Turkey's Erdogan has a unique strategy for negotiating with America: threatening to strengthen Turkey's ties with an enemy.
The United States is working on closer defense ties with the Republic of Cyprus:
Since the United States signed a Statement of Intent on Security Cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus in 2018, both countries have taken remarkable steps to strengthen their security and defense bilateral relationship. The growing cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus and our shared interests in the Eastern Mediterranean aim to tackle emerging transnational threats and contribute to regional stability and security.
I've mentioned that Cyprus would be useful to replace the Incirlik air base in Turkey. Which we seem to have pondered.
As the Putin-Erdogan romance sours, America holds out hope of bringing Turkey in from the cold:
A multinational military exercise intended to improve interoperability between the U.S. Army and allied nations wrapped up its final phase in Turkey on Monday.
With Putin nearby, it's nice to have allies around you. Which the Turks will appreciate once Erdogan's futile autocrat bromance with Putin bites Turkey in the butt:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that recent talks with U.S. President Joe Biden had proved disappointing, and that his country, a NATO member, would seek closer ties with Russia.
And Erdogan thinks this will earn him Putin's friendship:
President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey still intended to buy a second batch of S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, a move that could deepen a rift with NATO ally Washington and trigger fresh U.S. sanctions.
As Turkey under Erdogan self-destructively flirts with Putin, Turkey needs to know we have a Plan B in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
