Erdogan risks US ties with provocations

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http://atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-140114.html



Erdogan risks US ties with provocations
By Jayson Browder

The current corruption scandal in Turkey has the potential to diminish hard-earned gains that the United States has recently made in the Middle East from the Iranian nuclear and Syria chemical weapons deal. It could also derail one of the most important partnerships the United States has in the region.

This would be a shame, as diplomatic ties between Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Barack Obama of the United States are of the utmost importance for both countries. This is not only true for the leverage the US gains with its relations to Turkey in regards to American foreign policy priorities in Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Israel, but also for Turkey and the US in terms of both bilateral economic relations which reached US$19 billion in 2011 and military sales to Turkey of $3.8 billion in the last three years.

It would be a serious miscalculation for both countries to allow current emotions, accusations, and abrupt judgments sour diplomatic relations when the stakes are this high.

On December 17, police raids were initiated in Turkey culminating in the detention of many of the government's public officials, the CEO of the state-owned Halkbank, and the sons of three cabinet level ministers. The allegations of corruption and bribery has had a rippling effect on all aspects of the country from the political institutions and judicial foundations to economic establishments.