It is what the Germans promised! Not us. They made the deal.
Turkey and the US share numerous mutual interests in security and intelligence. Furthermore, Turkey is strategically located.
The facts speak for themselves. There is a reason why Turkey fly’s F16, and will buy JSF. We do have troops there, we do support the mission in Iraq from there, they did give us not only over flight rights during the 2003 Iraq war, but also were on our side in 1991, they had/have troops in Afghanistan, they allow us use of the Bosporus to monitor Soviet naval activity, we had nukes stationed there............ No, you’re simply jumping to conclusions based on some assumption and stereotypes.
Turkey is the most Western Muslim nation there is. They are trying hard to conform to the requirements of the EU. From our perspective it makes complete sense to back Turkey in its endeavor for EU membership for two reasons:
• Mend relations strained by Iraq (We back the Kurds - and some of them are causing trouble for the Turks) etc. The Kurds are a double edged knife which while very useful in fighting Saddam, the most secure and stable region of Iraq, and causing trouble for Iran in their Northern areas, are ALSO causing problems for the Turks who are our allies as well.
• Our center of gravity today isn’t Europe but the Caucasus (Rep. Georgia), Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran), and North Africa (Libya); and Turkey WILL be a key nation in this equation in the long run.
• Payback for some European nations which “offered” their support for EU membership if the Turks decline the US offer of aid and loan guarantees. Germany was the primary culprit. Schroeder flat out offered them support for EU membership and today even most Germans would rather know nothing of this, but they “should” eat their own $hit in this matter.
• Our interests coincide on most vital issues security and economic: i.e. Russia, Iran, Belarus, energy issues, arms trade, etc.
Yes, it makes complete sense that we back the Turks. In Turkey there are the exact same types as you; people running around screaming at the top of their lungs about the US this, the US that. In the meantime Turkey does like the oil flowing from Northern Iraq, they see Iran as a threat just as we do, and they see the reemergence of Russia and the developments in Belarus with a close eye as well. The layperson on the street goes and watches their cheap movie which will portray a Turkish SF unit caught by us (Held as guests at BIAP) and sent to assassinate the mayor of Mosul (A minor detail not in their movie) as hero’s and feel good about themselves; not much unlike a Michael Moore made his quick dollar of Fahrenheit 911 which also panders to a certain group in the US and abroad. Nonetheless, Turkey is important to us as we are to them, and we both know this, at least at the ministerial levels and our support of Turkish EU membership makes complete sense.
What you are suggesting would be a “missed opportunity” to mend relations at little to no cost for us and let those who did all they could to screw us in 2002/03 off the hook for free.
For various reasons, not two. Typo, sorry.
‘Most Western Muslim....’
That make them so much better suited to be a positive influence in the Islamic world than a negative one in the Western orbit. Yep, It’s about Islam and Islam’s fundamental incompatibility with Western values.
When Islam emerges from the dark ages, perhaps there will be more to discuss. Until then, It’s all taqiya to me from a country that cannot even come clean on it’s treatment of Armenians in 1915.