When did NATO go from being a defensive alliance to an offensive one?
“When did NATO go from being a defensive alliance to an offensive one?”
Turkey claims that they are only crossing their border into Afrin in response to terrorists operating from there. There is little credibility that actual attacks were coming from there, but everybody knows that the Kurdish groups there are politically affiliated with the PKK (which has historically engaged in a massive terrorist campaign inside Turkey).
The Syrian Kurdish YPG/YPJ, who were our essential allies on the ground to defeat ISIS, have the same political association to the PKK, so it is a real tough issue for the USA. The elements in Afrin are separate and cutoff from the elements who fought with us against ISIS, so we don’t have the same level of alliance with them, but as far as the Syrian Kurds are concerned, they are all one family.
Despite the fig leaf claim of responding to some supposed attack, and hostile political associations, the nature of Turkey’s assault has brought widespread criticism from Western countries. Civilian targets have been attacked, jihadi mercenaries hopped up on amphetamines have been unleashed, and prisoners apparently murdered - either after being tortured, or having their bodies mutilated and defiled after they were killed.
The Afrin attack, Turkey’s support of jihadis, its increasing domestic political repression and hostility in relations with Western Countries, are all seriously endangering Turkey’s continued membership in NATO. People are tentatively looking at the mechanisms of suspending membership, and definitely considering options to Incirlik Air Base (perhaps with several smaller facilities around the region).
Since Clinton handed off control of NATO to the EU.