Bottom line, without Turkey and its strategic location, NATO military doctrine directed against Russia, China or even against middle east will cease to exist; period. Incirlik air base that is crucial for all US/NATO middle east
war, any footing to black sea, tactical nuke, missiles stationed since before Cuban missile crisis; ALL will disappear for NATO and US. Not to mentioned, all important listening post in the age of info warfare. So, Erdogan and Turkey for that matter should know the bluff.
This is crazy hyperbole, NATO military doctrine won't cease to exist, plans will be redrawn, simple as that.
And yes Turkey is in a strategically important position, but the best way I've seen it described is that Turkey is like the left nut of NATO. Its important and NATO wants to keep it, but if it has a tumour and threatens the rest of the body, it will be cut off anyways. Turkey is important, but not indespensible to NATO.
What NATO doctrine exists for China?
Turkey also isn't the only entry point to the Middle-East, just the easiest.
All these bully by US, EU and lately NATO are just for saving their tools which conducted the coup on their behalf AND to save US/EU SLEEPER CELL assets, accumulated over last 70+ years, hiding behind Turkish institutions.
Lol the benefit of outsing Erdogan in a coup is not worth the risk to a NATO country. Its basic risk reward analysis, are you familiar with it? Erdogan was pro NATO before the coup. As for so called sleeper cells, a baseless anti-western accusation with about as much justification as accusing the Turks in Germany of being sleeper agents.
As US involvement was clear it could not create direct pressure, so Kerry instead flew to Brussels to instruct EU/NATO puppets on how to bully Turkey in saving their SLEEPER CELL assets.
More crazy baseless accusations
Riding NATO bandwagon over last 20 years,
erm actually 55 years
Turkey was forced to facilitate (by providing base and logistics) NATO killing field in Iraq and Syria, strained its relation with neighbors, introduced insecurity for Turkey and Turkey lost unimaginable trade and business opportunities.
Oh the irony, as if Erdogan himself didn't order Turkish incursions into Iraq and arming of the Turkmen in Syria. That's rich. The Turks haven't been forced into anything they never agreed to.
Not to mention Turkey faced constant EU bully and hatred but no EU membership.
Not a NATO problem.
In contrast, for its part Turkey, has wide open, attractive and strategic options opened to it. These options include security with strategic depth of SCO - (Russia,China, Pakistan, Iran and CA),
First off an economic organization doesn't replace a military one, are you confused about what the SCO is and what NATO are?
In any case picking up on the possible intention of a military agreement with Russia China etc.
Russia would love to make Instanbul Constantinople again, and doesn't like the thought of Erdogan's Islamist sentiment when it comes to its sphere of influence in Central Asia, and China will never trust Turkey as long as they keep their position on Xinjiang, and otherwise cannot really help Turkey out in a conflict in the medium term.
Russia doesn't need or want Erdogan as an ally given his proclivities that go against their interests, they'll be just fine with Turkey's isolation.
When it comes to Turkey's borders Russia and Iran are the ones that matter (aside from Greece and NATO), and Iran won't alienate Russia and Syria and Armenia for Turkey and an Erdogan strongman not under their influence, or help Turkey if they come under an attack from anyone except possibly Saudi Arabia or Israel.
economic depth with energy hub to EU and market/infrastructure building opportunities in Eurasian mass, Silk road, middle east and Africa. EU are in decline and will continue to slide into lesser and lesser important entity.
Speculation, right now at this time, the EU is a very important market, and will be for the foreseeable future. Also unrelated to NATO.
So, keeping eye on future potential, why should Erdogan, Turkey and its future generation would give any hoot to EU and death/destruction doctrine of NATO?
Are you confused about what NATO is? It isn't an economic grouping, its a military grouping...
How does joining an economic organization with some counter terrorism purpose replace an explicit military organization with security guarantees?
Choices are clear, its time for Turkey and its brave people filter rubbish noise coming from US/NATO/EU and take the right steps.
Its an easy decision when you aren't Turkish and don't have to live with the consequences isn't it? Erdogan will do what he does, but you are obviously not thinking about Turkey's interests, just thinking of it as a pawn in your anti-West crusade.
You mean the judges and police officers....if we were going through normal times, i would object to him. But we are going through extra-ordinary times which needs extra-ordinary actions.
Hopefully the extraordinary times are brief and not a precursor of things to come, these extraordinary actions have a way of becoming the norm, both in France (still in a 'state of emergency') and in the US ('patriot act').
What Erdogan is doing is much farther reaching, working into the very depths of Turkey's judiciary and legal system. It looks like a very delicate and easily corruptible thing to me basically, especially with how Erdogan has treated free-speech.
The only test that matters to me at this point I suppose is whether Erdogan will leave at the end of two 5 year terms or not, whatever else he does, as long as it doesn't lead to the destruction of Turkey, can be forgiven if he shows he is not intending to become the next sultan. All other indications are not good.