Turkey's International Defense Relations Challenge NATO Solidarity

摘要

Turkey's international standing among its NATO allies took a beating in 2019, and there is little sign of relations improving during 2020. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to invade Northern Syria to create a so-called safe zone for Syrian refugees, while also attacking Kurdish groups that allegedly support the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) militant group, prompted an international outcry, initiated embargoes and sent ripple effects through the alliance. Concerns remain that Turkey's actions may have enabled thousands of Islamic State group prisoners to escape and allowed foreign fighters to find their way home. Some fear that this could create a new terrorist threat, essentially nullifying the six-year campaign to defeat the group, which has seen its caliphate collapse thanks to the efforts Kurdish and Iraqi ground forces as well as those of the international coalition's air and ground campaign.