Opinion: Erdogan, trapped between two missile deals, has put Turkey in a weak spot
Russian S-400 missile air defense systems on display during a parade at Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2018. By Asli Aydintasbas Asli Aydintasbas Email Bio Follow March 6 at 1:31 PM If you think Turkey’s relationship with the United States is currently very tumultuous, you haven’t seen anything yet.
But the dispute is about much more than which expensive toy Turkey buys. The Russians are trying to use cracks within NATO to destroy whatever is left of the “Western alliance.” Turkey is vulnerable because Erdogan finds it hard to move in Syria without Russian consent. Unlike Americans and Europeans, Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t care how Erdogan runs his country — and Erdogan appreciates that.
The next four months will probably mark an escalation. There is already manic maneuvering by everyone except the Russians. Putin is the ultimate mafia boss, and from Erdogan’s viewpoint, it is probably harder to say no to him than to Trump. Moreover, the Russians are offering Erdogan not just a weapons system but in some sense a permanent protection for his seat, as they have to their other allies, like Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro.
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