Bagster
Posted on 07/27/2018 8:06:15 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump declared on Thursday the United States will impose sanctions on Turkey, a crucial NATO ally, in retaliation for the detention of an American pastor on terror and espionage charges.
Turkey's response was both harsh and dismissive, calling his words "unacceptable" and a "cheap threat."
Trump's promise of unspecified punishing action marks the latest deterioration in relations between Turkey and the U.S. as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers expand two years after a failed coup against his government.
Trump also has praised his counterpart, saying Erdogan's leadership is "getting very high marks."
The U.S has long depended on a key air base in Turkey's south, most recently to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State group.
Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson was first detained by Turkish authorities in the aftermath of the failed 2016 coup. On Wednesday, he was let out of jail after 1 1/2 years, transferred to house arrest because of "health problems," according to Turkey's official Anadolu news agency.
Trump said that was insufficient.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The world is very weary of his antics.
I don't see the source of the praise of Erdogan by Trump. I've heard excuses from the top leadership of NATO. But there is a limit for all abuse. The war crimes of his jihadi's in Efrin (Afrin) should be enough for global interests to decide to end this.
Bagster
This is mostly a domestic political move - but a very smart one.
I'm with you. With allies like that, who needs hostiles?
Turkiya ceased to be a "crucial" ally the day the Soviet Union fell apart. They have ceased to be any ally at all when they reneged on letting our mechanized forces go through Turkey to seal off Hussein's northern/western regions. They have become downright enemies of late in the matter of working against us in Syria and vs our allies the Kurds. Now lately, they have taken a belligerent stance toward our REAL crucial ally, Israel.
"Crucial ally"? Turkey? Who but an undereducated or mentally imbalanced person could write those words?
Yeah, it may be a domestic political move — maybe — but this is far and away more than Obama ever did, whether it was with Otto W. of this person. The point is Trump is not doing the usual nonsense of “quiet background diplomacy” he saying “GIVE US BACK OUR CITIZEN!”
Enough with coddling these penny ante dictators. This ain’t Obama’s estrogen regime any more.
Finally Trump is turning on Erdogan.
How mand decades has it been since Turkey acted anything like an ally? Six?
Since the Korean War.
A good political strategy kills many birds with one stone.
Erdogon is an incredibly bad actor. I fully support the President and sanctions for this slap in the face of all of Christianity. Perhaps we could take 1000 Moslem Clerics here and make an even trade. This would kill two birds with one stone.
Some truth to that. But it has gone south very rapidly since Erdogan the Islamist came to power. And now since he is the dictator (or wittle Sultan) after the last stolen election it has accelerated. Slippery slope to the great abyss.
Yes. And a very warranted one.
“Erdogan has previously linked Brunson’s return to the U.S. to the extradition of cleric Fethullah Gulen”
Sounds like they just grabbed this guy as a hostage, to use as a bargaining chip.
Yes, sir. Very Bad actor indeed. Of the Islamist breed.
Yes, indeed. From the very beginning.
My guess is that Erdogan will create some significant issue around Incirlik to demonstrate ‘control’ (like turning off the power for six hours at a time, or limiting the number of people to enter/exit the base).
In Trump’s world, it’ll be an invitation to just shut down US operations and leave.
“This is mostly a domestic political move”
To motivate Evangelical turnout in the midterms?
Even if it is for domestic consumption, it marks a significant change in relations, dropping the veneer of allies, and into open confrontation.
“Perhaps we could take 1000 Moslem Clerics here and make an even trade. This would kill two birds with one stone.”
That is a good point.
“My guess is that Erdogan will create some significant issue around Incirlik”
Erdogan has been brandishing Incirlik as his Trump card for the last few years, and NATO has had time to develop other options. The USA, and several of our allies, have been gradually moving assets out of there, especially since the coup attempt.
Perhaps this new public tone of open confrontation marks a change in the calculus over Incirlik, and therefor the Turkish regime.
You helped me see the light on that guy, TF. It is insane that they are in Nato. I wonder what we pay them for our air bases there. I say close those down. There is a sanction that I would love.
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