Opinion: NATO is betraying its principles

[FarCenter]

In early fall some journalists in Brussels started hearing stories about high-ranking Turkish NATO military officials being summarily suspended, asked to hand in their passports and return to Ankara - on specially-issued one-way travel documents. Research by DW's Studio Brussels now reveals what's happening to these families. Several of those targeted by the post-coup "cleansing" have now shared their personal stories and they are heartbreaking: families split apart, mothers trying to raise children while worrying daily about the father who's been thrown in jail, people in need of urgent medical care suddenly made stateless.

Aside from the human dimension of all this, the arrests and possible torture of officials who used to represent Turkey at NATO, non-Turkish officers inside NATO are warning this might have far-reaching military consequences, with some of the alliance's most-experienced personnel sent into hiding. It is troubling to see how far the reach of Erdogan can stretch and how ruthlessly he is using it.

But first things first, literally: let's take another look at what the preamble to the North Atlantic Treaty (1949) states: "The parties of this treaty […] are determined to safeguard the freedom […] of their people, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law."

Well, it's safe to say that the Erdogan regime in Turkey isn't subscribing to these principles anymore. In fact, it seems rather opposed to them at the moment. Is it reason enough to kick Turkey out of the alliance? If this goes on for much longer the answer would have to be "yes." But right now it would be better if NATO officials were a little more open and a little less stealthy, at least about the things that are happening inside its headquarters' walls.

http://www.dw.com/en/opinion-nato-is-betraying-its-principles/a-36659492

NATO officers from Turkey have turned into stateless asylum-seekers

http://www.dw.com/en/nato-officers-from-turkey-have-turned-into-stateless-asylum-seekers/a-36655693

[guillaumeb]

1. A NATO related question:

Why exactly is Turkey a member of NATO?
Why is Albania a member of NATO?
Why is Bulgaria a member of NATO?
Why is Croatia a member of NATO?
Why is Greece a member of NATO?
Why is Italy a member of NATO?
Why is Hungary a member of NATO?

There are a couple more I could list, but none of the listed countries would seem to be needed for a North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Unless of course NATO is seen as a proxy for the US that serves to provide cover for US actions all over the world.

And if this is so, there are no real principles to betray.

[FarCenter]

2. NATO is the military arm for domination of the Anglo-American post WW II sphere of influence.

Turkey has long been seen as critical to countering Russia, going back to the Crimean War.

[guillaumeb]

3. Exactly. I posed the question because some here are convinced that NATO

is a purely defensive alliance.

[Xolodno]

4. The ironic thing is...

...the rapid expansion of NATO could very well be its undoing.

It's certainly reduced its effectiveness.

[guillaumeb]

5. NATO is seen by the world as a proxy for the US.

Pretending that it is a defensive organization might fool some voters and the US media, but it does not fool the Chinese or the Russians.

[Xolodno]

6. I agree.

But my point was more along the lines that rapid growth of NATO has actually made the alliance weaker. In trying to have more influence via expansion, it may have backfired.

Turkey for example, was always a tenuous member. Then NATO adds even more members whose governments at times can be called into question and even promising membership to severely corrupt nations like Ukraine.

Is a French soldier willing to take a bullet because a corrupt or foolish leader in another country whose membership is questionable, aggravated Moscow? Is Germany willing to commit to a massive and costly war effort that will certainly devastate the country over a border skirmish in the Baltic's?

Its probably why the EU is seriously considering its own army apart from NATO. Rules for joining the EU are far more stringent and not based on ambitions of the US. Which of course, again will weaken NATO.

This is why Russia, et. al. are more willing to test the limits if you will.

[guillaumeb]

7. I agree also.

And with Turkey, the situation in Syria is interesting because Turkey, like the US, is trying to balance competing priorities regarding the Syrians and the Kurds. Turkey is opposed to any type of Kurdish sovereignty because it sees the Kurds as a transnational tribe that threatens Turkish sovereignty in that part of Turkey that the Kurds regard as a part of "their" homeland.

And a map of NATO countries shows that NATO is encircling Russia and the southern edge of China.