Turkey may block Finland, Sweden from joining NATO

[867-5309.]

"President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday it was not possible for NATO-member Turkey to support plans by Sweden and Finland to join the pact, saying the Nordic countries were "home to many terrorist organisations".

Though Turkey has officially supported enlargement since it joined NATO 70 years ago, its opposition could pose a problem for Sweden and Finland given new members need unanimous agreement..."

https://www.reuters.com/world/erdogan-says-turkey-not-positive-finland-sweden-joining-nato-2022-05-13/

[David__77]

1. Consensus politics are interesting.

It’s certainly an opportunity for Turkey or other NATO states to try to get what they want including in non-security realms.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. OK Tayyip Erdogan . . . . . how much ????

[Deb]

4. 1+

Could be cheaper to pay everyone else to vote Turkey out. What a disgusting show of poor faith this is.

[harumph]

6. ding ding ding!

[Arazi]

24. He wants our F15s

[Samrob]

3. Can he identify these terrorist groups? nt

[Buckeyeblue]

7. That's what I was thinking. Who are these mad skiing terrorists?

[Marcuse]

8. Kurds.

[Faux pas]

5. Hmm

I'd trade turkey for Finland and Sweden.

[JohnSJ]

9. Any day. We should tell Turkey that those jets they wanted, they can forget about now

[Faux pas]

17. We

shouldn't be dong them ANY favors. That's scary.

[Mister Ed]

10. If only NATO didn't need Turkey so badly.

Turkey's geographical location has made it a bulwark against Russian expansion all these years, but it's still a very troublesome NATO member.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

12. Yep

There is a greater likelihood of Turkey withdrawing from NATO than NATO kicking Turkey out.

[LiberalLovinLug]

29. Especially now. They know that obviously.

Using their geographical position in this war to squeeze out concessions.

[ripcord]

11. Can we now go after the countries that blocked Ukraine's membership? nt

[Marcuse]

13. Turkey: The Joe Manchin of NATO.

[Fullduplexxx]

15. Ha! I like it

[IronLionZion]

14. White people can't be terrorists. Every white person knows that

the problem is both countries have supported Kurdish political parties and groups in Turkey. Erdogan would like to murder such people without consequence.

Long term I would like to see an independent Kurdistan and we can build a new air base there when we get thrown out of Incirlik. There's no easy solution for access to the Black Sea though.

[UTUSN]

16. Doesn't a member siding with the hostile power (NATO vs Russia/ex-USSR) negate membership?

The whole raison d'etre for NATO is to combine against Russia (ex-USSR). Seems like a member negating the whole raison d'etre signs it out of the outfit.

[Wicked Blue]

18. The pot calling the kettle black

Typical Russky projection propaganda

[moonshinegnomie]

20. start a nato 2

and exclude turkey

problem solved

[Trust_Reality]

21. That occurred to me also.

Turkey seems like a really big nuisance, at best. Would we want to go to war to defend Turkey? Not me!

[roamer65]

28. The EU.

Finland and Sweden are already members.

The EU needs to start taking on a larger military defense role.

[BannonsLiver]

23. Meh. Just do it anyway. He is of no consequence.

[w0nderer]

25. K & R keeping eye on N/T

[BlueWavePsych]

26. Kick

[roamer65]

27. There is nothing stopping NATO members individually signing defense pacts with them.

The UK has already done it.

[Haggis 4 Breakfast]

30. I find it difficult to understand WHY in the 21st century

That ONE person can stand in the way of an overwhelming majority.

Erdogan has NO authority over the vote of NATO nations. Give Finland and Sweden their membership. Let him have his temper tantrum, and reveal to the world what his true agenda is for all to see.

I remember his trip to the WH, when he brought with him a number of street thugs who proceeded to beat American citizens protesting Turkish policy nearby. He had NO respect for American citizens, American Laws and the Constitution's First Amendment right to free speech. He is nothing but a thug himself. I am tired of thugs pushing people and countries around.