Turkey's Slow Drift Away From NATO

U.S. President Barack Obama listens as he hosts a bilateral meeting with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan during the NATO Summit at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales September 5, 2014. Larry Downing

New York Times editorial: Turkey’s Drift From NATO

The website of Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledges that NATO has played a “central role” in the country’s security and insists that Turkey, which became a member in 1952, “attaches utmost importance” to it. Yet Turkey’s commitment to the alliance has never seemed more ambivalent than it does now.

On crucial issues — from fighting the Islamic State to fielding integrated defense systems, which share information and operate together, to standing firm against Russian aggression in Ukraine — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government either are not cooperating fully or are acting in outright defiance of NATO’s priorities and interests. Add the fact that Turkey under Mr. Erdogan has become increasingly authoritarian, and it becomes apparent that the country is drifting away from an alliance whose treaty says it is “founded on the principles of democracy” as much as defense.

WNU Editor: Turkey has not been a reliable ally .... and I do not expect this to change in the foreseeable future. In the past year I have sometimes wondered if they are more concerned about the Kurds than the Islamic State. Case in point .... they permit even to this day Islamic State fighters to flow easily into Syria and Iraq .... but during the battle for Kobani they put severe restrictions on the Kurds who wanted to assist their people in the defense of the town. Turkey continues to refuse U.S. requests to fly combat missions from their air bases .... despite always publicly claiming that they are a good ally. They are also hosting a number of extremist organizations .... Hamas being the latest one .... and they have gone out of their way to antagonize Egypt with their support of the Muslim Brotherhood. And while I do not expect Turkey to drop out of NATO .... I have resigned myself to the realization that when it comes to regional issues in the Middle East .... expect Turkey to only act in protecting their own self interests .... regardless of what NATO may think or want.