Saturday 13 October 2018

Trump’s Huge Win in Turkey Could Have Big Impact

Image result for andrew brunson turkey

President Trump’s securing the release of an American pastor held in Turkey could have a huge impact on defense relations within NATO. The Washington Examiner:
Key senators indicated Friday that Turkey’s release of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson could help ease tensions that have threatened the sale of F-35 joint strike fighters to Ankara.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., spearheaded legislation suspending transfers of the jets over the imprisonment of the pastor on terrorism charges, and said his release after a court hearing Friday was a positive development.The detention, along with Turkey’s plans to buy a Russian S-400 missile defense system, had outraged Tillis and other lawmakers including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who targeted Ankara’s plans to purchase 100 of the F-35s and manufacture components of the aircraft.
“We pursued a number of diplomatic and policy channels that kept the pressure on. The Turkish government ultimately made the right decision, which will undoubtedly help improve U.S.-Turkey relations moving forward,” Tillis said in a statement.
This is welcome news, since Turkey remains a critical ally in the fight against terrorism and is a large contributor to NATO.