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The U.S. is trying to damage Turkey's prestige, said a Turkish expert on Wednesday.
“The U.S. is acting on a policy to sideline Turkey and damage Turkey’s prestige,” said Mesut Hakki Casin, department head at Istanbul Istinye University's department of international relations.
Relations between Ankara and Washington have been tense in recent months over the detention of U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey over terror-related charges.
According to Casin, the Trump administration is trying to capitalize on the Brunson issue domestically for the upcoming midterm Congress elections to be held in November.
U.S. assistance to the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen has amounted to killing innocent Yemeni civilians, the New York Times argued in its newspaper.The op-ed piece cited reports by the UN and international watchdog Human Rights Watch, which said the Saudi coalition is responsible of war crimes in Yemen.The report also emphasized the role of the U.S. in not only selling weapons to the coalition but also providing military assistance."It’s time for the United States and its Western allies to stop selling arms or giving any military assistance to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners," the newspaper wrote Tuesday.Saudi-led coalition to respond to UN Yemen reportThe majority of U.S. aid to coalition forces in Yemen have been in aerial combat, which received criticism when a U.S. made bomb was used to target a school bus, killing dozens of Yemeni children.According to CNN, the weapon was a 500 pound laser guided MK-82 bomb made by Lockheed Martin, one of the top defense contractors in the U.S. The bomb was sold to Saudi Arabia in a State Department approved arms deal.The violence in Yemen has devastated the country's infrastructure, including its health and sanitation systems, prompting the UN to describe the situation as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters of modern times”.About 6,660 civilians have been killed and 10,563 injured in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015, according to the UN Human Rights Office.Saudi-led coalition air strikes in Yemen may amount to war crimes: UNInternational organizations are not the only ones who have become irritated by the record of the coalition forces.“Clearly, we’re concerned about civilian casualties, and they know about our concern,” Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian told the New York Times.The Times said the next step for the U.S. should be to cut off aid to Saudi Arabia, a move that is not likely to happen.Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Tuesday that while U.S. support to Saudi Arabia is not unconditional, it will continue to provide assistance to coalition forces fighting in Yemen.
US aiding Saudi war crimes in Yemen: NY Times
“[U.S. President Donald] Trump was aiming to conduct election propaganda by welcoming the pastor from the airplane before the midterm House and Senate elections,” Casin said.
Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system and the U.S. threat to withhold F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets from Ankara have also strained ties between the two NATO allies.
Casin said Ankara would find alternate suppliers and resort to judicial proceedings against Washington if the U.S. failed to deliver the jointly produced fighter jets.
"Turkey, along with its $40 billion defense budget and control over NATO’s southern flank as well as three continents, will have been lost to the U.S.," said Casin, adding that the U.S. would be unable to remain in the region without Turkish support.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu divulged details from Turkey’s Fourth Reform Action Group Meeting in a joint press conference on Wednesday.Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey will prioritize reforms linked to its European Union accession process in the coming period and expects to see results from its efforts, including on the issue of visa liberalization.The foreign minister added that Turkey will work on accelerating political reforms, focusing on the judiciary, freedoms and fundamental rights.Çavuşoğlu said that talks on updating the customs union with the EU must start again. He also said Turkey did not expect new chapters to be opened regarding its EU accession talks while Austria has the term presidency of the blocTurkey will shape the region’s future: ErdoğanHuman rightsJustice Minister Gül said his department would prioritize an action plan regarding human rights and the judiciary. He stated that the plan would be revised and steps would be taken to advance human rights matters.Reducing account deficit “We will implement the action plan developed with our banks and real sector more effectively. Export and import figures demonstrated a positive indicator. Our aim to reduce current account deficit will continue to be one of our main goals. We will implement policies for fighting inflation in 2019,” Finance Minister Albayrak said.“We want to build strong infrastructure in Turkey’s financial system so that it may resist regional and global attacks. We will be far more powerful in the new world order,” he added.Turkey's foreign trade deficit down in JulyAlbayrak dubbed the reform meeting as “historic,” and hailed the stance displayed by EU states following attacks by the United States targeting the Turkish economy.“Over the past few months, there has been turbulence in our region and in global economy caused by the U.S. Countries that have suffered in terms of trade balance have gained motivation to run a new process differently. U.S. moves have sparked question marks in Turkey and many EU countries. I will most likely visit Britain and Germany next week. We will make medium and long term plans with our counterparts,” Albayrak said.EU securityInterior Minister Soylu emphasized that Turkey was a key partner of the EU in matters such as security.“Turkey is fulfilling its role in areas such as the fight against terror, irregular migration and the war on drugs, and all these matters directly relate to Europe’s security. This meeting clearly confirms the will of Turkey and the EU in favor of reforms. Turkey has remained committed to the March 18 agreement,” Soylu said.In March 2016, Turkey and the EU signed a deal aiming to stem the irregular migration flow through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving conditions for nearly 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.Turkish finance minister says does not see big risk to economy
Turkey to prioritize EU reforms, expects to see results: FM
Another danger to relations between the two countries is the U.S.'s provision of large amounts of military equipment to terrorist groups in Syria, such as the YPG/PKK, which threaten Turkish interests and security, Casin said.
“Images showing the U.S. deployment of advanced air defense systems for PYD/PKK terrorists in Syria constitute a flagrant violation of the 5th and 6th articles of [the] NATO [Treaty]. These [systems] will block Turkey in its fight against terrorist elements in the region,” said Casin.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including many women and children.
Turkey will shape the future of the entire region upon reaching its 2023 vision goals, vowed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a Victory Day message published Wednesday. “Like at every stage in our history, today we’re fighting for all the oppressed and destitute with the hope that binds us all together,” the message read. “I believe that today we’re on the brink of new victories as well. Surely, we will win this fight together with those who put their trust in Turkey,” Erdoğan’s message concluded.The Turkish leader’s message comes on the eve of the 96th anniversary of Victory Day, which is celebrated on Aug. 30, commemorating victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar, in Turkey's Aegean province of Kütahya in 1922, as part of the Great Offensive.The last week of August marks two key historical victories by Turkish forces: the Battle of Malazgirt on Aug. 26, 1071, which saw Seljuk Turks defeat a Byzantine army and open up Anatolia for Turkish domination.It also marks the start of the Great Offensive of Aug. 26, 1922, which saw invading Greek forces' eventual defeat at the hands of the Turkish army.Erdoğan talks to German counterpart over phone'Issue not about myself, but Turkey, Islam': ErdoğanTurkish president marks 1071 victory at Malazgirt
Turkey will shape the region’s future: Erdoğan
Exploration and extraction of energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean is also an issue of contention for Turkey and its neighbors.
According to Casin, the U.S. is conducting maneuvers through its military bases in the region in order to block Turkish exploration of hydrocarbons in the area, ultimately aiming to “eliminate" Turkey’s exclusive economic zone in the eastern Mediterranean.
Casin explained that failure by the U.S. to improve relations would lead it to “lose Turkey and cause Turkey to leave NATO”.