File photo of U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets are pictured at Incirlik airbase in Adana. Reuters
Charles Wald, Defense One: Get Ready to Walk Away from Incirlik
As U.S.-Turkey relations cool, retaining access to the air base will require ending our dependence on it.
Turkey’s Incirlik airbase has supported America’s most vital strategic needs for more than a half century, first during the Cold War and more recently in the fight against terrorists. Now, as its host country becomes less stable and less friendly to the United States, the best way to ensure continued access to this large and well-located base is to prepare to do without it.
In July, the Turkish government publicly accused the U.S. of backing a failed coup. More recently, Ankara pledged to deepen military cooperation with Russia, bombed U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish units fighting ISIS, then complicated the war against ISIS by picking a fight with Baghdad over Mosul. After Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s recent tense trip to Turkey, there is no better time for Washington to rethink its reliance on Incirlik.
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WNU Editor: The U.S. is not going to abandon Incirlik. Turkey is an important ally, and member of NATO .... and while there are problems with the Erdogan government, it has not risen to the level where the U>S. must now look for alternatives.
4 comments:
Turkey is a NATO ally and Turkey's ally, the United States is economically and militarily the most powerful country on the Earth. All things shall pass and both countries have great dependence on the other.
I don't know much but my gut instinct agrees with you... It seems like the world keeps forgetting that the United States is the most powerful country in the world and for very good reasons. It slaways suproses me to think there are still people that think The totalitarian leaders of country's like Russia and China would would be a better choice to align with over Western countries. A recent egsample of this is the beligerant leader of the Philipeens choosing to end its partnership with The U.S. And switch over to China...
I see non Salafis getting their teeth get kicked-in in Turkey.
The only reason to hang on is perhaps Turkey would move into Russia's camp faster.
With allies like this we don't need enemies!
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