Pentagon worried Turkey ‘spinning out’ of NATO orbit

Jack DetschDecember 13, 2019

Defense Secretary Mark Esper told an audience at a New York think tank he was worried that Turkey is “spinning out” of the NATO orbit, perhaps the most strident language the Pentagon chief has used to describe the ongoing rift between the allies since he took the job in July.

Full quote: "I'm very concerned about Turkey's direction. I think they are spinning out of the NATO orbit and we need to work hard to get them back in."

Esper added that Turkey appears to be moving counter to key NATO foreign policy objectives: “We had them holding up planning in NATO and this unwarranted incursion in Syria is just not helpful.”

Why it matters: This is the third time in a week the Pentagon chief has raised concerns about Turkey creating distance with NATO alliance, indicating that Ankara’s courtship of Russian military hardware and two-month incursion into Syria are continuing to fray military ties with the United States.

The Senate also recognized the Armenian genocide, a measure that overwhelmingly passed the House last month, after the White House finally decided not to block the move after instructing Republicans to stop it three times.

Know more: Read Metin Gurcan’s latest on a potential off-ramp for US-Turkey tensions — if Ankara opts not to purchase missiles for the Russian S-400 air defense system.

Found in:NATO, RUSSIAN INFLUENCE

Jack Detschis Al-Monitor’s Pentagon correspondent. based in Washington, Detsch examines US-Middle East relations through the lens of the Defense Department. Detsch previously covered cybersecurity for Passcode, the Christian Science Monitor’s project on security and privacy in the Digital Age. Detsch also served as editorial assistant at The Diplomat Magazine and worked for NPR-affiliated stations in San Francisco. On Twitter: @JackDetsch_ALM, Email: jdetsch@al-monitor.