Deteriorated US/Turkey Relations

US/Turkish relations soured considerably since the 2016 aborted coup attempt to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He blamed the plot on ex-pat cleric Fethullah Gulen, living in Pennsylvania. Washington refuses to extradite him. No evidence indicates his involvement in what happened. He denies accusations against him.

While Erdogan’s relations with America soured, they’ve grown stronger with Russia since hitting a low point after a Turkish F-16 downed a Russian Su-24 attack aircraft in Syrian airspace on November 24, 2015.

On Sunday, the US embassy in Ankara issued a statement, saying “(w)e have suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all US diplomatic facilities in Turkey.”

“Recent events have forced the United States Government to reassess the commitment of the Government of Turkey to the security of US Mission facilities and personnel.”

The announcement followed the arrest of US Istanbul consulate communications officer Metin Topuz, a Turkish national, on charges of political and military espionage, as well as attempting to overthrow the Turkish government.

He’s accused of being a Gulen accomplice. He remains in custody. Washington called the charges against him baseless, Ankara’s action “undermin(ing) and devalu(ing) the longstanding (bilateral) relationship.”

It’s unclear if charges against Topuz are true or false. It’s well known that spies infest all US embassy and consular facilities worldwide, individuals posing as diplomats.

Ankara responded in kind to Washington’s action. On Sunday, its US embassy said “(r)ecent events have forced the Turkish government to reassess the commitment of the government of the United States to the security of Turkish mission facilities and personnel.”

Turkey is a NATO member, its military the alliance’s second largest after America’s. Both countries are “reassess(ing)” their bilateral security commitments.

Ankara appears no longer partnered with America’s Middle East imperial agenda, pursuing its own while cooperating with Russia and Iran.

Washington now treats Turkey as both ally (in NATO) and Eurasian adversary.

Erdogan is playing the Russia and US cards simultaneously, increasingly shifting his allegiance East, away from the West – another body blow to Washington’s imperial agenda.

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