Difficult US-Turkish relations are bound to be seriously set back if Obama does not condemn the Israeli raid. That carries the possibility of major problems inside NATO, where Turkey is the only Muslim member. And it will further complicate US efforts against the Iranian nuclear program. At the United Nations, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu urged the Security Council to condemn Israel’s raid and set up a formal inquiry to hold those responsible for it accountable. “This is terrible for Israel-Turkey relations,” Namik Tan, the Turkish ambassador to the United States, said in an interview. The US has been at pains to keep Turkey’s place as a valued NATO member and democratic buffer against Iran and Arab dictatorships. Now it would seem that Obama has to choose. But the US leader is likely to think twice before joining the global censure of Israel ahead of mid-term congressional elections in November unless he senses a new mood among Americans coming to view Israel as a liability, rather than a trusted ally.
US-TURKISH RELATIONS IN ROUGH WATERS
US-TURKISH RELATIONS IN ROUGH WATERS