behind” on unproven allegations that Gaddafi was going to kill 10k of his own people and ended up ruining Libya turning it into a slaver state.
NATO is as corrupt as Odumba is.
That's some three ring circus level contortion there. Well done!
“This gang in DC have managed to turn Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey into pro-Russian countries.
That took amazing skill.
;-)”
Foggy Bottom, the Pentagon, CIA, FBI, they’re all just brilliant I tell ya! And they have a hundred ways to destroy you if you cross them.
That does sound highly racist of the media…
Turkey ain’t gonna like that. Whenever Turkey gets involved with Europe….war ensues.
My exact reaction!
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