Posted on 07/21/2017 4:38:11 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
US President Donald Trump announced to withdraw Ambassador John Bass from Ankara and expressed intent to nominate him to Afghanistan in an email announcement.
Ambassador Bass has been under increasing criticism and attacks by President Erdogan’s media in recent weeks. Amb Bass, when started his post in Ankara gave his first interview to pro-Erdogan and AKP government media, Sabah to show his intent of better relations after his predecessor Ricciardione, who also had a difficult time towards the end of his service.
Last week Amb. Bass visited Amnesty International group to show solidarity after AI Turkey Director Idil Eser and Turkey chair Taner Kılıç arrested. His visit also attacked heavily by Erdogan media and targeted on front pages.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonhattius.com ...
John R. Bass of New York to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
I will not try to read more into this than has been stated.
What do you mean?
From Turkey to Afghanistan??? What’d this guy do, pinch Ivanka’s backside at the last gala? ;-)
2. He probably feels threatened.
3. This may be an attempt to diffuse a direct confrontation, or it may be an fairly serious act on the part of the US toward Turkey. To show our extreme displeasure.
4. This may be a nudge toward the Kemalist to handle Erdogan by action on their part.
I have a friend, who's niece and her husband are missionaries in Turkey. I'm quite concerned for them. Have told my friend so recently. He says they seem to be doing well, but I would not like to be in Turkey right now. It is a dictatorship. Arrests are arbitrary. No justification is necessary.
Arbitrary arrest might be thought in mind of the Ambassador. I cannot imagine such an act by Turkey (aka Erdogan) but anything is possible.
He may think Erdogan will put him in a Turkish prison.
Seems like a very common thing there.
It must be some western European under-the-table agreement. Merkel is stopping arms sales to Turkey. Trump is right to get our ambassador out - he doesn’t want a Benghazi on his watch.
Don’t we have bases in Turkey and what is being done to protect them and are assets from being seized.
Yes, Incirlik is a huge NATO base in Turkey.
And No, I don’t know what precautions are being taken.
This is not a declaration of war, but it is a serious action.
Turkey, under Erdogan, is trying very hard to isolate themselves from those poisonous influences of the West, and is hell-bent on re-establishing the Ottoman Caliphate.
Erdogan is taking Turkey on the road to Terror State, organizing a counterbalance to Saudi Arabia and Iran for influence in Islam.
His first wrath is going to be directed at the Kurds, the favorite boogiemen of the growing Jihadist movement that now grips Turkey. The Armenian Holocaust under the Ottomans will look like a practice run. And until the advent of the Nazi and Soviet death camps, an example of the most horrible genocide the world has known. Even Genghis Khan was more merciful in his conquests.
Hard to tell if the switch is due to dissatisfaction with Turkey or dissatisfaction with the ambassador.
There is a little problem with that.
Erdogan has gutted his military commanders, the Kemalist in Turkey see this happening, the Kurds are very good soldiers and currently we are engaged in battle to end ISIS with their help.
The rest of the “Free” World (slight sarcasm) is acting to bridle Erdogan.
And never forget, Saudi Arabia is a powerful nation. They do have great influence among Muslim in the ME. They see anyone allied with Iran as an enemy of SA.
Erdogan the Islamist, is on the wrong side of the battle to end ISIS.
Trump did not recall the Ambassador to the US.
He was recommending transfer to Afghanistan.
Look carefully at the actions of Germany and other Western nations toward Erdogan.
Trump has never, to his credit, taken hints on how to act from Germany and the rest of Europe. Usually you name a replacement at the same time as you pull an ambassador. Trump has also shown a willingness to improve relations with Turkey. And since this ambassador has apparently annoyed them then that begs the question of why.
What did he do? Leak to the Washington Post? I think I'd prefer a year or two in jail.
Looks like Ambassador John Bass (outgoing) is a career State Department guy, who has been on station in Turkey over two and a half years. So this could just be about time to move.
Another possibility, is that the Turks requested someone new, because he touched a nerve (a badge of honor).
It could also be that Ambassador Bass is being pulled for action in Afghanistan, a non-trivial assignment. I doubt that he would be selected for Afghanistan, if there was any question of his ability/performance.
Or, change may be in store fore US/Turkish relations, and someone is being picked who is viewed as better suited for the coming phase of relations (or just to get a new guy in there first, who will have enough tenure to see things through).
agree
Yes.
“What did he do?”
He met with recently arrested Human Rights activists(Amnesty International) in prison in Turkey.
As a result he receive bad press from the totally state run media(propaganda agency) in Turkey.
The ambassador is not the problem, Erdogan the Islamist is.
Being recalled is one thing but being consigned to hell on earth...one of several...is another.
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