Erdogan warns to close the US military base in Turkey： Is it serious？

US Secretary of Defense Esper (Source: Reuters)

　　Overseas Network December 17th　Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo? an recently said that Turkey was considering closing the US military base in Turkey when the United States wanted to impose additional sanctions on Turkey. In response, US Defense Secretary Esper said at a press conference on the 16th that he needed to talk with his Turkish counterpart in the Ministry of National Defense.

　　According to Reuters, Esper said, "I just got this news from the newspaper, too. I need to talk to my Turkish counterpart in the Ministry of Defence to find out what they really mean and how serious they are."

　　Esper said that if Turkey really wants to close the Kurecik base, NATO needs to discuss this issue. "They are sovereign countries and have the right to choose whether to provide a station for NATO or foreign troops. If they really take this matter seriously, I think this becomes a problem that the alliance needs to solve, because this is your commitment to the alliance. "

　　On the 11th, the US Senate passed a resolution that the Ottoman massacre of Armenians in 1915 was genocide. This historic move angered Turkey and dealt another blow to the already problematic relationship between Ankara and Washington. At the same time, the US Senate passed a bill to impose sanctions on Turkey’s invasion of Syria on October 9.

　　Erdogan warned on 15th that he might close Gilica air base and Kurecik radar base in response to US sanctions and resolutions. Because Gilica Air Force Base has always been the main base for US operations in the Middle East, the US military has used it to fight the "Islamic State" forces entrenched in Syria and Iraq. The Kurechik radar base is the main base of NATO, where a large number of early warning radars are arranged to defend against ballistic missile attacks.

　　In addition, Ankara and Washington have been arguing over Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 system. Washington said that the system is incompatible with NATO’s defense system and poses a threat to its F-35 stealth fighter. Earlier this year, the United States suspended Turkey’s F-35 procurement and production plan to punish Turkey for purchasing Russian S-400 system, and repeatedly warned that the United States may impose sanctions on the transaction. (Li Fang)