Lots of delayed praise for Turkey on how it responded to Russian airspace violations on its Syrian border a decade ago. And yes, Turkey shot down a Russian aircraft which had violated its airspace in 2015. But let's remember a few facts: (1)
NATO can draw a red line with Putin. Turkey showed how. wapo.st/4gNnZP6
NATO can draw a red line with Putin. Turkey showed how. wapo.st/4gNnZP6
1. NATO hardly stood by Turkey beyond rhetoric at the time, calling for restraint. The message was NATO does not want further confrontation. Patriots were pulled back from Turkey
2. Economic and political price was BIG. Russia imposed sanctions and rallied behind the PKK
2. Economic and political price was BIG. Russia imposed sanctions and rallied behind the PKK
3. Russian meddling on the Kurdish issue contributed to the breakdown of the Turkish-Kurdish peace process, with a huge cost to everyone.
4. Eventually Erdogan wrote a letter to Putin expressing remorse for shooting down of the plane
4. Eventually Erdogan wrote a letter to Putin expressing remorse for shooting down of the plane
5. Ankara had to concede to Russian takeover of Aleppo, with a barbaric campaign and huge cost in human lives. (But Turkey was able to preserve allied groups in Syrian opposition, which eventually toppled Assad).
6. Turkey bought Russian S-400 missiles in order to reach a deal w Russia to preserve its foothold in Syria. But this came at a heavy cost in its relations with the West and Ankara faced CAATSA sanctions and was kicked out of F35 program.
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