Turkey finds itself once again in an awkward position between fellow NATO members and Iran as it mulls a proposal to place a major component of a US missile defense system on its soil.
Depending on how it is resolved, the issue could exasperate or quell worries in Washington that Turkey is drifting away from the West.
The US would like Turkey to host a radar for its European missile shield and to support a proposal to make missile defense a core mission for NATO. After initial enthusiasm about the radar, Turkey has hesitated. Its main consideration is that it does not want the missile defense system to explicitly target Iran.
Turkey also does not want NATO to go on record at its Nov. 19 to Nov. 21 summit in Lisbon identifying Iran publicly as a ballistic missile threat.
US and NATO officials have clearly identified Iran as the most immediate threat, even pegging the timing of building missile defense to projected advances in Iran’s missile capabilities. Turkey offers an advantage over other US allies for the placement of the system’s radar: It is next door to Iran.
Turkey has an interest in not alienating Tehran. It is increasingly dependent on Iranian energy resources and eager to expand trade. Its relatively close relationship with Iran, however, has been an irritant in relations with Washington.
A last-minute nuclear-fuel swap deal with Tehran brokered by Turkey and Brazil ahead of a UN Security Council vote on sanctions in June was swiftly rejected, and US officials reacted with anger when Turkey voted against the sanctions.
The disagreement has bolstered doubt about Turkey’s commitment to Western institutions at a time that its bid for membership of the EU has stalled. With a booming economy and growing regional clout, Turkey has been cultivating its ties to neighboring countries and powers outside the West.
Turkey says the concerns reflect a misunderstanding. It says its relations with Europe and the US will not suffer as it expands its influence in other directions, and it has sought to position itself as a broker between the West and the Middle East.
Turkish officials argue that its ties with Tehran provide unique influence that the West should make use of.
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said this week at a conference on US-Turkish relations that the US is not pressuring Turkey on the missile defense issues, but a Turkish refusal of the radar or problems negotiating the NATO statement could spike tensions. Both sides say they are looking for a solution.
“We do want to reach a deal,” Selim Yenel, Deputy Undersecretary in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said in an interview. “We don’t want any problems at the NATO summit. It should be finalized by then.”
A solution could involve downplaying mention of Iran as the motivation for building missile defense. However, with anger at Iran running high in the US, the administration of US President Barack Obama may find that an uncomfortable compromise.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number